Revenge of the Sith reinvigorated my interest in Star Wars in 2005, and each subsequent viewing has produced a similarly rousing affect: at closing credits my skin is blanketed with goosebumps, and warm, cathartic waves of relief and gratification move over my entire being; I can’t help but repeat the following mantra: He didn’t screw it up! He didn’t screw it up! Indeed, Lucas delivers persuasive drama and engaging, adrenalized action to match in this third chapter, a gripping tale of violent political upheaval and sinister duplicity.
Clearly I’m a bit overexcited, so before I lose all good sense to hyperbolic fever let me state that this film does NOT redeem George Lucas for the sins of his previous efforts, though it certainly moves the needle to a more favorable position. Revenge of the Sith does seem to prove that Lucas put enough elements in place during Episodes I and II to make the aesthetic and emotional turns in this finale pay off, even if that maneuvering was often painful to sit through. Lucas’s laboriously plotted characters finally live their arcs, the storytelling no longer feels erratic or tedious, and—perhaps most importantly—that Star Wars feeling is back: the thrills and anxieties of observing beloved friends in their most desperate moments, risking everything to do what is right.
As for the acting, Hayden Christensen does show improvement throughout the first two acts, but when it comes time to turn traitor it’s clear that this guy is not being allowed to emote. Anakin’s transformation into a child-murdering, wife-choking thug is already baffling in its abruptness before being made clumsy by Christensen’s flat line deliveries and dead eyes. Based on what we see him doing in this film, Anakin should have been a frenzied, emotional wreck; Chistensen’s sedate acceptance of his own brutality doesn’t match the intensity of these moments, and Sith-colored contact lenses are no substitute for a performance that demonstrates internal conflict and personal anguish. It’s a shame Lucas couldn’t get this right.
As with most films, I’m willing to overlook various shortcomings if a sufficient number of elements are executed well, and Revenge of the Sith thrills me enough with its action and character drama to earn my affection. Again, I’m mostly judging this film through the filter of the prequels; Revenge of the Sith is still a lesser product than anything from the original trilogy—or even the first two films after the Disney buyout—but this concluding film gives me what I want: Anakin’s famous turn and a convincing transition into the aesthetic of the original films; all the rest is merely sand in a Tatooine breeze.
