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Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
There's been a lot of surprisingly positive word-of-mouth on this film from those who got a chance to see it on opening day. This meant I ended up going into it with heightened expectations. Thankfully, I wasn't let down.
Revenge of the Sith is helped immensely by having a definite target to aim the plot toward. We all know what happens in the end, the fun is in getting there. Fortunately, George Lucas doesn't disappoint in this regard. Anyone who is familiar with the original trilogy is going to enjoy seeing it all come together, as there are tons of little details that click into place while the story unfolds.
I'm sure there are many haters who will disagree with me, but I thought Hayden Christensen really did a good job this time around. A few years have passed since Attack of the Clones, and Anakin is a much more confident, less whiny character. Of course, we're still asked to buy the love story between Anakin and Padme, but since there's a lot more stuff going on this time, it's not so crucial to the entire movie.
That said, there really is a whole lot of stuff going on in this movie. It will certainly take me another viewing or two to absorb it all. The action moves by at a relentless clip, never dragging. There are several great saber battles, many big battle scenes, and some very emotional sequences in the later part of the story.
The special effects are really a step up from the last movie, if you can believe it. Every frame is just crammed with action and movement, but it is done in a way that is much more natural and seamless than some of the gratuitous effects shots in the first two prequel movies.
In the end, I definitely felt that this was a fitting end to the prequels and made me want to watch the original trilogy again. Which I suppose is the point, isn't it? Recommended. 3.5/4 stars.