Written by: Kevin Berge
Revenge of the Sith: the one prequel you don't have to feel ashamed about watching. (Image Courtesy of: filmdispenser.com)
Quick Take: Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith has the most sense of purpose and drive of all the Star Wars prequels with stronger direction and focus despite still being underacted and poorly written at times. Its dark climaxes and exploration of its world make for an emotional roller coaster worth the journey.
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***This is an in-depth analysis of Star Wars Episode III with looks at the plot and its characters. The reader is expected to have seen the film and will be spoiled on the movie if they read ahead before seeing Revenge of the Sith.***
George Lucas had a vision when he began creating the prequels. He wanted to tell a political tale of how democracy can be corrupted with some clear influences from the George Bush administration at the time. That vision did not always translate to the screen with illogical and often poorly conceived ideas, but there was purpose.
Revenge of the Sith is the film that most clearly lives in the purpose and drive of the prequels as Lucas conceived them. It is energetic yet darkly foreboding, building upon foundations meagerly established in the previous two films. The characters finally feel fully realized even if their relationship are often defined by off-screen adventures.
It may sound like everything I am writing needs a caveat, but the third episode of the Star Wars saga is truly one of the best of the franchise. Even with its fundamental issues built upon Lucas' propensity toward the strong forms of storytelling, this shows Lucas at his peak as a director, using the visual to capture the heart of a changing world.
This is a beautifully crafted film. Using computer generation as more of a benefit than a cheat, the world is often vibrant from the beginning with a chaotic space battle and ending with a lightsaber war across the lava world of Mustafar. Often there is subtlety to the art design where the use of color in the environments shapes the mood.
The strongest point in the series and one of the greatest moments in the Star Wars films to date was Order 66, a several minute sequence that captured the moment of utter betrayal with barely a word. As the clones turned and killed their Jedi masters, John Williams' score stood tall as the driving dialogue of the scene.
This film also was tasked with creating the most epic lightsaber fight of the entire series, and it honestly delivered. While it did still have a bit too much of the prequels' over-rehearsed choreography, this fight carried its weight in emotion and grit and truly was worth every second of its length.
Of course the movie also makes several missteps along the way that take away from its powerful moments and let down a film that could have stood truly out of the shadow of the other prequels. Much of what Episode I and II did wrong, Episode III doesn't so a great job of avoiding.
***This is an in-depth analysis of Star Wars Episode III with looks at the plot and its characters. The reader is expected to have seen the film and will be spoiled on the movie if they read ahead before seeing Revenge of the Sith.***
George Lucas had a vision when he began creating the prequels. He wanted to tell a political tale of how democracy can be corrupted with some clear influences from the George Bush administration at the time. That vision did not always translate to the screen with illogical and often poorly conceived ideas, but there was purpose.
Revenge of the Sith is the film that most clearly lives in the purpose and drive of the prequels as Lucas conceived them. It is energetic yet darkly foreboding, building upon foundations meagerly established in the previous two films. The characters finally feel fully realized even if their relationship are often defined by off-screen adventures.
It may sound like everything I am writing needs a caveat, but the third episode of the Star Wars saga is truly one of the best of the franchise. Even with its fundamental issues built upon Lucas' propensity toward the strong forms of storytelling, this shows Lucas at his peak as a director, using the visual to capture the heart of a changing world.
This is a beautifully crafted film. Using computer generation as more of a benefit than a cheat, the world is often vibrant from the beginning with a chaotic space battle and ending with a lightsaber war across the lava world of Mustafar. Often there is subtlety to the art design where the use of color in the environments shapes the mood.
The strongest point in the series and one of the greatest moments in the Star Wars films to date was Order 66, a several minute sequence that captured the moment of utter betrayal with barely a word. As the clones turned and killed their Jedi masters, John Williams' score stood tall as the driving dialogue of the scene.
This film also was tasked with creating the most epic lightsaber fight of the entire series, and it honestly delivered. While it did still have a bit too much of the prequels' over-rehearsed choreography, this fight carried its weight in emotion and grit and truly was worth every second of its length.
Of course the movie also makes several missteps along the way that take away from its powerful moments and let down a film that could have stood truly out of the shadow of the other prequels. Much of what Episode I and II did wrong, Episode III doesn't so a great job of avoiding.
