Review of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) by Paul B — 23 Dec 2017

Character assassination of Vader complete! This is just stupid. I don't like the circumstances of Anakin's fall, I don't like the fall itself, I hate the role he plays in the purge; which is utter bullshit!; I hate the fight with Obi Wan (more below on that).

Film starts awesome and looks great. The fight with Dooku is a little weird but then I think Dooku is a bad character anyway. I think it would have been far better to have a character that was a blend of Maul and Dooku and keep him from episode I - III, but whatever.

Padme is character assassinated. She turns from a strong, independent (almost to a fault) woman into a woman who is just weak. Maybe this change is why Natalie Portman does such a terrible job of portraying her or it could be the God-awful dialog she is given.

I do like the story. The fall transition from republic to empire is well done and believable. The fall of the Jedi is again very believable and well done.

I think it's interesting how the Jedi's arrogance blinds them to some realities. It's also interesting that the Emperor is the one who delivers this line because you see the same thing happen to the Emperor in Return of the Jedi.

The final fight - I guess it was almost impossible to meet expectations. I thought it was too choreographed. So much so that the fight was beyond belief. Continues the trend in this trilogy that a light-saber fight is a flashy light-show with almost no other force powers used. They try to force push a few times but no one every throws things in combination with an attack. There is much more potential there than what is shown I think. I don't think Vader's superiority was emphasized enough.

I really dislike that Obi Wan wins this fight. (Personal Rant) I think Vader should have lost, not Obi Wan winning. The fact that with one swing Obi Wan takes off Vader's legs and saber arm is just laughable. How I saw this fight happening (as it unfolded) if Obi Wan fell or was knocked onto a platform that moved away from Vader. They have one of their little mid-fight chit-chats, and then Vader says this is the end for you but by this time the platform as moved too far away. Vader in undeterred to the belief that he is all powerful, Obi Wan tells him not to try, Vader does so anyway and falls. He falls to where he ends up near the lava flow and catches fire just as the movie shows. He arm and legs have to be amputated due to fall and burn damage not chopped off by Obi Wan. In this way Vader defeats himself. In my mind that is the fight and we were led to believe something like this. The producers said as much. Vader is a superior fighter to Obi Wan and Vader defeats himself. It's just my way is good and theirs is character assassination. That's why I dislike it.(end personal rant).

Highlight: The re-creation of Darth Vader. The surgery that put Vader in the suit is horrible, terrifying, incredible! One of "The" moments in Star Wars history...with one hiccup..."Nooooo!".

Why George? Why? (and he has since added the same stupid shit to ROTJ when Vader picks up the Emperor!!!).

An inarticulate cry would have served the purpose far better I think. A "continuous scream, utterly anomalous and inhuman - a howl - a wailing shriek, half of horror and half of triumph, such as might only have arisen out of hell, conjointly from the throats of the damned in their agony and of the daemons who exult in the damnation." (Poe, E.; Black Cat).

Final: It's all here and without the character assassinations would have been on par with TESB. Instead its only number 4 on the list.