Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

For the last six years I seem to have been one of the few vocal champions of George Lucas' Star Wars prequels, and now that the saga is complete, we can stand back and marvel and just how impressive an accomplishment it truly is. The prequels have made the original trilogy a richer, more complete experience, and likewise, the original trilogy provides the emotional framework and mythology which enriches the prequels. Revenge of the Sith is the best of the latest, and while to some, that may not be much of an accomplishment, I would be willing to say that it is the best in the series since The Empire Strikes Back. Lucas proves that he is one of the few true innovators of cinema. Granted his innovativeness is mostly in the technical areas -- he invents the technology that is now commonplace and pushes it to its limits -- but I maintain that there is still a level of artistry to his work. With these films he has managed to use digital techology and computer animation better than any of his contemporaries by creating an expansive world from the depths of his imagination, and characters that we know and care about even if it takes more than one film to discover.

This is probably the most action packed film of the series, which, as we all know, leads up to the fall of Anakin Skywalker to the dark side and Darth Vader. The performances are more alive and expressive than they have been in the other prequels. Hayden Christensen proves that he is a substantive actor as we watch him wracked with moral conflict. Unfortunately, while I greatly admire Natalie Portman as an actress, I am forced to reckon with the fact that she is just not designed for this kind of role. Some actors are capable of pulling off the kind of cornball dialogue that the series has specialized in, but she is not one of them. The standout, however, is Ian McDiarmid as Emperor Palpatine. It was nice to finally get to see him show what he's got, because he gives a very strong performance. He effectively manages to convey the essence of temptation by expressing what is ultimately a lie with just enough truth to make it reasonable. As such, the scene in which Anakin ultimately turns has an unexpected poignancy. He didn't become Darth Vader just because he wanted to be evil, he wanted to save people. He was trying to do the right thing the wrong way.

Anyway, I could probably go on and on about the specifics, but I enjoyed it. I really enjoyed it. Now with everything tied up, I am able to watch the other films from a whole new perspective -- the perspective I am supposed to watch it with, because I know what happens and I also know how it happens, or at least what I need to know. I thank George Lucas for creating a world and characters that have become an indelible part of me. I was raised on the original trilogy and awed by the prequels, and now that the circuit is complete, I can only admire him for what is certainly one of the great accomplishments and contributions to the movies.