More than the sum of it's parts, the last film in an amazing saga!

Rating: 10/10 (11 July 2005)

OK so the acting and script is the "sat morn matinee/50's melodrama" style - it's meant to be, George admits that he isn't the best dialogue writer, and he had some help. But the style is one of his choosing. Let's get over it! This film rocks! The prequels aren't as high on the 'surface value' entertainment as the sequels, and Empire is the master film in the saga, but this does come so close for me.
I'm not going to break down the story - everyone has done that - but write about what I got from it. A deep resounding tale about politics vs. the good of the people, the use of fear by those who want to grab power, how a narrow love focused on one can be detrimental as apposed to those who love universally, the corruption of greed and power that ultimately feeds on itself. This is an amazing tale with so much food for thought.
Visually stunning, poetic and operatic, a great tragedy and wonderful universal themes play through the prequels which are (fortunately or unfortunately depending on your POV) completely interdependent on each other.
This is the creative voice of George Lucas who is telling more of a story than the man who becomes Vader, but about the modern world we live in where the media, politics and universal love is constantly being challenged.
And that is how I view it - not by a hard lined "this is what films should be" POV but what someone is trying to artistically bring into our consciousness.
One thing is for sure, there is more to George telling this story than he is admitting. If the original trilogy was about technology vs. human spirit and inspiring us that there is more than what we see and to believe in ourselves, then these films are about the corruption that is all around us, even the role of the Jedi order warns us about complacency an inability to grow.
OK so you may think that I have gone a bit too far - fine. But that is really what I see in these films, and the power of Episode 3 resonates with me as much as any star wars film.
I have never seen anything like this, so bold in it's obvious criticisms - that is why - to me - this is not only excellent, it is a masterpiece - there is no other live action film like this. NONE!