Star Wars - Episode III: Revenge of the Sith [spoilers here]

[Beecham]

Okay, since no one else is doing it, I might as well. Who else has seen Revenge of the Sith? I was there, for the opening showing in my home area [not my home town, per se, since our theater sucks! ;)], for the only time in my life dressed up for a movie. I am proud to say, we stole the show. I lost track of how many people were taking my and my friend's picture.

As for the movie itself, Michael holy Bolton. That was... potent. Best word I can come up with for it. My stomach was clenched througout the whole thing, part in fear that it wouldn't live up to expectations - though in the end, it did - and part in dread of what was actually coming, the death of so many beloved characters.

Aayla's death, in particular, made me said, she didn't even get to fight back at all. I did, however, have a fanboy moment at the mention of General Vos. I salute any of you who know who General Vos is. A shame that Tholme did not get a similar mention, though.

The fight scenes were spectacular. I don't think, however, anything will quite have the emotional impact of Vader versus Luke, but Anakin versus Obi-wan is the only thing that could possibly come close.

The acting, too, was a good several notches above either of the previous movies. This made me very happy. Even Natalie didn't ruin the film, which I was afraid she might. Ewan McGregor's performance was wonderful, and Hayden has become a much better actor since Episode II.

Plotwise, wow. Apparently Episode III won an award in Europe for being an allegory of the current political situation in America. Very nice, that. The political intrigue was very interesting, and asked a lot more questions than it answered - like, what, really, was the Jedi agenda? - which I actually kind of liked. I liked the movie leaving certain issues openended.

Also, we finally learn of Sidious's master. Moreover, the bombshell revelation, that it seems Anakin's creation was at the hands of the late Sith Master. That... is something I need to think a lot more about. Why would the Sith Lord create Anakin? Did he became so in tune with the Force, in having discovered the secrets of life and death, that he saw that the Sith needed to be destroyed? Or perhaps did he see that both Sith and Jedi needed to be exterminated? That was, truly, what Vader did, after all. So many more questions, and no answers. I'm a little sad that we'll never see official answers, but I'm a speculation junkie at heart, so I'm a bit glad too.

Also, what are your thoughts on the television series that is becoming more strongly rumored by the day? I have heard talk of a hundred episode live action series, bridging episodes III and IV, with primarily non-major characters. I wonder if Bail Organa and Mon Mothma count as non-major enough? Oh yes, minor rant about the movie: where the fuck did Mon Mothma go?! She was supposed to be in the movie!!! Anyway, does anyone know any more concrete details, perhaps?

[Shrew]

Wait, Anakin created by the Sith? When does that happen? I mean, Palpatine was talking about a Sith Lord who could create life, but I didn't think it was his master, nor did I get anything to make me think he would have made Anakin. I just thought he was preaching a sith legend. Although now that I think about it, it would make sense with that whole immaculate conception.

Anyway, I liked the film, though I don't think it was as good as the original trilogy. Williams's score especially didn't seem to inspire the same amount of emotion I got from the originals. Perhaps that's because I'm older now, but I think the old man just isn't as creative any more.

I agree the acting is much better, though I don't think Natalie Portman did a great job. I think that's partially because I just don't like Padme as a character. She seems flat.

I did love the ending though. I thought everything in the last half hour or so was great, especially the last scene.
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Fear our Vagueness.

[Tron Bonne]

[Dakota]

Im going on Saturday I cant wait!! hopefully it will be bettr than Episode 2
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Its height.

[Deloseth]

The whole 'Anakin created by Sith' bit flew past me too. No doubt Harukaze can enlighten us though.

Overall, I thought it was all right. Better than Episodes I & II, not as good as IV, V & VI. I went in feeling slightly apprehensive but came out content. There were no annoying characters like Ep I and no major cringe worthy moments like Ep II (bar one right at the end). I too thought Portman was a bit flat but I guess you can't have it all. And the guy they got to play Tarkin looked spookily like Peter Cushing.

One thing though, at the end Yoda mentions about Qui-Gon and how Obi will train to communicate with him. I believe this is explained further in the books. Can anyone elaborate?

Edit: Also, I read somewhere that Mon Mothma was to appear. The IMDB confirms this. Did spot her? I would have liked to see old (young) Mothball again...

[Barbarossa Rugner]

Well i just got back from seeing Episode III and i have to say that i was satisfied with the movie as a whole. The movie cleared up a lot of questions regarding various things in Episodes 4-6. Although i was excited to see Episode III i couldn't help but be a little dissapointed. It's not that something was missing from the movie, or that i can say this should have been here, but it just didn't have that wow factor to me when i left the theatre. I think this is due not to the actual film, but due to the hype that i myself built up for th movie. I think i told myself that Episode III was going to so great that it could have never lived up to my expectations. I greatly enjoyed the movie though and i would recommend it to anyone.
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The Rune on my Sword, the Dragon King Sword, is protected against any form of magic, Even the rune of the Gate - Barbarossa Rugner

[Aett]

Regarding Anakin possibly having been created by the Sith:

When Palpatine was telling Anakin about Darth Plagueus at the opera, he mentioned that Plagueus had mastered the ability to harness the midichlorians to create life. I, too, noticed that it was strange that this is the ONLY mention of the midichlorians in episodes 2 AND 3, so it must have been brought up for a specific purpose. Namely, the fact that in episode 1 Qui-Gon believes that Anakin was born of the midichlorians. I agree with Harukaze - I think that Darth Plagueus was behind Anakin's birth.

