Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

George Lucas - Writer/Director
Ewan McGregor - Obi-Wan Kenobi
Hayden Christensen - Anakin Skywalker
Natalie Portman - Padme'
Ian McDiarmid - Chancellor Palpatine
Samuel L Jackson - Mace Windu
Frank Oz - Yoda (voice)
Anthony Daniels - C3PO
Jimmy Smits - Senator Bail Organa
Christopher Lee - Count Dooku


Anakin Skywalker has a lot to contemplate in Episode III.


I am a Star Wars fan - not the kind that collects figurines and brings a light saber to opening night - but a fan nonetheless. I enjoyed the original movies as well as the 2 prequels and I'm happy to report I was not disappointed by Revenge of the Sith. Episode III, like the other new Star Wars films, had a lot riding on it. It's (supposedly) the last Star Wars film we'll ever see and it has the job of bridging the new movies to the original ones. It's also the only Star Wars film to have a PG-13 rating. It's more adult in nature and there are a couple of scenes that are definitely not for children. Given the subject matter - Anakin's fall to the dark side, the eradication of the Jedi Order - the more mature rating is justified and I'm glad they didn't try to family the movie down.

Some of the things I didn't like about the prequels are still there. Natalie Portman still can't act, and some of the dialogue seems stiff and uninspired. On the good side, Jar Jar Binks does not speak once in the movie. I also liked Hayden Christensen's portrayal of Anakin Skywalker much better this time around. He managed to inspire sympathy from me as well as an understanding of his plight. The plot really drives home the reasoning for all the speeches we've heard about the dangers of fear, attachment, anger and love. Darth Vader is one of the best (worst?) movie villains ever, and this film delivers a proper setup for the ruthlessness that is to come in episodes IV-VI.


Dammit it's fucking impossible to find any downloadable screens from this movie. Here's a shitty one of Ewan McGregor who is really good as Obi-Wan Kenobi.


The acting has its strong moments and its weak moments. Some of the stiffness in the dialogue stems from the fact that most of the movie is computer generated with the actors standing in front of a blue screen that is to be filled in later. Hard to be inspired by that. I have enjoyed Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan in the prequels and he is solid here as well. Some of the strongest dialogue takes place between Anakin and Chancellor Palpatine. Watching the Chancellor twist and manipulate young Anakin is entertaining and masterfully done. The sound and music score are, as always with Star Wars films, top notch. The film provides a lot of eye candy with flashy light saber battles, and huge battles being fought in a variety of fantastic locales. The bottom line is, this is Star Wars. If you expect you'll like it, you probably will. If you didn't enjoy the first two prequels, this one probably won't do it for you either. Regardless, I'd think twice before taking any young kids to see it. For me it was a fine movie and a proper sendoff for the series.

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith earns 3.5 Yodas out of 4.