Review: Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

The Star Wars prequels have not been the best received. The first two are generally held in low regard when talking about the franchise as a whole. However, the third film is something to proud of, due to the fact of it arguably being the best film in the trilogy and a pretty good film by itself.

Although the performances are not the best, they have drastically improved from Episode II, where they felt mechanical. Ewan McGregor delivers the best acting he has given during the entire trilogy, and Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen improve on previous installments with a better show of emotion. Ian McDiarmid also gives a good performance as Emperor Palpatine, and Samuel L. Jackson and Jimmy Smits deliver something extra special to the film.

Whereas the previous two episodes had not-so-great special effects, Episode III's visuals are bombastic and are mesmerizing to look at. The added emphasis on battle scenes helps make this stand out even more, with the final battle between Anakin and Obi-Wan a grand spectacle. However, some of the character movements are still noticeably wonky, but it's 2000's technology, so I'll let it slide when looking at the grand scale of things.

The best part about the film is the way it builds up a good story and conveys actual emotion, unlike the previous installments in the trilogy. The plot is really engaging and fully immerses you into the Star Wars world, and you may cry a bit, too, along with the characters when their worlds are crushed by haunting truths: Padme and Obi-Wan with the fact that Anakin is the one who is behind the slaughtering of the Jedi, and Anakin with the fact that he believes that Obi-Wan is an enemy to him. Oh, and the transformation of Anakin into Darth Vader is also very saddening, along with a pretty cool glimpse of the Death Star in construction.

With improved visuals, better performances, and monumental battles, Revenge of the Sith is a trilogy capper that redeems the Star Wars prequels.

RATING: 8/10