The darkest chapter, the end of the tunnel, then the light of "a new hope" on the horizon...

Rating: 9/10 (22 May 2005)

Well, my only disappointment with Episode III is that I felt Anakin's reaction to Padme's death was ruined by the Darth Vader mask. I was hoping to see the burnt and crippled Anakin told about Padme while he was being repaired in the hospital. I would have liked to see Hayden's face, see him cry in anguish, knowing that after everything he did to "save" her, he actually was the one who killed her. Not by the death choke, but by killing her belief in him, killing her will to live. How horrible to learn that your husband has turned to evil when you're about to give birth to his children??? If you loved Anakin as much as she did, nothing could save you. Her hope and faith in him was destroyed, and that was a very powerful and emotional scene when she said, "You're breaking my heart!!!" Natalie Portman is to be commended for such a strong supportive role. Anyway, back to Anakin. Once that mask was on, he was indeed more machine than man, and the whole "anguish and grief" thing with Vader just didn't do it for me.
Also, to see Anakin struggling to breathe before the mask was placed would have been great. I was under the impression that he absolutely could not breathe without a ventilator, and then the mask/apparatus of the Vader mask. I'm sure his lungs were scorched severely when he was burned alive. The scene with Anakin falling near the lava and him beginning to burn was deeply disturbing and well done!!! To me, burns are the most horrible injuries, so painful and disfiguring. When Darth Sidious "saved" the life of Anakin, he proved to me just how evil he was. Instead of being merciful and letting Anakin die, he put the poor thing on life support, so that he could continue having an "apprentice" to use for his dirty work!!!
Anakin Skywalker is such a tragic character. I realize now that STAR WARS is in fact not just the story of how Luke Skywalker undermines the plans of the Emperor and Lord Vader, but it's the story of two children and their father. Anakin/Vader is in all six films, Luke is in but 3, or 4 if you count the newborn Luke. When you look to the side of the war and the awesome special effects of these films, you find a very original and wonderful family story. Sorry if I'm annoying anyone...I just got back and I'm feeling rather heavy-hearted. The film is not a happy one. But it's absolutely brilliant and the darkness is necessary. There's nothing sadder to me than seeing a gifted, handsome young man, happily married to a beautiful woman with children on the way, fall prey to an evil, ruthless, ambitious coward who hides behind the retiring facade of a senator. Anakin is lied to, manipulated, brainwashed, and set to work as an assassin who murders men, women and children. In the end, he loses everything, his wife, his children, his friendships, including with Obi-Wan, all because he made the grave mistake of allowing himself to believe that somehow the Dark side would give him the power to save Padme from death. Now I understand why the death of Shmi Skywalker lead Anakin to kill. He never understood why it was so important not to get too close to anyone, because the fear of losing them leads to the anger and rage that would end in even more death and suffering. It's terrible that a Jedi isn't allowed to marry, but now I see that it's really not in a Jedi's best interest to get too close to people. I have to offer defense for Christensen. So many on here think he's a lousy actor. Sorry, you're wrong. His emotional, tumultuous performance is what impressed me above everything else. I saw the scenes where Anakin is crying shortly before he really gives himself over to evil and kills the Jedi younglings. It's an amazing transformation and very skilled acting.
I see, too, why Darth Vader becomes so ruthless and emotionless. Having lost everything he ever loved and cherished, having lost his whole life, he decides to abandon everything about what he was. "That name no longer has any meaning for me." Now he is an evil agent with no agenda except to please his Master. What a sad existence for him. I don't want to sound like a lovesick teenager (I'm 35 actually) but Hayden Christensen is BEAUTIFUL, especially so in Episode III. And I think the reason that the story of Anakin/Darth Vader ends up successful is because this monster, this robotic Sith Lord in a gruesome mask that probably made millions of 6 year olds wet their beds at night after a trip to the theeater in 1977, was once a very beautiful, very young, very impressionable young man with his whole life ahead of him, who was too headstrong and ambitious for his own good, as George Lucas said. It would be easier to continue looking at Vader as a monster to hate if he hadn't began life in such a promising way. It's only too relieving that in Episode VI, Anakin's humanity is revived by his son Luke.
REVENGE OF THE SITH is very dark, very tragic. It's pretty violent when compared with the other films. It's great that R2 is around for some light laughs when he tries to help the Jedi with elevators and fights off a bunch of parasitic droids who land on fighters and try to disassemble them. EwanMcGregor gives another great performance as Obi-Wan Kenobi, probably his strongest performance of the 3 new films.
Episode III is a satisfying movie that explains and answers questions and provides a good bridge extending to the old trilogy, where "hope" for the galaxy lies. A big thank you to George Lucas. I love STAR WARS now more than ever!!!