I am the Senate...................*spoilers*

Rating: 10/10 (18 May 2005)

If only Lucas didn't cut the scenes where the theme of "compassion" leading to eternal consciousness, Yoda telling Luke that the dark side isn't stronger in Empire would have had a whole lot more meaning. Dark all through out save for some comic relief such as Yoda almost being hit by laser fire as he watches the ground battle from above in Kashyyk, Artoo torching the battle droids and what Yoda does to the Red Guards before he confronts Sidious.
It is ambiguous as to whether Mace Windu genuinely gained the upper-hand in his encounter with the Chancellor Sith Lord or was Palpatine putting in a show of farce when he loses his red blade on the ledge, we also get to see that the Sith also must have had experience in theater (he is fond of operas, right?) and the actor's guild as he plays possum at a certain point.
Duel of the Fates is perfectly married to A Hero Falls in the two epic duels of the film, (love the way Yoda and the Emperor are elevated onto the Senate rotunda, right after Yoda, force hurls Palpatine onto his throne, everyone laughed here). I liked the music of despair when Anakin meditates in the Council chamber during the sunset while Padme shares the same feelings of apprehension. "Qui-Gon's" funeral music is revived when Vader is transformed into the half-man half-machine monster in black. Beautiful POV shot of the mask coming down and good work of sound design when we hear the first "robotic breath" of the mutilated Sith Lord. A NEW HOPE music is beautifully put in the scenes of Alderaan with Bail Organa and his wife, the last scene and even at the end credits. Perfectly bridging the gap, if only musically.
Portman, I don't know how to get into discussing this seemed to leave somewhat a little bit more to be desired in her performance. McDiarmid almost steals the show as the movie's treacherous antagonist, his ominous whispers are frighteningly spooky, e.g. when he tells Vader that they will discover the secret of cheating death if they work together.
Speaking of which, Lucas has cut a lot that should have been left in at the end, such as Yoda speaking to Qui-Gon Jinn and that "eternal consciousness" just being able to speak from beyond the grave making one more powerful than any Sith would have been a great pay-off unless Lucas doesn't believe in what is generally agreed to be "good" and "evil". Well, the Sith Chancellor mentions, "Evil is a point of view." The best Star Wars film since Episode 5. Although from an editorial standpoint, Lucas at times fails in terms of what he has decided to chop off with his NLE... and possibly with some he has left in.
A-