Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Finally, the Star Wars saga has come to a close. George Lucas has taken us to some fantastic places, and some awful ones, but this is one of the former. (For a refresher on what has happened so far, go to the movie reviews and to the Star Wars reviews.)
Everyone knew what was going to happen in this movie: Darth Vader emerges from Anakin Skywalker. The movies come full circle and set up the original trilogy. But, what we didn't know were the full details. Why would Anakin turn on his training and on his mentor, Obi-Wan? What disaster would force Anakin to don the body-suit Vader is so popular for? And what of Padme, whom Leia described as both beautiful and sad? well, Lucas ties up all the loose ends here in spactacular fashion.
We get dropped into the Clone Wars, and watch Obi-Wan and Anakin closing in on Count Dooku's ship above Coruscant. They infiltrate and come face to face with the Seperatist leader. He has the Chancellor, Palpatine, on board, and its the job of the Jedis to save him. Dooku incapacitates Obi-Wan first, and Anakin takes him one. He does win, and decapitates Dooku for good measure, and at the behest of Palpatine. They need to escape the ship, and although Palpatine wants Anakin to leave Obi-Wan, he won't. They get out, just in time, and they find out that General Greivous, Dooku's cybernetic general, is still running the show.
Palpatine makes Anakin his eyes on the Jedi council, but the council refuses to make him a master. We also learn that Padme is pregnant with Anakin's children, and Anakin begins having visions of her dying in child birth. He confides in Palpatine, and the old man relates of how the Sith ways can save her life, but not the Jedi ways.
It all spirals out of control when Yoda goes to Kashyyk to help the Wookiees fight off the Seperatists and Obi-Wan takes on Greivous head on. Without guidance, Anakin falls under Palpatine's influence completely. He does nearly break free, and he goes to Mace Windu with information that Palpatine is also Darth Sidious, the Sith lord they've been searching for. Windu confronts Palpatine, and in a great battle, Palpatine becomes horribly disfigured, but finishes out Windu. He then convinces Anakin that the Jedi have betrayed not only the Republic, but Anakin personally.
Palpatine then begins exterminating the Jedi, and with Anakin under his spell, the boy helps. Obi-Wan and Yoda manage to escape, and both head to Coruscant. They decide that Yoda will take on Palpatine and Obi-Wan will go after the other Speratist leaders and Anakin. Padme finds out where her husband is and goes as well. The final battle between Yoda and Palpatine is awesome, taking place in the Senatorial chambers. It ends in a draw, with Bail Organa getting Yoda out alive.
The final battle between Kenobi and Skywalker takes place on a volanic planet, and after Anakin inadvertently hurts Padme. He keeps trying to tell her that the Jedi betrayed him and he would keep her safe. Kenobi has other plans: its his job to kill Anakin before he does more damage. The battle is long, but oh so worth it. Both have the upper hand, both are on the losing end, all the way through. In the end, however, Kenobi has the advantage, but Anakin believes he can win. One final jump, and he forces Kenobi's hand. The boy loses his arms, legs, and becomes burnt to a crisp by the molton lava. Awesome and graphic! Kenobi con't finish him off, and leaves him to die. He leaves with Padme not long before Palpatine arrives to collect his apprentice.
The end of the film shows the birth of Luke and Leia, the death of Padme, as well as the decision to split up the twins. But the coup de grace is the assembly of Vader from Anakin, and Palpatine telling the new monster the fate of his wife. We see one shot of Vader and Palpatine on the bridge of a Star Destroyer, then the final shot is of the Lars family on Tatooine, watching the setting sun.
Okay, shitty Episode I aside, and wooden dialogue throughout forgotten, this movie was a dream come true. This is a watershed moment for anyone who grew up loving these movies like I have. I loved every second of this film and it was so worth it. Lucas might not know how to direct people, but he can weave a story like no one else. It hit in all the right places, and it tied into the old trilogy. Okay, so maybe it tied in a little too convientently, but it works. I can't wait for this to hit DVD so I can watch the whole thing back to back. Talk about scope of vision. I was thinking of giving it a 9, but what the hell, 10.
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