Revenge of the Sith

[aruan]

I didn't not like it, but man. I could've done with a quarter less plot and, continuing a trend, somebody else instead of (the admittedly much less awkward-looking but nonetheless) Hayden Christensen as Vader, but overall, the last 45 minutes were the stuff Empire, unshaken from its pedestal as favorite, is made of. Comments:

- For the love of God, didn't the first two movies teach us all to take the pen away from George Lucas? God, the dialogue was worthless.

- The visual effects, however, were breathtaking. And they're getting much better with faking people, too. That lizard Obi-Wan rode? Amazing.

- And while the plot was kicky, Sith was way too much all in a single movie. And the way it all came tumbling down like a house of cards - sorry for the bad analogy, but it's the most accurate description of what happened. While great for dramatic effect, especially with John Williams' score behind it, the improbability that the Emperor could've had that many ducks in a row and willing to betray the Republic, the Jedi, especially that close to the end of the war, left me cold.

- So, okay, I get it, Anakin has mother-loss issues, can't lose Padme, yada yada yada, but come on. Come on! Betraying the entire Jedi Council? Killing his best friend and mentor? Believing that one man, a Sith Lord no less, has the interests of the galaxy at heart? I understand that last bit was a grand bit of self-confirming bias to justify his actions, but yeesh.

- Still can't swallow that Anakin didn't know Padme was carrying twins. Nope.

- Speaking of wee ones - the younglings! The younglings! [sob]

- I knew better than to watch any moment after Obi-Wan landed on that outcropping in the lava field, and yet, I didn't put my hands over my eyes until well after that point and didn't know better to keep them there for the entire scene. So scarred, and I don't mean Anakin.

- Obi-Wan is the woobie to end all woobies. I have such overwhelming amounts of sadness and love for him, it's making it hard to breathe. You were supposed to be the chosen one! And leaving him there! Waaah!

- Thing is, Anakin is the chosen one. He will destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force... just not now.

- Nice premise for the slashers at the end there, George. My gratitude is with you. And the end was good - it did tie everything together and set everything up to be just as it is at the beginning of A New Hope. It was satisfying in that respect, but the preamble was a little too everything Lucas has been accused of, and the fact that he seems to keep himself in the story even though it might not be to its benefit, well, that's not a very benevolent creator-ly thing to do.

Verdict: Too much Lucas, not enough Star Wars, but well-worth the price of admission to set up the best, which is yet to come. As in right now, tape's in the VCR. Laters.

Comments

[chreesko.livejournal.com]

The whole Anakin-Padme thing is just... unpleasant for me, and it's almost entirely because of the writing and directing. That horrible, terrible, awful Sound of Music scene from the last movie, the one I've been trying to scrub from my brain for THREE YEARS? I will never, so long as I live, forgive George Lucas for subjecting me to that. NEVER.

For me, the Star Wars saga has always been all about Obi Wan. Even before George Lucas made Anakin lame, I only wanted to know Obi Wan's story. It's the one reason I'm looking forward to seeing ROTS.

[xalxuffasch.livejournal.com]

And while the plot was kicky, Sith was way too much all in a single movie. And the way it all came tumbling down like a house of cards - sorry for the bad analogy, but it's the most accurate description of what happened. While great for dramatic effect, especially with John Williams' score behind it, the improbability that the Emperor could've had that many ducks in a row and willing to betray the Republic, the Jedi, especially that close to the end of the war, left me cold.

I disagree. He had so wooed the senators that he was acting in the defense of the republic that they were not offended by him creating the galactic empire. The clones are loyal with out question. In the heirarchy of the republic the Jedi are below the Supreme Chancellor. His order would countermand any of the Jedi Orders.

To me, its obvious that people don't totally agree with him, Senator Organa disagrees as well as Senator Amidala, and by proxy their planets. Not to mention enough other planets to form a resistance movement.

So, okay, I get it, Anakin has mother-loss issues, can't lose Padme, yada yada yada, but come on. Come on! Betraying the entire Jedi Council? Killing his best friend and mentor? Believing that one man, a Sith Lord no less, has the interests of the galaxy at heart? I understand that last bit was a grand bit of self-confirming bias to justify his actions, but yeesh.

Once you begin down the path of the dark side, hard to turn back it is. Or some such, I don't remember the exact quote. It is obvious that he had been seeding Annakin for as long as he had known him.

Still can't swallow that Anakin didn't know Padme was carrying twins. Nope.

Just as the dark side clouds the light, the light clouds the dark.

On Obi Wan being a woobie. True. My heart broke more for Yoda. There was not any real sadness in his voice or antyhing like that. And the going into exile.

[silentfire.livejournal.com]

just wanted to tell you that my phone ran out of batteries -- i didn't just, like, hang up on you or anything.

enjoy watching the originals!

