The Force Is Back!

Rating: 8/10 (19 May 2005)

I'm delighted to report that George Lucas has safely returned the Star Wars saga back to the tracks just in time for the final installment. While I wasn't as harshly critical of The Phantom Menace and Attack Of The Clones as many others were, there is no doubt that there was something missing in those films which made them less enjoyable than those in the original Star Wars trilogy. Any mistakes though, in those prior two films, can be forgiven as Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith forms an almost perfect bridge between the prequel trilogy and the original one, shot so long ago and seemingly so far, far away. As Darth Vader might say: "The Circle is now complete." One of the best aspects of this film is how well it sets up the circumstances which lead to the events we are so familiar with in the original film of the series, now known as Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. The birth of twins Luke and Leia, the emergence of black caped villain Darth Vader, the banishment of former Jedis Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda to distant planets, and the creation of the evil galactic empire all occur in this film. Going in, I wondered if knowing where the story was heading would be a bad thing. The answer to that question is a resounding no! As one reviewer put it, knowing what the puzzle will look like isn't as important as how the pieces are put together. Anakin Skywalker's descent into the dark side of the force and his gradual emergence into the personality of Darth Vader might be inevitable, but getting there is the fun part.
After the familiar opening scrawl, the film immediately jumps into one long, breathless sequence in which Jedis Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan MacGregor) and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) chase after Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) and new villain General Grievous (voiced by Matthew Wood), who have apparently kidnapped Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), the leader of the Republic. Grievous, a completely digital character, at first appears vulnerable, but turns out to be a very formidable opponent. On that note, of the many digital characters found in this film, Jar Jar Binks makes only a brief, almost wordless appearance - one of many improvements that Lucas has made from the previous two films.
Following that opening, the film slows down quite a bit as we are updated on the relationship between Anakin and his bride Padmé (Natalie Portman), whom he married at the end of Attack Of The Clones. It turns out that even though there has been little contact between the two since their quaint wedding, Padmé is now pregnant. Anakin, who as a Jedi is forbidden to form permanent attachments, begins to experience terrible dreams about Padmé during childbirth, similar to his premonitions about his mother's death in Attack Of The Clones. Chancellor Palpatine, who is undergoing his own transformation to full blown evil, begins to convince the heavily conflicted Anakin that the only relief to his premonitions is a turn to the dark side of the Force.
Interestingly, Anakin's metamorphosis into Darth Vader has more to do with his love for Padmé and his conflicts with the Jedi Council than an explicit desire for power. No matter the motivations, however, the transformation is complete. By the end of this film, Anakin/Vader is truly an evil personality, as he is personally responsible for the slaughter of many, including innocents. I think it is quite profound that despite the heroic adventures of Luke Skywalker and Hans Solo, the entire Star Wars series is actually about the rise, fall and eventual redemption of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. After seeing this film, you'll never look at the original three films in quite the same way.
I won't say much more about the plot except to say if you like epic light saber duels, this is your movie. Participants use up to 4 weapons at a time and there are many face-to-face battles between key players such as Yoda versus the Emperor and the climatic battle between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin/Vader. That final duel is both compelling and tragic and leads to the necessity for Anakin to don the Darth Vader costume.
When the movie is good, it can be very good. But likewise, when it is bad, it can be absolutely cringe-inducing. In particular, a scene near the end of the film makes such a literal reference to the original Frankenstein movie that you expect someone to shout "It's Alive." Shortly following that unintentional funny moment is another when the newly crowned (literally) Darth Vader shouts "Noooooooooo" with upraised arms. It is so far off the mark that one wonders how it could have remained in the finished film.
Other weaknesses in the movie include the actual moment that Anakin chooses to follow the dark side of the Force. Lucas does a wonderful job of laying the ground work for the scene but it comes off as completely unconvincing when it occurs. One moment Anakin feels regret, the next he is bowing down before Palpatine, pledging his allegiance. In addition, Palpatine's physical and vocal transformation into his evil alter ego is quite jarring, as he goes straight from upper-class British twit to cackling goon, complete with ridiculously evil laugh. In addition, the clunky dialog (present in all six episodes) and the wooden acting (present in the two prior prequels) isn't completely missing from this film.
But, if you added up all of the bad moments in this movie, they would amount to about two minutes of film. That isn't a bad ratio for a movie that is two hours and twenty minutes long. It is far short of being a masterpiece, but it is still a thrilling conclusion (make that middle) to a six part saga that has spanned almost 30 years. The story is now complete. Long live the Force!