Special effects, action steal the show

Rating: 7/10 (19 May 2005)

Star Wars fanatics obviously will embrace Episode III as another amazing film by the great George Lucas. While I enjoy a good light saber battle from time to time, I am as far from being a die-hard as there is. Frankly, Episode I was terrible, and Episode II did not stand on its own very well. Needless to say, I was not excited at all heading into the final piece of the saga.
But Revenge of the Sith not only turns out to be a great Star Wars film (in fact, it's one of the best), it's also an awesome movie. Episode III is an enormous departure from the others; the action rarely stops, the acting is solid, and the film even takes the time to explore the different political agendas taking place. For the casual fan, there isn't going to be much missing.
The most notable aspect of Revenge is the special effects. While the series has always been known for its fantastic visuals, these are clearly the best so far and are most likely the best in any movie to date. Everything looks vibrant and true, and no detail was spared in making everything appear as real as possible.
In the end, the film's biggest flaws are because it is a Star Wars movie. The fight scenes, while they are all incredible, make up a bit too much of the movie. As usual, the script could be stronger. But the biggest problem with Episode III is that we've all seen Episode IV.
Is it fair to judge a movie because we already know what's going to happen? Yes, in fact for casual fans it may be the single biggest problem. As I watched the end of the Episode III, I could not help feeling under whelmed by the whole thing, not because it was bad, but because I didn't see anything new. The birth of Darth Vader is interesting, yet Star Wars: Episode III  Return of the Sith is ultimately uninspired, just another Hollywood cash cow.
Go for Star Wars, go for action, go to see these special effects on the big screen. Prepare to be impressed and amazed, but at the same time prepare to be a little disappointed.