Keep in mind that this is the review I am making after seeing this movie ONCE. The more movies I have reviewed over time, the more I have come to believe that the ones that are really worth watching cannot be properly reviewed based on a single viewing.
That being said: Revenge of the Sith is awesome.
I think the most impressive performance is turned in by Hayden Christenson. I had no faith in this kid honestly. Not just because he was such a whiner in Attack of the Clones, but because I have never seen him be anything but a whiner. However, the Anakin in AotC is scarcely seen in Revenge of the Sith. Only in brief glimpses do we see the whiney teenager, this War has hardened him, turned him into a Man.
It surely helps that Anakin has consistently better dialogue, and less interaction with Padme. Their love scenes again are the low point of the feature, Lucas just really misses that Lawrence Kasdan touch, that incredible gift for witty reparte that Han and Leia have. However, since their love is a very minor aspect of this film, and as a whole it is handled far better than in AotC, it isnt really a problem.
However, while I was impressed more with Christenson than anyone, I do not feel he turned in the best performance. I feel that honor goes to Obi-Wan, with Palpatine/Sidious close behind.
Christenson impressed me more than I thought he could, but I already knew that McGregor and McDiarmid were badasses. It is an understatement I feel to say that they "stepped it up a notch."
I say DO go for the acting. It may not be outstanding from all comers, Natalie Portman is atrocious, I have said that before but overall it is very solid. Padme is better by and large in this film than she has been in the previous two as well (I think the fact that she is crying most of the time helps )
But the performances of Obi-Wan, Palpatine, Yoda (yeah, I said Yoda) and Anakin are excellent. Obi-Wan is finally again close to the towering presence that Alec Guinness brought to the screen. McGregor's performance really solidfied Obi-Wan's place as the true heart of Star Wars. I was just blown away when he confronted Anakin, he was so intense. McGregor definitely improves with each film, but I didnt feel that he really put his stamp on Obi-Wan until this film.
I have maintained throughout that the Prequels are of higher quality than they receive credit for because of the performances of Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine alone. Yet again he delivers an amazing performance as the most evil bastard in the Galaxy! The guy makes my skin crawl, and his movements when fighting reminded me of a slithering snake.
Yoda was awesome. I still have some problems with the full CGI Yoda, mainly his hair is stupid looking
. Yet Yoda is the most impactful character emotionally for me, the loss in his face and the swoons when things turn for the worse were grippingly tragic. He also had his best dialogue of the Prequels in this film overall I would say.
I truly felt that the dialogue was greatly improved, it seemed as if Lucas was a lot more comfortable. I suppose that makes sense, since this is basically the one film that all of us knew at least something about ahead of time.
By and large, however, I do not think that the case can be made that the dialogue in Sith is any less than that of the original Star Wars. It helps that all the performances have been stepped up in this film, so even some of the less fluid dialogue isnt as noticeable, or at all bothersome. The only cringe worthy lines for me were those exhanged between Anakin and Padme.
I cant say a movie has bad dialogue when I know I am going to be quoting lines from it for years to come!! Stuff like "So this is how Liberty ends, to thunderous applause." was just outstanding. And all of the dialogue between Palpatine and Anakin was excellent, it really sold his Fall.
Sith's dialogue is a lot more clever than Lucas has been previously. Obi-Wan's glib jokes and snappy one liners were very funny, as I found myself chuckling aloud in several isntances. Plus the exhanges between actors was much more fluid and natural. I really feel that this film is greatly helped by the actors having developed a repoire among one another finally. You could begin to feel it coming together in parts of Attack of the Clones, but it is just THERE in Revenge of the Sith. The personal relationships are handled brilliantly.
One thing I have absolutely NO complaints about is the Score. It is amazing throughout. John Williams really delivered, as I knew he would. The new music mixes flawlessly with the old themes, and he utilizes it at just the perfect moments. I honestly cannot wait to watch it more times to hear more of the various Star Wars themes I know are in there
Technically speaking the movie is what you would expect from Star Wars. The effects are grand. The droids definitely were better in combat situations, and the newer Grievous droids and Grievous himself looked great. I never once thought something looked stupid because it was glaringly CGI.
