Simply Stunning...*MINOR SPOILERS*

Rating: 6/10 (25 May 2005)

I went to this movie, expecting that although this was going to be good, it would not be able to exceed the greatness of any of the three original movies. When I came out of the cinema, I thought, "Lucas, you've completed your quadrilogy."
Set a few years after the beginning of the Clone Wars, Anakin has reached Jedi Knight status, and him and Obi-Wan are on a mission to save Chancellor Palpatine Everything, from the acting, to the score, was of high calibre. The special effects were top notch as usual, and actually complimented the movie. The acting was raised another notch or two. McGregor was brilliant as usual, Yoda, even though purely CGI, looked even wiser and more aggressive, but Hayden Christensen, who plays Anakin, has probably improved the most. His acting is actually believable this time around, but some emotions still scream 'Episode II stinker' (That is, he seems to restrict himself). When Anakin turns to the Dark side though, Christensen's performance is quite amazing. The chemistry between him and co-star Natalie Portman is believable, too. Without a doubt, Ian McDirmid had the best on screen performance. It seems only he could ever portray the revival of the Sith.
John William's score feels somewhat restricted in the movie, although it is great. At times, one wonders where the music is, while lightsabers are cutting paths of limb-slicing death. There are places where you will feel proud of the Star Wars score though, such as the Yoda vs. Darth Sidious scene. Pure brilliance.
The story is great. It fits in almost perfectly with the old trilogy. Lucas wanted us to 'love' to be sad with this movie, and, fortunately for him, it does make one sad. The script was generally better this time around, and helps move the story emotionally. One cannot help but feel sad/angry at the time of the line "I need him!", or feel the tension at the lava planet when Obi-Wan says "Anakin, let her go!". The transition to Darth Vader wasn't as 'epic' as it should have been. This is probably the biggest let down in the movie, but even then, it is not a big let down. Ultimately, this is a sad movie, a movie that shows that good guys don't always win.
Overall, this movie had everything, great acting, good story, awesome effects, and the rise of one of the greatest villains of all time. Highly Recommended - 9/10