May 23, 2005
Obligatory Episode III ReviewPosted by Bryan
We decided to partake in a movie this weekend...heard about a small independent flick getting some good buzz, so we went to check it out. While it seems that most people are oh so reluctant to give Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith a good review, I'll do so.
It's possibly my favorite of the six chapters, at worst on par with Episode V for top honors in "Bryan's Diary of Star Wars Evaluation."*
What didn't work for me:
- The writing. The dialogue was expectedly shabby every time the plot addressed the romance of the doomed hero and his bride. In this aspect, all we needed was a hologram exchange that went something like...
Anakin: I love you.
Padme: I love you more.
Anakin: No, I love YOU more.
Padme: Noooo, I love you more.
Anakin: I really ought to go find Dooku, but I just love you so much.
Padme: Did you just call me cookoo, you gooneybird?
Anakin: Noooo! You're so silly. I love you. You should hang up so I can go.
Padme: No, you hang up.
Anakin: No, YOU hang up....Alas, twasn't to be. Fortunately, the film doesn't park there for any longer than the minimal loading and unloading times needed to move the story along toward its ultimate crescendo.
- The attempts to make Darth sympathetic. Like a friend who will likely review on his own blog soon, I wanted all pathos attempts to happen to the pre-helmeted Anakin. Once he became Darth, I wanted him to be all baddie.
- The Birth of Vader. It couldn't have been more Mary Shelley-ish, could it? Unfortunately, I thought the rise of the monster was more Peter Boyle than Bela Lugosi.
The negative aside, what did work for me in the film far outweighed what did not:
- The FX. Pretty impressive what a bajillion dollars will allow you to do with a greenscreen, an army of techdorks, and more hardware than a Sears Grand Opening.
- The PG-13 rating. The movie deserved it, due to its darker elements (which I won't enumerate, since that would be spoilerish, and goodness knows I wouldn't want to ruin it for the 3 people left in America who haven't seen it yet). With only a small fraction of the silliness of the first two reserved for the kiddie set, this picture was appropriately dark for its subject. And perhaps because it so starkly contrasts the first two on this level, an even deeper appreciation for its serious tone is achieved.
- The Pretty Bow. Episode III accomplishes its purposes by actually making the two ends of the saga's railroad's tracks successfully meet in the middle, at least from the perspective of the casual observer that I am. I appreciated the subtle touches at the end that explain or connect aspects in Episode IV (again, not detailed for the sake of suspense). With III in place, I suspect I'll find the other 5 chapters even more entertaining the next time Cotter asks to fire them up on the DVD.
- The Emporer/Palpatine. The actor Ian McDiarmid did a fine job in bridging the gap to make these two characters one. His portrayal was evocative of hitlerian undertones nuanced by Dr. Frankenstein's lunacy. Or at least that would have been something I might have said if I was in Film Appreciation 101.
- Obi Wan McGregor. When it's all said and done, Ewan betcha that Ben Kenobi comes out as the baddest mamma jamma jedi sabersman, the most noble gentleman, the wisest general, and (especially when you consider Episode IV), the most sacrificial servant. McGregor stole this franchise with his smart Alec performance.
Was it a perfect movie? No. I could quibble with plenty of the fineries. I just choose not to, and instead enjoy it for what it was. While we're clearly not talking about Shakespeare, or maybe not even a well-written episode of The OC, it was nonetheless a good popcorn film that managed to get you rooting for good, even though you knew the outcome before you walked into the sticky-floored theater.
*That's just a figure of speech. No such diary really exists.