Review of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) by Brett C — 31 Dec 2014

Review In A Nutshell:

After the initial misfire and average sequel, George Lucas has conjured up a splendid finale of the trilogy. Revenge of the Sith may not pack the spectacle punch that Attack of the Clones was able to bring, but he made up for it with something better; character development. It is here in the end; better late than never, that we see the growth of Anakin Skywalker, showing us his inevitable path of the dark side.

Lucas brings back the previous trilogy's simplistic elements to tell its story; good vs evil, betrayal, revenge, hope. It is through this simplicity that audience members are able to connect with its characters and achieve a sense of balance; appreciating not only its superficial aspects but also the deeper, thematic driven ones also. Lucas' ability to raise the personal stakes of its characters that the audience can finally feel a deep sense of loss by its end; it did not matter that we knew Anakin's fate, it is the dark journey he grows through, being enticed by the temptations that lurks beneath him and slowly losing his sense of virtue and lightness that we identify him as a real human being; we cannot purely hate him for what he has become as we see that there are multiple factors that led him down his path, and Lucas ensures that we are able to see a sense of good in him that would pay off later on in the saga.

Gone are the cheery fun scenes that dominated the first film and portion of the second, taking its content much more seriously. Lucas rarely ever gives us an instance to laugh or smile, and I commend him for doing so, because the series is at its best when it takes its characters and story seriously. Lucas does not need to feed us with visual treats and jaw-dropping battle sequences, the series should be about the raw emotion that drives its character; exploring layers that would help audience gain an understanding. In this film, we see Anakin and Obi-Wan in a light that was barely shone; it tests their relationship that manages to thrill audience both in the climactic duel and the internal drama that drives it.

The film certainly still retains that sense of sentimentalism that lets certain moments feel off, but this is Lucas' only way of making things obvious for the entire audience; there will be those, especially the young ones, who may feel alienated towards subtler executions, but the problem with taking this approach is that it becomes less appealing as one becomes older and wiser. Lucas translates this apparent tones and themes through the performance of its actors and the dialogue they speak; I found Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan to be quite effective but Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker was constantly crossing the threshold of melodrama, sometimes unintentionally causing laughter. Though this has always been a problem in the prequel trilogy, and here it is only more tolerable due to Lucas' darker and serious tone, which cushions the blow and creates a more Shakespearean outlook.

The musical score by John Williams is as great as ever, taking a much darker tone that connects well with Lucas' intentions. His contribution to the series has always been one of the franchise's strengths; something that has stayed with me ever since my first viewing as a child. There is simply nothing like the tune of a Star Wars soundtrack.

Revenge of the Sith is what the prequel trilogy should have been, a story that is taken seriously and given a high level of respect. It manages to deliver in deeper themes and fan-service without any conflict with one another. Why couldn't it have been always like this?