(I've been meaning to write this for a while, I must have seen the final installment in the starwars saga back in late may, maybe early june!)
George Lcas has done for science fiction what jaws did to the shark. He totally changed the way we see the popular Jules Verne inspired genre. Lets Face it, probably the first images we think of when someone says Science Fction are Wookies Darth Vader and the Milenieum Falcon. And it is at this time I feel it my duty to review the latest installment of the trilogy which did by no means dissappoint.
It's never a good thing when a movies is hyped as much as this last star wars movie was, because often the anticipation exceeds the event. And on top of that Lucas had a lot to answer for this time around, with it being the final installment (although I have my suspicions...) and the last two movies sucking big raymond, ja dissappointment of this kind would have seen nerds and aliens a like giving up the will to live. Such an event would have seen mass Nerd suicide (or NERD-icide) a process by which Nerds choke themselves to death by swallowing their pocket protectors. But rest easy...the last movie owned.
I am happy to state that my last prediction was right. While this movie did kick Bantha, it was not as good as the original three. There are many reasons for this.
It is a well known fact that any actors that are interested in being involved in Sar Wars take their careers in their hands. It is well known that star wars scripts kill actors. Alec Guiness stated this in the first movie and today it still holds true. Star Wars is littered with tallent, especially of late. Big names such as Liam Neisen, Ewan McGregor, Samuel L. Jackson ( name a few) all apper in the movies of late. But lets face it, were any of those performances anything to write home about. The trick to enjoying these movies is this: go for the story and the eye candy. If you're going to watch these movies for the snappy or intellegent dialouge, you might as well go home!
I think a story like this is in general, hard to do bad. Phantom and Clones merely got the ball rolling with the development of the dark Vader character and the end of the neer end of the Jedi and the republic as we know it. Before this movie all that happened was the begining of the clone wars and we got a taste of Anakin Skywalkers' dark side. The Sith threat was merely introduced and anyone who hadn't seen to original movies would have said the chancellor to be a good and kind man. So much had to happen in this movie, so much had to take place, Lucas would have had to try knowing and willfully to mess it up.
I had a few beefs with the movie here and there. First of all, Anakin and Padme should have never been in the same room together whenever they had speaking roles. George Lucas' love sonnets fall very short of Sakespearian. ("Anakin You're breaking my heart!")
I also don't get why lucas has to introduce a new bad guy every saga just to have him killed off. I'm not really complaining here, theres nothign wrong with it and it's knind of cool to see who the new bad guy is, but why bother? Why not create one good character and develop them. Though I dont suppose there is a need for it, where could that possibly go? ("Obi wan I am YOUR father?" Ayeeeee dont think so.)
I loved the locations. Lucas' imagination really took flight this time, each place, even if touched upon for a moment, was imaginative and fantastical and totally immersed you in this world in this galaxy far far away.
I wasnt too thrilled about the opening battle. I mean buss droids? Oh yeah that's real exciting! And I didnt like R2 D2's improptu mini battle at the begining ( I swear, Kenny Baker was slighted in that moment). George baby, he's a mechanic not a warior.
The sabre battles were dynamite. Truly the best they had ever been.
I have often thought of the first two starwars movies thinking of how they fell short and wondering where I would have done things differentlt. With this movie the only true change I would have done was to put in more ( with the exception of Jar Jar Binks, whos abscence was a blessing.) I would have put in more of the wookie battle, more of Anakins' descent into darkness, more homages which fans of the originals would understand. Definatly more of James Earl Jones. Seriously, bringing a Vetran like that back to have him say (SPOILER WARNING!) three lines, one of which is "NOOOOOOOOO!" was a great waste.
All in all not a bad movie. As College kids who mess up on the air say....Boom goes the dynamite!
