Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
Obi-Wan: It’s over Anakin, I have the high ground.
Anakin Skywalker: You underestimate my power!
Obi-Wan: Don’t try it.
And we’ve reached end of one trilogy… “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”.
George Lucas immediately started working on this title after finishing “Attack of the Clones” and there was much to work on and iron out and sand down, because “Revenge of the Sith (and goat on the hill)” had to round out the whole and make decent transition so everything would look more natural and could connect to “A New Hope” from 1977.
Where are we now?
Three years have passed since first appearance of clone army and war between Republic and Separatists still continues with undiminished fierceness, both on planet surfaces and through starry expanses.
Obi-Wan Kenobi and (quasi)student Anakin Skywalker participate in space battle happening right above orbit of planet Coruscant (heart of Galactic Republic) with special task – to “break into” separatist General-cyborg Grievous’s spaceship and save Chancellor Palpatine, who’s been kidnapped. Just when they found chancellor and thought infiltration was painless, Count Dooku graciously receives them with his lightsaber and desire to finish story from previous part. During fight, Obi-Wan is temporarily incapacitated, so Anakin, after challenging fight, manages to defeat count, and then chancellor orders him to eliminate him because he’s too great threat. Anakin, after brief hesitation, decapitates count. But, now they must escape from ship (with unconscious Obi-Wan, who regains consciousness bit later) while Grievous is on their heels, and after considerable chaos, somehow survive.
But, our heroes don’t have too much time to pose as poster boys, because war continues.
Anakin is briefly reunited with Padmé, learns she’s pregnant and father is Obi-Wan, and in burst of rage kills her… well, well, that didn’t happen… Padmé reveals to Anakin she’s pregnant (and logically, child is his), and his joy knows no bounds… until after some time nightmares start tormenting him about death of his beloved… similar to when he dreamed mother’s death (and we all know how that ended).
Meanwhile, relations between chancellor and Jedi Alliance, although outwardly seem normal, are never more tense. Chancellor wants ever greater power and increasingly ties Anakin to himself (as if he’s one kind of mentor to him) and wants him to be his representative in Jedi Council… and tells him, for some reason, real power lies in dark side of Force. On other hand, Jedi Council accepts chancellor’s decision, but also unofficially gives Anakin task to spy on chancellor, because they don’t like what moves he’s pulling in Galactic Senate and sense something bad.
War becomes so chaotic, even Yoda must help in defense from Separatists, so he goes to Kashyyyk, land of Wookiees as reinforcement.
Obi-Wan is sent to planet Mustafar, because separatist generals are hiding there, including Grievous, with whom he has unresolved scores.
And meanwhile, Anakin becomes increasingly torn between friendship with chancellor and loyalty to Jedi Alliance, and in addition has premonition his nightmares about Padmé’s death will come true, and he, although already very powerful Jedi, still doesn’t have enough power to prevent death, and is willing even to sell soul to devil himself… and opportunity for that power is offered to him, by none other than CHANCELLOR WHO’S REVEALED TO BE NONE OTHER THAN ONE THEY WERE SEARCHING FOR AND THAT HE’S… well, maybe no room for drama, because you already know who he is… and even if you haven’t watched SW films before, you’ll conclude in first five minutes of film. 😁
And who will get out alive, and how phrase “Execute Order 66” will change fate of SW universe, you’ll find out with “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”.
We already mentioned Lucas both adjusted and tuned everything he could so film would turn out decent… from reworking script (in end they gave up on inserting young Han Solo, appearance of Qui-Gon’s ghost, all the way to Anakin’s discovery of who his “father” is) to re-shooting some scenes (to best show Anakin’s leaning toward dark side of Force), as well as removing other scenes (senator rebellion against Palpatine’s usurpation of power, Yoda’s exile and other things we’d surely love to be inserted in film)… especially since he didn’t exactly thrill audience with how he developed plot and dialogues for some characters.
Visually, film turned out excellently. It was shot in Australia and Thailand, and interestingly Etna’s eruption was used for footage that will later be inserted to convey film’s finale. “Guest” director was also Steven Spielberg, who dealt with some parts where dramaticness of events needed to be conveyed. Of course, CGI was used by the handful and cupful. “Revenge of the Sith” has 2,151 frames using special effects, which is (I think still) world record. Film especially deserves special praise in scenes where Lucas plays with shadow effect on Anakin’s face and subtly lets it be known how he’s crossing to dark side of Force.
Music was again handled by John Williams, who again did his job flawlessly with epic dramatic music, and definitely number “Battle of Heroes” dominated, which accompanied Obi-Wan and Anakin’s showdown.
