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May 20, 2005 

Revenge of the Sith

We went to see “Revenge of the Sith” last night. Although I had read a lot about it, I’d managed to avoid too many spoilers (I don’t count minor ones like Anakin becoming a Sith lord, Padme dying, Jedi being wiped out – they’re a given from the original movies). If you want to do the same I recommend you don’t read this until after you’ve seen the film – then shoot me down in flames if you want to.

I enjoyed this film immensely, so we’ll go good points first. The scenery was fantastic, particularly the lava planet, Mustafar. It’s a very very dark film, as would be expected, and the whole atmosphere brings this across very well. Order 66 is phenomenal, as Jedi after Jedi are killed (in some beautiful settings). There are no annoying alien beings (but there are masses of Wookees). I agree wholeheartedly with Kevin Smith that the opening battle scene is one of the most fantastic I’ve seen. The acting is better than it has been – there is a sense that after the years of the clone wars Anakin, Padme and Obi Wan have relaxed in each others company, and the scenes with them are less stilted. There are great comedy moments, some reminiscent of the original trilogy (small robots fleeing before Lord Vader). The final 10 minutes, where the real linking to the original trilogy happens has some awesome moments – the droids being handed to Captain Antilles, Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen holding the baby Luke looking out over the setting suns of Tattooine, and others – that made me almost sentimental. And the lightsaber fights are some of the best (except for Darth Maul) I’ve ever seen.

Now given that I’m predisposed to enjoy this film, I have just a few complaints.

1 Anakin’s descent into the dark side is believable. His reasons behind it are good, and the Chancellor/Emperor is convincing. Where it falls down is the immediate moment of change. In 2 minutes Anakin goes from “oh no I’ve killed a jedi, what will I do” to “I will do anything you ask, Master” to “kill all the baby Jedi? No problem.” I believe the change. I just don’t believe the rapidity (and I know for a fact I’m going to be disagreed with there!)

2 At the end Senator Organa gives the droids to Captain Antilles with the request that the protocol droids mind be wiped. Why not R2D2? He has seen just as much… Just because he can’t talk doesn’t mean that C3PO won’t understand him, and he needs to be wiped for the original films to work.

3 Why doesn’t Chewwie remember Yoda when he meets him again in the original trilogy?

4 Who was the mysterious Jedi Master who ordered the clone army be built? That isn’t answered, not even touched on.

5 Finally, Padme’s unfeasible outfit for a pregnant woman who’s off on a jaunt to see her Sith hubby on a planet of lava. Just, no.

Given that, I’ll probably see it at least twice more at the cinema, and grow to love it more than any of them, because yesterday evening was the last time I’ll ever feel that particular excitement. And yes, I did cry. Which by my reckoning makes it a damn good film all round.

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3 Why doesn’t Chewwie remember Yoda when he meets him again in the original trilogy?

If my memory serve me correctly, Chewwie doesn't meet Yoda in the original trilogy.

I'm off to see the film tonight.

Of course, my memory may have been wiped.

No, I think you're right. He doesn't. My memory has been, erm, well, the opposite of wiped. I take back number 3.

The bit that had me in fits of laughter was the heavily pregnant Padme bounding out of the shuttle to embrace Anakin. If she was that pregnant, trust me, she wouldn't have been able to move that fast. Or that gracefully. A waddle might have been her best effort. The costume was fine though.

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To be fair, when pregnant, I advise the "go for what's comfortable and b***** what anyone else thinks. She did look comfortable.

Saw it last night. Did Padme suddenly grow leggings while Obi-wan and Anakin have their lightsabre battle?

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