Easily the best of the second trilogy...

Rating: 7/10 (9 February 2020)

At last we get some semblance of the original trilogy with this action adventure iteration that is much darker and character-driven. Hayden Christensen "Anakin" is coming to realise what really will turn him into the ultimate evil "Darth Vader" under the guise of his new mentor "Palpatine" (a magnificently, if theatrical, Ian McDiarmid). It's end to end action; the cast have thrown off their romantic notions from "Attack of the Clones" and we are setting the scene, properly, for "A New Hope" at the same time ridding ourselves of the baggage that weighed down the first two in this triplet. Curiously enough, the effects don't work so well in this, but George Lucas, David Tattersall and John Williams deliver a much, much better fantasy drama with some great galactic swashbuckling at the end...