As for action element, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” is perhaps best done, not only at this film’s level, but entire trilogy. Yes, space battle at film’s beginning is great, but lightsaber duels took absolute victory. Obi-Wan and Anakin against Count Dooku, Obi-Wan against Grievous, Mace Windu against Palpatine (Darth Sidious), Yoda against Palpatine… and of course, greatest treat (and longest and most complicated fight scene)… Obi-Wan against Anakin (after he crossed to dark side of Force). Last duel was also most prepared, starting from choreography to inserting parts with lava and explosions and what have you. There’s also scene where Obi-Wan says one of cult lines.
As for plot, it turned out solid, though bit rushed. But, in end we understand Anakin crossed to dark side primarily in desire to save Padmé from death in his nightmares, and not because he was so enchanted by idea of power or distrust in Jedi Council (though there’s that too). But, one thing we established… and that’s George Lucas understands writing romantic dialogues and love scenes as much as I understand “Unruh effect” dealing with prediction that accelerating observer will perceive thermal bath of particles in what inertial observer considers vacuum… I not only have no idea what this means, but can’t even pronounce definition without tongue-tying. Meaning, again cringe (not to say, sloppy) dialogues. I mean, maybe they’d be charming if said in 80s… in fact they wouldn’t be even then, man really somehow didn’t have feel for love in this trilogy (and one of film’s motifs is precisely tragic love).
Acting…
Ewan McGregor is standardly excellent as Obi-Wan Kenobi and nicely carried through his role in this trilogy to end and definitely one of best representations of Jedi and light side of Force in SW universe who doesn’t care who he’ll treat to his humor and sarcasm, but also had really excellent dramatic moments.
Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader… you know what, somehow I think he still suffered same fate to be victim of how character was written, because in all parts that didn’t have romantic dialogues or some Shakespearean sentences, seems to me he somehow did solid job. Despite criticism, time showed (many years later) how much audience loved this actor and his Anakin.
Natalie Portman didn’t have excessive screen time, but did everything she could with what she was given… but contributed more with her facial expressions than having any memorable dialogues.
Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine/Sidious was excellent, because he gave some strong dramatic (and at moments exaggerated) note of pure evil, that theatrical Shakespearean (which isn’t surprise, because this actor devoted his whole life to theater, besides television and film).
Worth also mentioning Samuel Jackson as always composed Jedi Mace Windu (although I expected him to say motherf***er when he found out Palpatine is villain), Jimmy Smits as righteous and cunning senator Bail Organa and brief appearance of Christopher Lee as Count Dooku.
Of course, various political, military and mythological motifs are threaded through. Anakin’s statement to Obi-Wan (“If you’re not with me, then you’re my enemy”) is association with Bush’s statement after September 11; Anakin and Palpatine’s relationship has parallel with Faust and his pact with devil.
And as for earnings, film on budget of 113 million dollars “reached” 850 million.
All in all, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” did nice job rounding out whole and correcting mistakes from previous parts. Although first part will be remembered under Jar Jar Binks, pod racing and legendary showdown of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan against Darth Maul, and second part for Jango Fett, clones and arena showdown, I’d dare say third part is perhaps best in this trilogy, with lots of memorable scenes.
And for end, few curiosities:
- Original version of this film lasted almost four hours. Opening battle/Palpatine rescue alone lasted over hour. Additional footage of Palpatine rescue scene was shown in video game made for this film
- McGregor and Christensen trained two months in sword fighting and physical fitness to prepare for their epic battle. As result of their training, speed at which duel was conducted in final film version corresponds to speed at which scene was shot and wasn’t digitally sped up
- Chancellor Palpatine’s strategy for preserving power is known to political scientists and called “Perpetual War”. Palpatine came to power through conflict with Trade Federation, gained greater privileges during Clone Wars and solidified his position through war against Jedi Alliance
- Volcanic world of Mustafar was designed to look like George Lucas’s vision of hell
- Every clone soldier in film is CGI. No real clone costume or helmet was used in film
- Dr. Eric Bui, psychiatrist from Toulouse, co-authored 2007 study in which Anakin Skywalker was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. When authors presented their findings at American Psychiatric Association annual meeting, they stated Skywalker meets criteria for diagnosis: difficulties controlling anger, stress-induced breaks with reality, impulsivity, obsession with abandonment and “pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships, characterized by oscillating between idealization and devaluation”
And you, dear reader, which is your favorite part from this trilogy? 😁
Trailer
Imdb | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic
Format: Film
Premiere: 2005
Runtime: 140 minutes
