The final installment (production wise) of the Star Wars saga hit theaters this weekend. Now I didn't hold the first two prequel in the same regard as the original trilogy. In fact I thought Phantom was pretty bad, and Attack of the Clones although an improvement was far below the quality of the original films. Mainly, I felt the heart, characters, dialogue and the special effects were a huge let down. Even more importantly they were just entertaining while the others got emotionally involved in the story and lives of what a appeared on the screen.
Revenge of the Sith is hard to compare with the other films, because the tone is different. Its more a tragic tale than uplifting adventure. The story has few surprises, but sheds light on how Darth Vader came to be. So, its sort of hard to route for the hero of the first two films anymore, considering he is about to become a ruthless killer.
Revenge of the Sith gets off on shaky foot. With General Grievous, a character apparently fleshed out in the 30 minute cartoon released in between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. That was supposed to fill in some events. I understand he is hurt in a battle, and that is why he coughs. This is never explained in the film. So, the entire time I just figured in a Galaxy Far, Far Away, that there was also a shortage of flu shots once. He also is up there with Darth Mull as must over-hyped villains. I just think it doesn't really fit when everyone jumps all around and bounces off stuff like pinballs, then in the future the original series they fight a lot more like regular humans.
It's when action sequence to start the film ends that the film hits the ground running. Revenge of the Sith is good enough to make you ALMOST forgive Phantom Menace, and it better film than Attack of the Clones. We get to see "the chosen one" being pulled in both directions. Good or evil. It makes you appreciate attack of the clones a little more after seeing this.
The film pacts an emotional wallop. Although Empire Strikes Back was a dark film, Revenge of the Sith is filled with even more sadness. The other two films were just mindless entertainment. This story is actually involving.
We know there are only two Jedis by Star Wars, so expect some major violence. Hence the PG-13 rating.
The movie will never take up the same place in my heart that the original trilogy does. However, regardless its a great film, and lived up to its expectations in my book. The acting is an improvement, and yeah the love story is still forced, but it all comes full circle. I respect how the film didn't pull any punches. Although, the killing off an important character was pretty hooky.
The film lead up to the original quite nicely. In fact today like many I am sure I went and popped in the DVD of Star Wars. Yes, I refuse to call it a new hope.
Despite a few flaws, there is a lot of the film that stayed with me over a day after I saw the film. Which is always a good sign. They really bounced back with this one. Oh, and I find it odd after what Drew said. Since more than half the theater was clapping at the end of the film. I can't imagine everyone loathed the film at his screening and clapped at the one I went to.
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3 comments:
It has always bothered me how technology retrograded over the time span of the series. I think that Lucas forgot that they were prequels and never bothered to explain why all of these cool things disappeared. This is why the prequels are vastly inferior to the originals, special effects take precedence over story, where in the originals the opposite was true.
J
Oh yeah,, that can be explained in a cartoon too.
Darth Vador: Wow, we are sure in good shape with those little circle things that spin around and attack people. Also with our double-sided light sabres and all. Even our space ships are far superior than anything in the galaxy.
Emperor: Nah, lets through them all out over the course of the next 20 years for no real good reason. Espeically, the little circle things. Lets replace our superior spaceships with T-Fighters. Yeah, and I don't want to hear anything else about these "Double-Sided Light Sabres"
Darth: (Breathing Heavily)
Emperor: Yeah, and another thing, those robots with the small heads. Lets just, I don't through them all out. Replace them with near sighted Storm Troopers.
Darth: Are you sure? Those robots with the small heads should helped us out in the clone wars? You want to just throw them out?
Emperor: Not only do I want to through them out. I don't ever want to speak about them, almost as if they never existed.
Oh yeah, and hire a bunch of middle aged white guys to wear black and argue with each other.
Darth: What about those millions of species of aliens with mulitple legs and stuff?
Emperor: Meh.
I imagine those two sure had a lot of down time for 20 years when they were ruling with an iron fist.
There's a lot I disagree with in your review, Keith, but I think it was a very good review. I don't really have anything to add that I haven't already said on Terminus, but I did want to say that. Nice post!
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