Star Wars: Episode III- The Revenge of George Lucas

Turns out he may not be as incompetant as we'd all thought. Well, up until the final moments of the film anyway. The film could have easily been titled: Fuck You Fanboys, I Know What I'm Doing!

Were all my questions answered? Mostly. I still have to draw some vague assumptions about a few things, but in the end Lucas did a damn good job of covering his ass. I guess he decided he better rewatch the last two clusterfucks as well as the Original "I can't believe people love these movies" Trilogy. Yes, I do love them, why do you ask?

I'll avoid really duscussing the film just in case there are some real scragglers out there who haven't seen it yet, plus, I usually need at least two viewings to be confidant about a real review.

First things first, the fact that I loved the movie is no doubt influenced by my hatred of Episode I (which is becoming more of a fond dislike, similar to Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, only it knew it sucked) and my ho-hum attitude towards Episode II. It's not hard to remember those two films misfires and falling-on-our-faces plotlines as the movie opens, it's easy to just assume it's not going to work and that you'll walk out of the theatre upset that the saga is done and Lucas has just ruined any chance of redemption he had. So, bitter and jaded, and not in the least bit excited, I sat down at my local cineplex to watch this new movie.

I guess going into movies like that more often might pay off.

Seeing recent interviews of Lucas admitting that he ultimately failed with the first two films, and that it was indeed him holding Christensen back from his tremendous acting abilities (don't believe me? Watch Shattered Glass. The kid has chops.) and that the plot for Episode I was probably a really bad idea has lightened my mood about the man. You also have to admire the fact that he is willing to do things his way, and he acknowledges the fans will see it anyway, so fuck em, if they don't like it they should quit buying into it. He made his movies, audiences and critics be damed. Of course, there's also the reverse side to that, and aging wannabe filmmaker, with ambition and little talent screwing up the one right idea he ever had, and running it into the damn ground. But, he's rich, he can do it if he wants, he owns it. He doesn't come to your house and laugh at your gajillion longboxes of comics bagged and boarded, so laughing at his little geek-like traits is a little hypocritical. We all have our obsessions I guess, and sometimes we take them one step too far.

So, yeah, Christensen SHINES in this film...well as much as a Sith Lord can shine anyway. He's evil incarnate, and I was actually disappointed when we see him in the Vader armor, it just detracts from the character he created in this trilogy. You can't say enough about Yoda and R2, so I just won't say anything, but I can say that Palpatine is just so friggin evil, knowing that he dies in Episode VI is the only thing that keeps you from tearing your hair out when he converts Anakin.

It's the best in the saga since Empire, the best film Lucas has ever directed. Hell, it's arguably the best film in the saga.

But, I did love it, can't wait for the DVD, and I'll probably go see it again soon, maybe next weekend.

-L