[neromanic.livejournal.com]

i had the same exact conversation about the damn dialogue in that movie with thor and the gang.
Maitre d': awkward wrighting? Yes table for one control-freak egomaniac director.
OK that didn't make much sense, but it was better than all the dialogue of the two-and-a-half hour movie.

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was in Wal-Mart actually, picking up the original trilogy on DVD and my phone was almost dead, too. But I wanted to ask if you were the one who texted me last night? Oh, and read this - you might recognize a couple of things.

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

God, the dialogue was bad. And you know, Natalie Portman has proven she's not a bad actor, and neither are Ewan McGregor or Sam Jackson, yet they took their turns making me cringe. I really think Lucas dumbed them down for some ungodly reason - I really think had a better actor been playing Anakin, could've given him the proper depth and conflict (or maybe the whole point was that he didn't have that depth and therefore did make very impulsive decisions) to sell his decisions to me. Eh.

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

Oh, I choked on their scenes in Attack of the Clones as much as the next person. Blech.

You know, I was always a Han/Leia person before Phantom Menace; when it became All About Qui-Gon. But the dynamic between Obi-Wan and Anakin has been slowly breaking my heart since the scene where they make their introductions in the first film. Man, that hurt. But yeah, Obi-Wan, he really is remarkable. That he'd take a chance on the next generation of Skywalkers as well, that must've taken some serious soul-searching. You won't be disappointed by Sith in that respect.

[silentfire.livejournal.com]

i read it! i looked it up on a whim earlier today, and it's wonderful!

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

He had so wooed the senators that he was acting in the defense of the republic that they were not offended by him creating the galactic empire.

But what had the Jedi done to seem so out of line with the Republic? What had they ever done but hunt down Imperial forces? I don't understand where all this mistrust of the Jedi came from, and I don't understand vesting power to a single person in any situation. It's irresponsible and crazy.

To me, its obvious that people don't totally agree with him, Senator Organa disagrees as well as Senator Amidala, and by proxy their planets. Not to mention enough other planets to form a resistance movement.

Well, we wouldn't have a Rebel force fifteen years down the road without that dissent. But the overwhelming majority of people did buy into his propaganda, and I maintain that they turned against the Jedi without reason.

Once you begin down the path of the dark side, hard to turn back it is.

Well, he had no choice from the moment he stopped Mace Windu. Which, the more I think about it, the more I make my peace with it - he couldn't ask the Council to help because his situation was forbidden and chances are they couldn't and wouldn't, and his biggest concern was Padme. Palpatine was the one who made him promises, who gave him a way to save her - that he was willing to accept the cost (mainly, the Council) and sell himself on the concept of the rest, well, that's just Anakin being impulsive and selfish and all the ways the Sith aren't Jedi. As I said below, it's a testament to Obi-Wan that he was willing to take a chance on the new generation of Skywalker at all.

Just as the dark side clouds the light, the light clouds the dark.

Hm, point.

My heart broke more for Yoda.

Seriously, yo. In the end, how he takes care of everyone, letting Bail Organa take Leia and telling Obi-Wan about Qui-Gon, then going into exile all on his own? [waah!] kind of amazing that they ever become a power in the universe again, whatwith Yoda and Luke comprising the council at the end of Return of the Jedi, but yeah, that little green man is something special.

Also, the thing I forgot to mention - people need to stop getting their hands chopped off. No, for reals. Dooku (two), Windu, Luke, Anakin (three times!) Come now. New gore schtick, please.

[xalxuffasch.livejournal.com]

But what had the Jedi done to seem so out of line with the Republic? What had they ever done but hunt down Imperial forces? I don't understand where all this mistrust of the Jedi came from, and I don't understand vesting power to a single person in any situation. It's irresponsible and crazy.

Well Palapatine claimed that they had tried to kill him and were going to thwart the will of the senate and take control. While untrue, they had such faith in Palapatine after leading them through a destructive, several year long intergalactic war. He is a Sith Master, it his trade to deceive people.

As I said below, it's a testament to Obi-Wan that he was willing to take a chance on the new generation of Skywalker at all.

Well if you look at the movies Annikin and Luke are always presented with similar decisions. The difference between how they react and deal with the decisions is part of the overarcing theme of the movie. What with Lucas picking up a family oriented fetish, I maintain he got from Coppola.

Also, just as much fault falls on the council as the Obi Wan. How many times do they have to warily glance around to each other before they realize that something is not right with the boy.

Also, the thing I forgot to mention - people need to stop getting their hands chopped off. No, for reals. Dooku (two), Windu, Luke, Anakin (three times!) Come now. New gore schtick, please.

Well it is the only way to show true defenslessness for someone trained in the ways of the force. They all use the ligthsaber as their main weaponry. No hands, no defense. Dooku's hands were cut off, and the look in his eyes means he knew that his fate was in Annakin's hands. For the record, Annikan got a hand cut off and Darth Vader got his hands lopped off. It is a arbitrary line, but a necessary distinction.