Star Wars Experience
A SPOILER-FREE Star Wars entry follows. If you comment, don’t give away any plot details.
There will be another entry, password-protected so latecomers don’t spoil their experience, linked here shortly. The spoilers entry’s password will be: episode3
My geek cred is now suitably restored. I’ve seen Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith twice now; Justin’s seen it 3 times. There are definitely things to pick up on subsequent viewings. In a “word”, it’s — Wonderful, wonderful, and again, most wonderful.
Until I re-watch the entire Star Wars saga, beginning with Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, I think this is my favorite segment of the saga. I know that’s probably blasphemy to some, like I’m somehow sullying Stars Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back, but c’est la vie. That said, I do reserve the right to change my mind after watching Empire again. 
Further, this Episode wouldn’t have the power and pull over me that it does if it weren’t for the others. Unlike some fans, I didn’t loathe or even dislike the first two prequels, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Like life, the earlier prequels were stages that had to occur so the next stage, Episode III, could carry us to the “reality” we already knew.
Some of the spoiler-free reasons I enjoyed this Episode so thoroughly?
- Masterful film score, as always, followed by masterful sound design/effects
- Delightfully delicious visuals, even in the harshest of environs and wildest of scenes.
- Overall, the best acting exhibited in any of the prequels. Now I finally “get” Hayden Christensen as a tormented soul. He (Anakin) was a bit whiny in Episode II.
- Good use of humor. Purists seem to think Lucas panders to the masses by including comedy, but I’ve always enjoyed it. Most tragedies have elements of comedy, anyway. Particularly in this Episode, it helps to have brief moments of levity amidst the movie’s emotional, visual and auditory turmoil.
- Closure, finally! I’m 31 years old. Star Wars was born just 4 years after I was. It’s time we fully understood Darth Vadar’s origins and nature.
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Jennifer said,
May 24, 2005 @ 2:07 pm
Yeah, I liked it. Definitely more than Episodes I & II. But it’s weird - it almost feels like they HAD to do all this, just to justify the first Star Wars (episode IV) - or maybe that’s what happens when you start in the middle of a story like this… You already know the “outcome”… and all you’re doing is watching what has to happen in order to set the stage for the story you already know.
And I agree with you - Aniken was definitely more whiney last time. He seemed more comfortable with the character this time around.