Contrived

Rating: 5/10 (19 May 2005)

I think what makes a story and characters credible is the question of Why. Why would someone chose to do a certain action over another? Why would someone behave that way? What is the motivational force behind these people? Lucas tried. He really did. Bottom line is that he is not a writer. Lucas is a creative genius in that he created a magnificent story in an incredible setting. He also pioneered transformations in film making. That is what Lucas is and those are the things he does best. However, writing is not his forte. If "Star Wars" continues, it would be better left in someone else's hands.
"Sith" is supposed to be a character story. A story about how a man makes a choice to do wrong. However, as I watched the film, there were plenty of times that I asked myself why. Lucas tries to make you believe that the reason Anakin chose to follow Darth Sidious is because he held the knowledge of the power to stop death, specifically, stop the death of his wife in child birth. Sidious/Palpatine, in revealing the knowledge of this power, reveals to Anakin that he is the dark lord of the Sith and Anakin, who oppose the Sith, turn Palpatine to the Jedi. The Jedi do their job and arrest Palpatine, but Anakin saves the day and prevents the dark lords death. Why? Anakin understands that if Palpatine is arrested, he loses his chance to learn the power that saves his beloved wife. However, when Anakin confronts Mace as Mace tries to kill Palpatine, claiming him to be too dangerous to be kept alive, Anakin responds in anger, saying how Palpatine must not die, but be tried in the courts. Mace is unconvinced. Palpatine controls the courts and therefor no justice but death can be administered. Anakin cuts off Mace's hand and Palpatine uses force lightening to send Mace to an electric fall to his death. Anakin then says, "What have I done?!" While Palpatine congratulates Anakin on his action, Anakin swears an allegiance to Palpatine to become his servant. He then proceeds to the Jedi temple to kill innocent younglings while Palpatine gives the order to the Republic clone army to eliminate their Jedi commanders.
Why? Why, why, why? If Anakin knew that killing Mace was a "What have I done" moment, why would he then swear allegiance to Palpatine? Palpatine never realized his promise to provide the knowledge of the power to save the ones you love. From what I saw, Palpatine taught Anakin nothing, just renamed him Darth Vader (again, Why?) and told him to do stuff. If I were Anakin, I would have felt betrayed quickly if my dark lord didn't give me exactly what I wanted. Passion and the pursuit of power rule the Sith. Anakin was already powerful in the Force. What did turning to the darkside do but give him borderline personality disorder? Second of all, why did the clone troopers kill the Jedi under a pre-ordained specific order? Yes, Palpatine was their leader, but it seemed something that had already been planned and just needed to be executed. How did this come about? I give a Bravo to Hayden Christensen for pulling off in E:III what he didn't do in E:II. Young actors are somewhat of a liability to hire. Maturity and experience always seasons a performance and Christensen is turning into a fine actor. Under the right direction, I don't see why he can't be Oscar nominated like his co-star, Natalie Portman.
Too many characters, too many plot lines, too many people to make any but a few have some dimension. I feel sorry for Samuel L. Jackson to be part of a major event such as Star Wars and only be a talking prop. The same to Jimmy Smits as the Senetor of Alderaan, Bail Organna. And Ian McDairmid is much too elegant a figure to be running around, acting out of breath with the Jedi. He shines when he is sitting in a throne-like chair, weaving his evil doings around those close to him.
Yes, poor Anakin was manipulated by Palpatine. However, I would have to say that Anakin was pretty stupid if he never figured it out when Palpatine's plots came to head. Everyone key got it, but he never did. George Lucas strikes again in creating contrived characters. The man would have been smart to give his pet project into the hands of a film maker, to create a story that isn't fan fodder. But then, if the entertainment industry is a business of making money off of people's need to spend their cash to feel good, he hit the mark. And a sadder movie to come from it.