Revenge of the Sith Review

I’m sure you’ve probably heard that Revenge of the Sith is just slightly better than The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. In my opinion, that is completely untrue. Revenge of the Sith is a masterpiece. Let me explain why I think so.

First of all, the plot here is just so much better. Even the dialogue is greatly improved. It’s still not perfect, but it’s only cringe-worthy in a few scenes. That in and of itself is a huge improvement. Secondly, George Lucas has the power of his own legendary original trilogy behind him this time. Finally, we get to witness Anakin become Darth Vader. And it’s glorious. We finally get a little bit of believability when it comes to why Anakin turned to the dark side. This time, it’s not just because he was an arrogant brat. We’re finally able to believe that he was pushed over the edge. On a technical level, everything is flawless, and the CGI still looks incredible today. The acting is far better this time around, and Hayden Christensen is finally able to fully take over his role of Anakin. This isn’t to say he doesn’t have wooden moments, because he does. But when he isn’t wooden, he does an excellent job. Ewan McGregor, as well, gives an excellent performance. I feel like it would be wrong to not mention Ian McDiarmid, as his performance as the Emperor is excellent.

Perhaps the best aspect of this film is its dark tone. While Attack of the Clones was cheesy or even laughable when it tried to be dark, Revenge of the Sith excels in this aspect. The film’s pace is excellent, and it doesn’t waste any time on an atrocious romance story. Nothing feels rushed or overlong. Nearly every scene is in some way crucial to the story, contrary to Attack of the Clones. Okay, I’m sorry. I need to stop bashing that movie. Ultimately, Revenge of the Sith is a gloriously dark, excellently paced, riveting entry in the Star Wars franchise. George Lucas succeeded once again. 4.4/5 stars.

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