Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is the third instalment in the prequel trilogy of George Lucas’s Star Wars space opera serial. Many critics and fans thought that this film was the “redeeming” film out of Lucas’s prequel trilogy, but it should also be noted that many of those same critics and fans completely missed the point of the prequel and of the idea behind creating a space opera serial. Of course, it’s always possible that I missed the point, but this is highly unlikely. Nevertheless, Revenge of the Sith is a powerful end/beginning in the Star Wars saga and is one of the best movies of the series.
As with the other two prequels and with the re-releases of the original trilogy, I found myself in line waiting to see Revenge of the Sith on opening night back in May of 2005. Sith broke several box office records during its opening week and went on to gross $850 million worldwide, making it the second highest grossing film in the Star Wars franchise. It was the second highest grossing film internationally in 2005, second only to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Revenge of the Sith was the highest grossing film of 2005 in the United States.
Lucas transformed his notes for Revenge of the Sith into a full screenplay during 2003 and 2004, hiring playwright Tom Stoppard to ghostwrite a revision of it and add some polish to its dialogue. Lucas seemed to realize his own weaknesses at this point in the writing department and wanted to take no chances when it came to the script. After the screenplay was submitted, the art department began imagining various ways that the different parts of the Star Wars universe would come alive. Different worlds would need to be created, as Revenge of the Sith was to be the most vast and broad Star Wars film to date. Steven Spielberg was called in to assist the art department in formulating some ideas.
As the opening crawl indicates, Revenge of the Sith opens with Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) having been abducted by General Grievous, the second-in-command of the Separatists. This particular plot point was outlined in the Star Wars Clone Wars animated series, which I happened to watch in between Episode II and Episode III. Nevertheless, two Jedi Knights are dispatched to rescue the Chancellor. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) head to rescue him from Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) and Grievous. After a battle aboard the ship, the Chancellor encourages young and volatile Anakin to kill Dooku instead of showing him mercy. Anakin does so, feeling instantly disturbed by his desire for vengeance.
When Anakin returns back to Coruscant, he meets with Amidala (Natalie Portman) and finds out that she is pregnant. He becomes overjoyed at the news, but Amidala is fearful that their marriage will be discovered. Later, Anakin becomes troubled with visions of Amidala dying in childbirth and that fear motivates him in some very profound and startling ways. Anakin becomes manipulated by the Chancellor, who tells him that he possesses powers that can prevent Amidala from dying and can grant Anakin eternal life. Anakin becomes embroiled in a plot to overthrow the Jedi order, subsequently becoming the evil Darth Vader and leading right into the legendary events in the original Star Wars trilogy.
As with the other films in the series, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is an epic masterwork of effects and dazzling action sequences. Sith contains some of the best lightsaber duels put to film, including the stunning closing duel between Kenobi and Skywalker on the flaming planet of Mustafar. Another great effect is the character of General Grievous, the droid with lightsaber skills. The fight between Grievous and Kenobi is another astounding highlight in one of the most effects-laden films of the series. As the fights and action sequences escalate to the terror of the film’s final moments, Lucas is at his best conducting the tension from the director’s chair.
The full scope of Lucas’s intentions for doing the original trilogy really come home in Revenge of the Sith, showing that the rising action and subtleties in The Phantom Menace and, to a much greater extent, Attack of the Clones actually had a purpose in building the character of Anakin. When Yoda claims that there is “much fear” in young Anakin in The Phantom Menace, seeing that fear fully manifest itself in Revenge of the Sith is a sweet reward for filmgoers. Sith is about Anakin’s fear and the dominance it has on his life. He is subject to the influence of Palpatine and the Dark Side, committing terrible acts for “love.” In the end, however, it is love that rejects him and hate the forms the immortal character of Darth Vader.
It is a given that Lucas cannot write a love scene, but there are many moments within Revenge of the Sith that do contain some power and poignancy. When Palpatine is on the screen, Ian McDiarmid steals the show with his rhetoric and his twisting of words. His performance is the best of the film, as he snakes his way around the role and provides a very tempting and provoking case for young Anakin. Christensen is probably at his best here, representing the coldness and the hollowness of who Anakin has become. Portman is lacking yet again, but part of that is due to the dialogue. McGregor was always fun to watch as Obi-Wan and in Sith he’s no different.
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith draws it all together in a very powerful way, containing one of the most intense closing acts in a Star Wars film and one of the most stunning pieces of filmmaking in the lightsaber duel on Mustafar. Revenge of the Sith packs more action into each minute than any film in the entire series. The effects are more spectacular than any other film in the series and the way they resonate on screen is astounding. Lucas is still ahead of the curve when it comes to effects, but his lack of knack for dialogue often hurts the story overall. Nonetheless, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a great space opera and provides a powerful introduction to the original trilogy by drawing everything together nicely.
Trailer:
