REVIEW: ‘Revenge of the Sith’ succeeds, but lacks flow
George Lucas won this battle, but lost a war. Star Wars: Episode 3 – Revenge of the Sith (SW3) is a fantastic film that will be hard to beat this summer. The story that links the other 5 episodes together, SW3 is a masterpiece that sutures plot lines and provides thrills with ease. Lucas’s CGI innovations seem to find their balance this time, and suspending disbelief was unnecessary for me – the interaction between the real and animated work well together (Also, the notorious Jar Jar Binks briefly appears in two scenes with no dialogue).
Yet, while this 3rd installment is the best of the first three, the film still lacks the engrossing flow seen in films like The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. Reason being that Lucas – much like his character Anakin – seems to like total control.
George Lucas is a great story writer and innovator, but shouldn’t direct. After directing Star Wars: A New Hope, Lucas publicly announced he would never again take the position. Apparently his demeanor on the set was stand offish, and he had trouble connecting with actors. Consequently, the next two films were directed and co-written by others, and are considered favorites by many. Fast forward to the mid-nineties, and Lucas announced that he would again direct. He did so with the subsequent 3 films – unfortunately – to their detriment.
While many complain about the recent films’ cartoonish animation, the real hindrance has been the general staleness of the acting. In particular, the interactions between Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman have had static tones rather than dynamic interplay.
Luckily for SW3, Lucas hired a dialogue coach, and the proof is in the picture. The film resonates with emotion, and just about every scene is engrossing as the performances enhance the action.
The film is about Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), the Jedi pupil that some believe to be a foreseen “chosen one” that will bring balance to the mystical, metaphysical force. Yet his desire to control all elements of his life, along with the persuasion of an evil Sith, overtakes him, and Skywalker chooses to forsake the Jedi. A chain of events follow which unravel liberty and democracy in the galaxy.
Star Wars: Episode 3 – The Revenge of the Sith is a spectacular link in the Star Wars saga. Although the film would have profited from different direction, it still moved, surprised, and excited me. It is rare to see films today with such depth, creativity and originality. It is a shame George Lucas won’t be penning a new chapter in the Star Wars galaxy. But at least he’s writing the story for Indiana Jones 4.
The director? Steven Spielberg.
RATING: Star Wars 3 is the only one of the saga to earn a PG-13 rating, and with good reason. This film has dark tones, and many sequences involve graphic violence. *** (out of four)
Chris Blakesley is a USU student with a B.A. in Film Studies