The Force is strong with this one!

Rating: 8/10 (18 May 2005)

EDIT: It's 10 years later and I'm revisiting this review. It's clear that I was pretty enthusiastic about the movie, having written this just hours after seeing it. Can't believe how I gushed about it! I've revised my rating from a 10 to an 8. Maybe I'm more mature now at 47?
As a lifelong Star Wars fan, I'm still looking forward to Ep VII later this year. ==================================
WOW! Just got back from the midnight showing of Ep III - among the first in North America to see it, other than my friends in Newfoundland and Labrador :-) - lucky dogs! I have to admit I was a little wet-eyed when it was all over... because it's all over. I'm sure over the next few days I will still find myself asking questions that remain unanswered, but for the most part I am very satisfied with how things concluded. There were some nice touches to maintain continuity. Going into the movie I hoped that those things wouldn't be too blatantly obvious - tying up a loose end JUST for the sake of doing it. I think they were handled very well.
Action sequences were just unbelievable! The opening shot from the start of the camera pan down lasted a full 1:15 (yes, this geek timed it!) before the camera angle changed! SO much detail. I am a Hyperspace member, so I had a lot of inside info for the past couple of years, but I was still overwhelmed by the sheer number of stunningly detailed locations! So nice to finally see some of the planets we'd been hearing about for so long.
Dark? Oh yes! Even the environments! I don't recall many scenes where the sun was shining! This is definitely not a film for younger viewers! But we were already told that well in advance. I was glad, though, that Lucas was not afraid to go there. It certainly added to the theme.
A standout performance by Ian McDiarmid. Certainly the best acting in the movie. All lightsaber duels were the most intense ever, beautifully choreographed and staged. Just too much good stuff to note here.
I just can't describe the feeling I felt with the opening Fox and Lucasfilm logos. Then silence with "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..." Then the opening fanfare and title crawl... I had goosebumps. I was 9 years old all over again. Yes, I was 9 when it all started... I'll now remember this day - just after I turned 37, when it ended.
I will definitely be seeing this a few more times! Thank you, George, for a fitting final chapter to the saga. Impressive. Most impressive!