Powerful storytelling and the best of the prequels

Rating: 9/10 (25 November 2011)

So far, George Lucas's prequels to the Star Wars franchise have been duds. This on the other hand is an exquisite film with better characters than the previous installments. Lucas has a lot of climatic battle scenes and features a towering score by John Williams with heart-wrenching moments that finally completes his large, sprawling series of films. This tops the first two prequels and does what prequels should do; it sets up the first film. Though not even close to the masterpieces that are the first three Star Wars films but it still partially redeems the mixed bag that is the prequel trilogy and certainly brings in plenty of cash for Lucas.