Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

Rating

Director

George Lucas

Screenplay

George Lucas

Length

2h 20m

Starring

Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Jimmy Smits, Frank Oz, Anthony Daniels, Christopher Lee, Keisha Castle-Huges

MPAA Rating

PG-13

Review

The final film in the prequel trilogy that leads into Star Wars, Episode III – Revenge of the Sith focuses on setting up the “fourth” film but is that enough to justify its existence?

The film opens with the Jedi rescuing Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) from Separatist commander General Grievous (voiced by Matthew Wood). In reward, Palpatine offers Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) a position as his representative to the Jedi Council who refuse to make Skywalker a Jedi Master due to his volatile emotionalism. Matters become more fraught when Anakin has a vision of his wife Padmé (Natalie Portman) dying in childbirth and that being one of the catalysts of him turning to the dark side.

After the disappointing prior entries that seemed to focus on the wrong thing, this film finds its footing, giving the audience what it desires, a picture full of winks and nods and which effectively ties in all the elements of the first Star Wars trilogy without finding a way to exist on its own. Despite strong actors like Ewan McGregor, Portman, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, and franchise mainstays Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Frank Oz, the performances are mediocre at best with Christensen and Portman deserving of suitable derision.

The film is rather beautiful, the production design, costume design, sound, and visual effects transporting us effortlessly into this vaunted series. Unfortunately, the mediocre screenplay, cheesy dialogue, and underwhelming performances, made it feel overproduced. Still, there’s just enough content and effort put in to make it a passable ordeal, certainly one better than the first film in the series.

Star Wars fans had been enamored with the idea of George Lucas taking on the three films prior to the ones he made in 1977, 1980, and 1983. They didn’t understand what that might entail. Lucas was a micromanager, he ruled the Star Wars universe with an iron fist and that included tampering with his own mythology. After the first two prequel films, it was clear he wasn’t about to let a silly little thing like fan sentiment get in the way. Pairing that with his obvious desire to cater only to fans of his series, the end result is something of a mixed bag. Half-baked ideas lukewarmly delivered.

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith almost found a way to right the ship before the end but with the blend of fan service and light revisionism, it felt like a failure of a film in spite of staying on par with its immediate predecessor.

Review Written

July 23, 2024