Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Movie Review

Brock Donaldson, Reporter
April 5, 2023

I’ve been a Star Wars fan for as long as I can remember and consumed just about every piece of content there is. Out of everything I’ve watched, the third installment of the Star Wars prequel Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith is the greatest Star Wars movie of all time. Directed by George Lucas, RITS is set three years after the start of the Clone Wars and stars Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Natalie Portman as Padmé Amidala, and Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker.

One of the stand-out factors of the film is the strong character performances from the cast. McGregor solidifies himself as a Star Wars legend, bringing depth and nuance to his character Obi-Wan Kenobi, while Ian McDiarmid is simply magnificent as the manipulative and cunning Senator Palpatine. Christensen, who faced criticism for his performance in Attack of the Clones, manages to deliver a more confident and nuanced performance in RITS. He does a great job of displaying the pain Anakin felt throughout the film.

RITS does an amazing job of making you feel connected to the characters through their emotional character arcs and development. The cinematography and special effects are beautiful—not to mention, the lightsaber choreography is nothing below a work of art. 

This film did a great job of bridging the gap between the prequel trilogy and the original Star Wars trilogy, exploring the fall of the Jedi and the rise of the Empire. Anakin’s journey from a young promising Jedi to the galactically feared and evil Darth Vader is put on full display. There are a lot of key moments where you can see Anakin Skywalker slowly dying and Darth Vader consuming more of him throughout the film. The film also explores the political aspect of the Clone Wars, as well as the conflict between the Separatists and the Republic, building up to the formation of the Galactic Empire.

With a plethora of vibrant and detailed environments, from the futuristic cityscape of Coruscant to the volcanic planet of Mustafar, the film’s visual effects are stunning. The action sequences are fast-paced and intense, with standout scenes like the lightsaber duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan and the space battle over Coruscant. The final battle between Anakin and Obi Wan is even more impressive when you find out that Ewan Mcgregor and Hayden Christensen practiced that duel for months. The speed at which they fight in the movie is the speed they fought at in real life. The music, composed by John Williams, is a highlight of the film, with themes that perfectly capture the mood and tone of the film.

Revenge of the Sith offers fans an action-packed and emotionally-charged journey and is a must-watch for anyone looking for a sci-fi adventure with a touch of drama. With strong performances, an engaging storyline, and stunning visuals, it is a fitting conclusion to the prequel trilogy and the greatest Star Wars movie of all time.

Mr. Brusky, standing on homemade stilts, joins forces with a handful of his 10th-grade English students from St. Margaret’s at the midnight premiere of Star Wars Episode III – Revenge of the Sith in 2005. With hours until midnight, hundreds of restless and overly enthusiastic Star Wars fans impulsively squared off for friendly lightsaber battles. Brusky recalls a horde of fans, equipped with make-shift weaponry, pulling his poor Wookie self unwillingly into a “dueling arena” at the moment that he first stepped onto the chaotic scene. Amidst a barrage of lightsaber strikes to his furry facade, Brusky recalls uttering a death threat worthy of the Dark Side when a fellow fan-turned-foe began vigorously humping his Wookie leg (without consent). The fatigue from battle, the long hours of waiting, and the Wookie-suit turned sweat-box inside the theater proved too much for Brusky, and he fell asleep during the climatic scene when Obi Wan took “the high ground” during the lava lightsaber battle with Annakin. Years later, Brusky admits that he wouldn’t have changed a thing about the night.
Brusky never has been—and never will be—a big Jar Jar fan.

Readers, please leave a reflection in the comments section below of your most memorable midnight premiere experience.