The last "Star Wars" film bursts on the screen in an explosion of high melodrama. The final piece of the story falls smoothly into place as the origins of the 1977 film we saw become clear. As the episodes go, Chapter III seen this year is second only to the impact of Chapter IV as seen from 1977.

Rating: +3 (-4 to +4) or 9/10

The three worst things about Star Wars: Episode Iii - Revenge Of The Sith are: 1) George Lucas cannot get a good performance from anybody. He has some good actors and the best that can be said is the acting does not get in the way of the story. For example, Samuel L. Jackson should be embarrassed by how bad Lucas let his performance be. 2) The crack Imperial Troopers seem to be useless for any known tactical purpose, as usual. 3) The John Williams has written a pretty good score. (Sorry, I know that was not a negative. I am fresh out of negatives.) This is the best sequel (or prequel, or follow-up, or whatever) of the whole "Star Wars" series.

What is interesting is that everybody has known the basic plot of Star Wars: Episode Iii - Revenge Of The Sith for years. Yet somehow it is hypnotic and at the same time satisfying just seeing it happen. You say to yourself, "Oh, so this is why Anakin is turned to the dark side of the Force. Ah, that explains why Leia's last name is Organa." All (or nearly all) the fiddley little loose ends are tied up. Yet nothing seems forced like the title of the new The Manchurian Candidate is. Revenge Of The Sith is the logical successor to Attack Of The Clones and the logical predecessor to A New Hope. The only difference is that it is more visually spectacular than either. This is the dramatic highpoint of the entire series. One leaves the theater wanting to see it again, or perhaps to go home and watch Star Wars: Episode IV again. And scenes we have been seeing for 28 years--Jeez, is it really that long?--now look different and have deeper meaning.

This is the story of how Anakin Skywalker, a loyal Jedi Knight, becomes disenchanted with the Jedi Order and falls under the influence of the Dark Sith Lords. It is the story of how he gets the new name of Darth Vader and how he is nearly killed in a volcano and ends up in the walking iron lung that is his famous suit. We see that he is not so much disloyal to the Jedis (or in Chapter VI to the Sith), but always placing his family and friends above his responsibilities. It fits very nicely with Chapter V where his son does the same. Sure, it is all melodrama, but it is great melodrama. Lucas borrows from the best. There is something of Milton's Lucifer in Anakin's choosing the power of the Sith rather than a subservient role in the Jedi. There is also some Dickensian license in Lucas giving villains names like Sidious and General Grievous.

In an opera, if you do not like the story there is always the music. Here, there are always the visuals to see. This film is a sketchpad of intriguing ideas brought to life. We have throwaway ideas like a spaceport made from the ribcage of what must have been a creature of Godzilla proportions. We finally get to visit the Wookie home planet which we were originally to see in the 1983 film. We see a world of advanced technology based on animal life. Sometimes the film goes overboard. Lucas can put more images on the screen than the mind can take in. The opening sequence battle scenes may have just such a problem. Lucas apparently thinks that while less can be more, much more is always much more. The climactic duel inside a volcano is the most spectacular martial arts sequence in memory.

There have been some complaints that this is the only "Star Wars" movie to receive a rating higher than PG. This chapter gets a PG-13. This is a darker film and the fans have known for a long while sooner or later Lucas had to show Darth Vader getting the injuries that would force him to wear the support suit. That is not the stuff that young children might want to see.

In years to come George Lucas's farewell to his Star Wars series may be considered his finest entry. It is true, however, that the impact of this film at the time of its release cannot be as great as the impact that the original film had in 1977. Still, it exceeds all expectations. I rate Star Wars: Episode Iii - Revenge Of The Sith a +3 on the -4 to +4 scale or 9/10. Thanks, Mr. Lucas.

Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 2005 Mark R. Leeper