The darkest--and best--of the prequels. Period.

Rating: 8/10 (20 May 2005)

It is difficult for me to evaluate the STAR WARS movies individually because each has been intended to be viewed as one whole saga. But EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH is a definite step-up from its last two flawed yet serviceable predecessors, THE PHANTOM MENACE and ATTACK OF THE CLONES, respectively. Whereas the aforementioned prequels took their time to set up exposition, this one unfolds at such a fierce, kinetic pace that you'll be hanging on for dear life.
The extended action sequence which opens the movie, where Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan MacGregor) and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) rescue Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) hearkens back to the visceral excitement and spectacle of the very first shot from the original STAR WARS (or as we should be calling it by now, EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE) and here we get to see (gasp!) electrifying chemistry between MacGregor and Christensen as well as stunts (plus humor provided by R2-D2!). This also sets up the introduction of a new villain, a hulking CGI-crafted droid called General Grievous; admittingly, his malevolent demeanor, thick accent and constant coughing does come across as one-dimensional, but his final showdown with Obi-Wan (where he arms four lightsabers!) is something to see.
Things get a little slower around the second quarter of the movie where we get treated(?) to a few love scenes between Anakin and Padme. The overabundance of these scenes were my biggest issue with ATTACK OF THE CLONES (and in REVENGE OF THE SITH, they occasionally come across as a little shaky, with a few awkward lines I counted), only this time there aren't as many, and the overall chemistry between Christensen and Portman is greatly improved into something respectable if not outstanding. Actually, the best moment between them (SPOILER ALERT!) occurs before the fateful showdown with Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar. I was surprised at how emotional and heartbreaking this exchange was.
Speaking of Christensen, I didn't have much of a problem with him in ATTACK OF THE CLONES (even though his scenes with Padme were hardly something to call praiseworthy), but here he really seems to have grown into the role. His descent into evil is surprisingly well acted and comes off best during the climactic moments. MacGregor, too, is excellent. He was a tad wooden in Episodes I and II, but in this chapter he really sinks into the role and comes close to matching Alec Guiness's legendary performance as Obi-Wan. The same is true for Samuel Jackson as Mace Windu. Whereas he was pretty stiff in the earlier chapters, his confrontation with Palpatine carries a grand dramatic weight and he actually had me rooting for him. Yoda once again steals every scene he's in, upstaged only by Ian McDiarmid, who delivered a deliciously raspy evil to the Emperor in RETURN OF THE JEDI and played Palpatine for the prequels. He speaks his lines with intonations so chilly that he tears into every scene he's in. REVENGE OF THE SITH is, without a doubt, his movie.
It is the final half of the movie, though, that really makes this episode--grittier than even THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and tragic in almost every way, this is George Lucas at his darkest and best. His gift as a storyteller shines throughout the movie and I was deeply engrossed in every minute of it.
It's not perfect, mind you. The dialogue is clunky at times and there are at least a few moments that come across as laughable and/or didn't live up to the rest of the movie (in particular, Darth Vader screaming "NOOOO!" toward the end sounded more restrained than believable).
However, as probably has been said countless times, these "weaknesses" are par for the course with the STAR WARS movies (yes, even the original trilogy)... and the strengths REVENGE OF THE SITH provides outweighs its shortcomings, making it probably the best of the STAR WARS prequels, and a very fitting match for the original trilogy we all know and love. It was quite a long wait, but in the end, it was worth it. As the tag-line proudly states, the saga is complete at last.
Bravo, George Lucas.