I Feel Cheated

Rating: 3/10 (29 May 2005)

I saw the first episode of Star Wars some 25 years ago and have always been a fan. I endured cutesy little characters, lazy acting, cheesy scripts and dumb computer created characters, but still, I loved the series.
Probably the most mysterious and interesting character in the Star Wars saga is Darth Vader. Finally, after 5(!) films we were going to find out why the Great Jedi Knight turns to the dark side, and becomes Darth Vader. Well, I can't give away why Anakin turns to the dark side but I can say I was left wondering, "Huh?". "That's it!?" Dumb, dumb, dumb. If Anakin is suppose to be such a great Jedi Knight how come he's so stupid and malleable! I wasn't expecting a Shakespearen type of conflict within Anakin as he turns to the dark side but I was expecting more inner conflict then Sponge Bob Squarepants would have when he grabs a piece pie cooling in a window. I would expect Darth to have a conflict at least at the level of a comic book character. There are also so many things Anakin does and says that don't make sense from scene to the next. Very poor character development!
I have to say something about some of the dialog. In good screen writing you shouldn't notice the writer words but so many times the words that come from the actors mouths seem artificial, contrived and completely unnatural. The fact I noticed (several times) that real people just wouldn't say some things shows just how bad the writing is. I don't want to put the blame on the actors because Ewan McGregor and Ian McDiarmid do manage to do a fine job with the lousy script they were handed. Poor Natalie Portman & Hayden Christenson were not able to do such a fine job.
Finally, I have to say something about some of the violence...some of it (towards the end) is at the level of horror movies. Some of it might disturb small children. I am not that squeamish but what was Lucus thinking? If you need to take a break from the film go during a fight scene because they go on forever and they're pretty much the same.
I can't believe George Lucus got so lazy. Star Wars fans deserve better than this piece of .....
3 Stars instead of one because I enjoyed Ewan & Ian and the special effects & aliens are good of course.