Disappointing

Rating: 2/10 (27 May 2005)

A long time ago and a bridge too far, far away.
For a movie to continue the tradition of the original three, and also claim to make up for the disappointing episodes 1 and 2 Revenge has a lot to live up to. This should be more than a movie, it should be iconic.
Instead with hackneyed writing, wooden performances and the most lame conversion to evil scene imaginable this movie is a total disappointment. The pivotal scene in the whole series sends shivers up the spine for its lack of conviction, its dreadful writing and its complete unbelievability.
It is not that it is all bad, far from it, but it is also what else it is far from, and that is the movie it was promised to be.
As an aside, the Death Star is being built and takes until Luke and Leia are old enough to save the galaxy, yet the second one takes between Star Wars and Jedi to be operational? Actually this leads to a valid point, trying to tie up every lose end and have virtually ever character from New Hope to Jedi in episodes one to three adds needless complexity to the storyline. Do we need to see Chewbacca buddy up to Yoda? Why do the battles all involve men going up against laser wielding robots without any thought to their own safety? Even if they are clones would it not be more realistic to seek cover? It's like battles in World War 1 with lions led by donkeys and one more push over the top to slaughter.
We have seen it before in the Matrix, a vision that is stunning in its inception, but the visionary can not carry it through to the conclusion promised. A keyhole view of a universe that fails on closer and more broad examination.
Sadly, these aren't the droids you're looking for.