Critter's Cave

Well, it’s over (for now). After 28 years and 6 movies, the big screen adventures of the Skywalker clan have come to an end. Bittersweet, especially after the disappointments of Episodes I and II, but a mostly good end to one of our generations most influential piece of pop culture. Read on for my review/impressions of this film.

Even if Phantom Menace or Attack of the Clones had never been made, this film is the one that those of us in the theater in May of 1977 have been waiting for. Ever since we heard that deep, hollow breath and the chilling voice we have wanted to know more about this character. When Vader disclosed Luke’s paternity to him in Empire and Obi-Wan confirmed it in Jedi, we wanted to know even more. How could this person, this great Jedi fall so far? Why is he wearing that life support armor? What drives this person to do the things he does? These are all questions we wanted answered – and Revenge of the Sith, after 22 years since Jedi premiered, answers these questions (and more) in spades.
As has been said in numerous other reviews the middle section of the movie, especially the “love scenes” between Padme(Natalie Portman) and Anakin (Hayden Christensen), are not of the greatest quality to say the least. There is no chemistry between the actors, no spark that would make me believe they have this great love for each other. If that spark were there, if the dialog between them weren’t so stilted, I think this movie would have even topped Empire, if for nothing else than the sheer pathos and tragedy of the film.
I must say the situation is quite different between Christensen and Chancellor Palpatine(Ian McDiarmid) – the seduction of Anakin to the Dark Side is handled brilliantly – so brilliantly, in fact, that right up until the Jedi Council confronts Palpatine, you can almost sympathize with Anakin and understand why he followed the path he did. You may hear some say he was fully turned to the Dark Side when he saved Palpatine from the Council. However, I believe his turning was completed a scene earlier, and was handled brilliantly by Christensen. No flashy mind-battle, no scene-chewing vocal debate externalizing the war within himself for the viewing audience’s benefit. No, none of that. With a look and a single tear – one tear – he falls, but the depth his falling is not made clear until he finishes the scouring of the Jedi Temple. From the moment he steps from the Jedi Council room, he is in the thrall of the Dark Side until his redemption in Jedi.
The only other thing needed to make the story complete is the long-awaited battle between the young, healthy Vader and Obi-Wan. What a battle it is, even though you know, based on the original trilogy, what the outcome of this battle is and how it leads to the Vader we knew growing up. All the Jedi vs. Sith battles were extraordinary. The best two, however had to be Obi-Wan vs Gen. Grevious followed closely by the climactic battle between Yoda and Palpatine. There have been reviews that didn’t like the length of these lightsaber duels, but I never felt that – I was just sitting there mesmerized by the intricate saber play presented.
Had that been all, I would have been satisfied with the film, but they did manage to tie up a few loose continuity ends (although they did introduce a couple more and ignored a couple outright) and manage to make A New Hope feel like the next logical step in the series, even though it was made over 25 years ago.
A most excellent end to an era – I give it 4.5 out 5 Stars