Of course, we may never know for sure. The fact that it was subtle is what I liked about it the most. :)

[Aesa]

I've not seen yet, nor will I more than likely for a few days.

I've seen Episodes 1, 4, 5, and 6 and I felt that it wasn't really worth going to the other because the first ones were the best. I might see 3 but then again I might not.

I think that Anakin still had some good left in him, otherwise why did he spare Obi-wan? At least up until episode 4? (Note: This is from what i've gathered) Why did Yoda train Luke? He is the son of the Sith lord, he may be corrupted as well, as far as I'm concerned there are still a lot of loose ends flying about.
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The setting sun means the rise of a new day...
...excepting for Ragnarok, of course

~Tinto~

[Ninjar]

I hate Padme. All the scenes that she was in seemed to bother me. None of them really seemed serious and I'm going to have to blame the cheesy dialogue. The lines were ridiculous in some of the scenes and I really don't see Natalie Portman as a very strong actress or at least I don't see her as being fit for the kind of role she was playing. Other than that, I found that some of the characters seemed a bit too goofy for me. People like Darth Sidious made me want to make fun of them and when Darth Sidious stood over the burnt body of Anakin, I couldn't help but turn to my friend and say, "Where does it hurt?"

I found it difficult to take a lot of the characters seriously. I did enjoy the movie though. Anything with Chewbacca in it is nice. Although I would say that it is stretching it a bit. Of course movies and books tend to do that. I was upset by the way Mace Windu died. It was a totally inglorious death. I can't believe he got his hand sliced off and then they tossed him off the building. I found that to be fairly weak as I liked Samuel L. Jackson's character a great deal. I would have found it more appealing if he had been sliced in half or something interesting. Give him a good death, not some weak thing. That of course is my own personal opinion.

[Beecham]

I would say that Episode III answers those questions, though really if you think enough about it, the original trilogy alone had enough information there.

Aett, thank you very much, that is precisely to what I was referring. I would have been very, very worried had no one else gotten that. Ther's a very ugly debate on the IMDb about this point, mostly composed of people who don't remember the scene well enough to be making their arguments. Sideous was careful not to be very clear on the matter. Or, I should say, Lucas was very careful not to be very clear on the matter.

Still, I was told by my friend who read one of the novels that Plagueis was said specifically to be Sideous' master. Now, the real question is, why would Plagueis have created Anakin? The other real question, whether he did or not for certain, we'll never know, so assuming he did, why? My own pet theory is that if one becomes so in tune with the Force as to be able to create life, that he couldn't be that dark any longer. And Palpatine ruined it by killing him. Perhaps I just feel this way having read The Unifying Force, the last book in the New Jedi Order series... and that series delved a lot into the idea the the Light and Dark sides of the Force are not so very different in the end. But seriously, if you become that in tuned, you would have to be what Dooku claimed to be: a "Grey" Jedi, essentially, one who knew and used both sides of the Force. Even Palpatine claimed this, in saying something along the lines of "To know the Great Mystery, one must look at ... all its aspects." But he doesn't, he only truly sees the Dark Side. But I think Plagueis might have been different.

I am very curious if this concept will be at all further explained by the television series, which I presume will be canonical. And outside of canon, in the EU, there is supposed to be a novel set just after the movie, and one by the astounding Timothy Zahn set roughly in this time period - featuring the original C'baoth! - which may enlighten us. I just began reading Labyrinth of Evil, and have the Revenge of the Sith novelization to read next. I haven't read the other Clone War novels yet though, I'm too poor to buy them ^_^

[Leb]

Bah, the Palpatine/Yoda fight was too short. I mean, c'mon-- if you bring back Duel of the Fates, you need a longer fight.

[Axiose]

It really was like watching a Greek Tragedy.

I really enjoyed Revenge of the Sith and I actually thought Hayden Christians' acting skills have much improved since Episode II.

A few reservations I held about it would first be Anakin's rather debatably quick transference. Admitedly he was confused a lot, but he seemed to delve quickly from debating whether to save Palpatine or not, to becoming a truly horrific Sith.

I too noticed the Opera scene's significance, especially with regards to Darth Sidious being the murderous disciple. Though, to be honest, I doubt I would have made the further assumption about Anakin's birth if I hadn't watched Episode I and II the night before.

With regards to the "Darth Plagueis created Anakin" theory; my friends and I had this discussion after Episode I about how he was a mystery birth, and we mused over the idea that a powerful master of the force created him.

[Gil-galad]

[Blaze Silven]

Do guys remember in episode 1, where anakin was made a reference to a certain prophecy? It said something about him bringing balance to the force. I think he did------------------because in episode six, he defeated the last of the Sit(there were a few after wards, but none quite as noticeable or as powerful).
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I will stand I will stand,
when everything falls away
I will fight this war forever
or until I die

[Leb]

Remember, guys, that Lucas refuses to recognize anything outside of the movies as canon. In fact, he was even reluctant to have Coruscant be the capital of the Republic for the new movies (while the books have stated that for years).

So, as far as officially, the Sith Order was destroyed in Episode VI. No Palpatine clones or newbie dark siders.