Any Star Wars movie is a guaranteed lush visual feasts, and Sith didnt disappoint. Mustafar was an intense barrage of visuals, at times it was hard to stay focused they were so vivid.
I think at this juncture, the beginning action sequence, and some of the plot choices are the primary problems I have with the film.
The beginning action sequence was over-hyped. While it was excellent by movie standards, I didnt feel that it surpassed the Space Battle in Return of the Jedi personally. It was a lot shorter than I expected, and I was irked at the "Buzz droids" idea.
Arent these Jedi? What the hell are they wasting their time for? Just use the Force and throw those little bastard droids into vaccuum, damnit!
I cannot deny it is cool as a whole, and that there is just an insane amount of stuff happening to look at in the course of the battle, but that one part should have been better. Anakin's piloting skills are not put on display nearly as much as they should be since we know him as "The Best Starpilot in the Galaxy..." he should have had an additional 3 or 4 minutes of insane piloting, taking out 40 ships without breaking a sweat or some such.
All in all I guess that is symptomatic of a problem that this film shares with AotC: Anakin is never as powerful as he should be.
The fight with Dooku was amazing! Christopher Lee is quality, I love that guy, and he made every scene he was in memorable in AotC. He is equally daring, if not better, in Revenge of the Sith, but his screen time is minimal! Even another 5-10 minutes would have been nice, perhaps an extension before his encounter with the Jedi, where he is talking to Grievous.
All the Lightsaber fights were incredible. I certainly liked the climactic final battle between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader the best, because both he and Anakin displayed so much power in it....more moreso because of the ending. The only other fight that seemed a comparable display of Power was that of Yoda and Palpatine, but we expected that!
Obi-Wan's fight with Grievous is excellent. I particularly liked the chase sequence in their fight. The brief glimpse of Grievous wielding 4 Lightsabers is kickazz as well! I think the best part of their fight may be the unexpected ending though...I was rather as surprised as Grievous! "So uncivilized!"
Part of me wants to call the Windu/Palpatine fight the worst, because I honestly think that the whole sequence is the lamest in the film. The final transformation from Chancellor Palpatine to Emperor Palpatine was even more anticlimactic than I had imagined it would be. I will, however, say that it was also probably the most surprising scene in the film, as I really dont imagine many of even the most hardcore of us pictured it happening that way!
The Obi-Wan-Darth Vader fight was out of this world. My only critique is that I felt Obi-Wan should have been doing more talking, more trying to bring Anakin back, but then again he pretty much had his hands full just trying to stay alive...
All in all, the Fall of Anakin and the Rise of Palpatine are deftly handled. While I pictured it happening slightly differently, it was not at all unsatisfying!
I really dont have the low opinions that many people have about Episodes I and II, so in my mind I dont see Sith as ''far and away'' better. I do feel it is better. The simple fact that it has NO Jar Jar (at least talking) and Anakin doesnt whine half the movie gives it a clear edge.
Ask me again after I have watched it another 10 or 20 times though, I imagine I will love it even more by then. I have only liked Star Wars movies more as I watch them again and again, and I know that Revenge of the Sith will not be any different.
What I can say about this is that my expectations were by and large met, even exceeded in respects to the just sick action! Meeting my expectations is a big deal, so I dont think I can really say anything more to praise Sith. It is a hell of a great time at the movies, and I would say definitely a worthy end to the Star Wars movie saga.
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith:
Plot: B
Acting: B
Dialogue: B
Action:A
SFX: A
Score: A
Overall it was a
good film---that was speckled with a few shining moments of absolute greatness. One in particular, which I think I shall hail as the best scene in
any of the Star Wars movies, was the tragic end of the final battle between Obi-Wan and Anakin on the volcanic planet. The movie is worth $8 for that alone. Truly, I was shaking in my seat.
GO SEE IT!
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Digg this Thread!
Add Thread to del.icio.us
Bookmark in Technorati
Furl this Thread!
Add Thread to Facebook