"Revenge of the Sith" - An epic closer that shows Lucas' return to form

Rating: 10/10 (30 May 2005)

The saying "Third time's a charm" is more relevant with the fantastic "Star Wars" films than I think it's been with any other action series. Its creator, George Lucas, first kicked off "Star Wars" in 1977, and revolutionized the way people made movies, as well as how people view them.
As a casual fan of the "Star Wars" saga, I found this entry to be quite an (un)pleasant ride, but that's its entire point: to show a man's slide to the "dark side of the Force." The prequel trilogy has slowly lead up to this film, and I can definitely tell anyone who views it that the six-year wait was well worth it.
In "Revenge of the Sith," Lucas demonstrates skill and directorial excellence that's been noticeably lacking in the past two prequel installments, "The Phantom Menace" (1999) and "Attack of the Clones" (2002). In fact, he reaches the peak of his skill in this film in a way that hasn't been seen since the original trilogy.
As a movie, it runs an epic 140 minutes and doesn't waste a single frame. Critics and fans have always panned the dialogue in "Star Wars" and here it's no different, but Lucas is able to draw attention away from that by focusing on dazzling visuals, lightsaber battles, and other action sequences.
Die-hards have argued in the past about how the new films betray the originality and daring feats exercised in the original trilogy. They make the point about how much Lucas was able to do so much with so little in the absence of CGI 28 years ago in '77. When he re-released his original trilogy in 1997 (with newly added CGI footage and effects), it left a sour taste in the mouths of the fans, as the only film that was significantly improved was "A New Hope" (1977).
Lucas has countered that by stating that he's only bringing forth his epic vision to the best realization that it can possibly get. Die-hards, of course, have argued that he tends to go overboard sometimes, and that in some epic lightsaber battles, like this film's climax, tend to only be pleasing to the MTV-generation crowd, not the film's hardcore fanbase.
Of course, what is greatest about "Sith" is its story, which is a continuation of the two previous episodes and wraps itself up so it can lead into the original trilogy. Issues of continuity and logic are always plaguing films like "Star Wars," but I think that Lucas was smart enough to tie up loose ends without much difficulty.
And then there are the performances. Acting has never been an admirable quality in a "Star Wars" movie (save the late Alec Guinness, and maybe Harrison Ford), but Hayden Christensen (as Anakin Skywalker) may be next in line for an Oscar nomination, as we watch a once benevolent young man descend into the depths of evil in its most despicable form, and finally become what he was destined to be: Darth Vader.
Lastly, today's hostile political climate also figures into Lucas' screenplay, with countless parallels to tragic real world events here in the United States and abroad. Observant viewers will note how the Republic in this film closely mirrors the grim direction that the U.S. is heading under our current administration. And I strongly believe that in interviews, Lucas has been quite frank about his feelings regarding these issues.
"Revenge of the Sith" is the last installment of a film series that has finally regained some momentum under its creator. George Lucas shows why he's one of our most capable, if not all-around greatest filmmakers.
10/10