This is a retro-post. I put this online 24 December 2005 using the date it was originally sent out.
SPOILERS **
DO NOT READ BELOW THIS – PLENTY OF SPOILERS
(Well it’s hard to have spoilers for a film which everyone seeing it already knows how it must end, but Lucas has surprises for everyone in spite of it.)
Well of the three new ones, it’s certainly a better FILM. George Lucas still can’t write dialogue worth, shit, but that’s pretty much a given. He has even more trouble with a love scene. ::shudder:: He also gets double demerits for the appearance in a non-speaking role of the reprehensible Jar-Jar Stinks.
All that being said, I thought it was okay, but just okay. I believe all the reviews are overly indulgent. I think everyone’s so happy it didn’t stink as badly as the first two, they aren’t willing to say: this is REALLY AVERAGE.
The Wookie planet was cool, and seeing all the Wookies was great. Too bad they got like 30 seconds of screen time. The revelation of Palpatine as Sidious was a non-event, but everyone figured that out in the first movie, so what can you do? If you remember my review, I believe I even mentioned it.
Lucas did a great job in wrapping this up. There are no major loose ends I can find. No modifiers left dangling, if you will. Yay. The digital imagery is great, and it’s not distracting like it’s been in other films. He was more worried about the content than the visuals. There are some great new creatures. I like the horse/lizard thing especially.
The birth of Darth Vader rocked: that’s great. People cheered. And of course the voice of James Earl Jones sent a chill up your spine. The metamorphosis of Anakin to Vader is well done despite the wooden performance of Hayden. At least he’s no longer Padawan Whines-A-Lot. He’s bad enough of an actor you want Jake Lloyd back in the part.
I have issues though. It’s hard to believe Anakin would kill dozens of innocent children to save his life. It’s harder to believe that Obi-Wan wouldn’t have felt the disturbance in the force as keenly as Yoda did. I believe that Vader would do it. I just don’t believe that final leap from Anakin to Vader. And I understand it well.
We learn a great deal and it’s interesting. The movie is tight, flying along gracefully. You will not notice it is 2h 20m.
So, it’s better than Parts 1 and 2. Parts 4 through 6 are more entertaining, though, minus the gag-a-licious Ewok Celebration, of course.
See it. You’ll be entertained. You’ll be thrilled. You’ll see a few clever tip of the hats to other films. You’ll see a good movie but not a great movie. It’s not going to win any Oscars though.