Natalie Portman got the constant state of terror down, probably because she felt that exact way every day she was under the direction of Lucas. (Image Courtesy of: io9.gizmodo.com)
Logically, this movie is a mess. Anakin has never looked more idiotic as his journey toward the Dark Side becomes a farce as he barely questions anything yet still whines at all. Obi-Wan somehow fails to see his Padawan's failings until the last moment then still cannot see how obvious it all was.
Meanwhile, Jedi Masters Yoda and Mace Windu cannot seem to decide whether they are stupid or just blind to everything. Windu again is a mess of a character wasting a great actor in Samuel L. Jackson whose sudden shifts in tone make him look like he's harboring deep aggressive feelings inside he lets seep out occasionally.
The worst part are the whole sections of the movie that simply did not need to happen. General Grevious is a complete waste of a character whose only purpose is odd strokes of comedy and poorly devised action scenes. Meanwhile, we are subject to one of the worst fight scenes in the series as Yoda and Emperor Palpatine fight to... a loss by falling.
The writing is not always bad, but Anakin and Padme still are failed by it at every turn despite having some of their best scenes (sold only be a lack of dialogue). There is no rhyme of reason to some of Lucas' choices of words that make even less sense when you begin thinking about them.
As a whole, the acting is still not great. Hayden Christensen is fantastic with pure facial expressions yet can't make a single word sound genuine. It has never been more clear how much Natalie Portman was being poorly directed than this film where she always comes off as melodramatic. The redeemer again is Ewan McGregor who is honestly brilliant in every scene with undeniable charisma and powerful emotion that sells his betrayal better than any line of this script should be able to.
I point all this out because the film honestly manages to overcome many of these problems with just how strong its positives are. This is a powerful film, just a frustratingly flawed one. If someone else had written the dialogue and left Lucas to direct, it might have honestly matched up to New Hope and Empire.
John Williams' score for Revenge of the Sith is among the best he has ever done if not his best with Lucas leaning on his work often. It is easy to get goosebumps listening to the music as it captures the dark edge of the scenes. "Battle of the Heroes" was just as integral to the battle of Obi-Wan and Anakin as the scene in capturing the mood.
As a whole, I have never regretted watching Revenge of the Sith. It captures my attention and leaves a positive and powerful impression. While it could be so much smarter than it is, few movies have ever affected me more than this one, so I can give it a pass for its failings.
Meanwhile, Jedi Masters Yoda and Mace Windu cannot seem to decide whether they are stupid or just blind to everything. Windu again is a mess of a character wasting a great actor in Samuel L. Jackson whose sudden shifts in tone make him look like he's harboring deep aggressive feelings inside he lets seep out occasionally.
The worst part are the whole sections of the movie that simply did not need to happen. General Grevious is a complete waste of a character whose only purpose is odd strokes of comedy and poorly devised action scenes. Meanwhile, we are subject to one of the worst fight scenes in the series as Yoda and Emperor Palpatine fight to... a loss by falling.
The writing is not always bad, but Anakin and Padme still are failed by it at every turn despite having some of their best scenes (sold only be a lack of dialogue). There is no rhyme of reason to some of Lucas' choices of words that make even less sense when you begin thinking about them.
As a whole, the acting is still not great. Hayden Christensen is fantastic with pure facial expressions yet can't make a single word sound genuine. It has never been more clear how much Natalie Portman was being poorly directed than this film where she always comes off as melodramatic. The redeemer again is Ewan McGregor who is honestly brilliant in every scene with undeniable charisma and powerful emotion that sells his betrayal better than any line of this script should be able to.
I point all this out because the film honestly manages to overcome many of these problems with just how strong its positives are. This is a powerful film, just a frustratingly flawed one. If someone else had written the dialogue and left Lucas to direct, it might have honestly matched up to New Hope and Empire.
John Williams' score for Revenge of the Sith is among the best he has ever done if not his best with Lucas leaning on his work often. It is easy to get goosebumps listening to the music as it captures the dark edge of the scenes. "Battle of the Heroes" was just as integral to the battle of Obi-Wan and Anakin as the scene in capturing the mood.
As a whole, I have never regretted watching Revenge of the Sith. It captures my attention and leaves a positive and powerful impression. While it could be so much smarter than it is, few movies have ever affected me more than this one, so I can give it a pass for its failings.