Brilliant, actually on the same par as the originals

Rating: 9/10 (20 May 2005)

What can I say that hasn't already been said by the cult fans? Well I don't have any of the merchandise, I couldn't tell you what planet Hans Solo came from and I didn't bring a light-saber to the movie theater but I would still call myself a fan of these movies. And I wasn't disappointed. The special effects were awesome as usual but I think thats come to be expected from Lucas. The main improvement from Episodes I and II was the characters. Hayden Christensen has improved dramatically since Attack of the Clones, the dark side really works for him, he's no longer a whiny teenager he is a more complex and powerful young man. Quite scary too. Ewan McGregor makes a good Jedi, he's cool calm and collected but he actually provides some of the lighter moments in the film too. And R2D2! He really had some good scenes this time, it's amazing how much personality they can put into a plastic box that beeps. He had me laughing and cheering, just like Yoda. Yoda is so much better in the first three movies, all his fight scenes always get a great reaction from the crowd and you have to love the little green guy. And green is the best light-saber colour. Except maybe for Jedi Windoo's purple.
This last installment focuses more on the emotional development of Aniken which I think makes it much more interesting than the previous two movies. It's not just a movie about special effects or fight scenes (though those are also really good) it's quite psychological, it explores the themes of fear, grief, loss and love. It provides the perfect framework for the original trilogy which I think is important, it was going to be a challenge for Lucas to successfully link them together but I think he's achieved relative continuity. Continuity not just of the plot but of the characters.
I would have given this movie 10 except for one thing, the dialogue between Padme and Aniken was at times cringe-worthy. I just don't think Lucas is very good at writing romance. I don't think the actors felt particularly natural with it either. But this is only a minor detail in an otherwise thrilling movie.
Like I said, I'm not a massive Star Wars fan but I thoroughly enjoy the movies and I think this episode will somewhat reconcile Lucas with fans who had been disillusioned after The Phantom Menace.