Too bad multiplexes don’t come equipped with
fast-forward buttons for audiences: They’d come in handy for viewers
of the final chapter of the Star Wars saga, Episode III: Revenge of
the Sith. Plenty of special-effect sequences
clutter the film and would be worth skipping to get to the heart of the
story. In a sense, George Lucas, the inventor of the “galaxy far, far
away,” has fallen victim to the very thing he helped create:
Big-budget extravaganzas, driven by computer-generated effects that dazzle
audiences instead of engaging them with well-told stories. Lucas pummels
viewers with effects-heavy sequences.
As Episode III opens, the Clone Wars are winding down and the
Republic is doing its best to restructure its fractured government by
hunting down the leader of the Separatists, Count Dooku (Christopher Lee),
and the renegade droid Darth Grievous. Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid)
has recruited young Jedi knight Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) in
this effort, a move opposed by Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Jedi
master Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz). Amid moves to ensure that Palpatine will
be made the leader of a new alliance Skywalker is plagued by premonitions
concerning the love of his life, Princess Padmé (Natalie Portman).
These nightmares leave him vulnerable to Palpatine’s efforts to sway
him to the Dark Side of the Force.
Because we already know the outcome, the film must
provide an entertaining bridge between other parts of the Star Wars story.
Skywalker’s fate is determined, as are Palpatine’s fate and his
efforts to construct the Empire. When Lucas concentrates on the
relationships in the film, it proves not only engaging but shocking as
well. The reason for Skywalker’s conversion to the Dark Side is not
what you’d expect, and the depths to which Lucas has him sink during
this transformation are shocking.
And there’s no denying the power of the moment
when Skywalker seals his destiny and is encased in the Darth Vader suit.
Equally enjoyable are the appearances of fan favorites Chewbacca (Peter
Mayhew), the loyal Wookiee who will become Han Solo’s trusted friend;
and the lovable droids C-3P0 (Anthony Daniels) and R2D2. Seeing these old
friends and witnessing the origin of one of the most iconic villains of the
20th century are worth enduring Lucas’s bombastic vision and the
eyestrain that accompanies it.
Also in theaters this week. . .
Crash [R] A car accident brings
together a diverse group of strangers in Los Angeles, forcing them to
confront racism. Parkway Pointe
Kicking & Screaming [PG] Soccer coach Phil Weston (Will Ferrell) faces a team coached by his
father Buck (Robert Duvall). Buck’s ace player is a son from a new
marriage. Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East
Mindhunters [R] FBI
trainees have to figure out whose the killer among them. Val Kilmer, LL
Cool J, and Christian Slater star. Parkway
Pointe
Unleashed [R] A kind
gentler Danny (Jet Li) emerges from years of violence in the hands of an
elderly piano tuner (Morgan Freeman). Parkway
Pointe
This article appears in May 19-25, 2005.
