Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (out of four). Stars Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman and Samuel L. Jackson. Rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and some intense images.
Everyone already knows the plot of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Anakin Skywalker turns to the dark side of
the Force and becomes Darth Vader. However, knowing the plot before sitting down in the theater does nothing to detract from the overall experience. Revenge delivers everything that a fan could hope for - amazing special effects, colorful characters and, of course, some really cool light-saber duels.
Although the last two Star Wars movies may have left fans a little disappointed, Revenge will not. The dialogue is better and the pace faster. Die-hard fans will notice numerous echoes of the previous films, which help to tie the entire series together. Fight scenes, music and even some dialogue mirror the original trilogy and the two previous films.
Revenge also pulls at your emotions. You truly ache for those close to Anakin as they watch him fall farther and farther into the dark side. When characters die, you feel it.
However, Revenge is not a perfect film. The relationship between Anakin and Padme, although slightly more believable the second time around, is still strained and lacking any chemistry. Padme\’s character is also diminished. She is no longer the strong, forceful woman we have come to know. Instead, she is pushed into the background and given few scenes in which she isn\’t crying or angst-ridden. Although she is still a senator, she is seen in political surroundings only once, and the scene is far too brief.
There is still the problem of awkward dialogue and rushed scenes that have plagued all the Star Wars films, but it is less a problem here than in the most recent two.
Revenge is not a life-changing movie, but it never had to be. It accomplishes what it was made to do: Tell the final chapter of a story that has entertained for generations.