The guys at CHUD saw the film and are discussing it on their boards. Pretty negative:

http://chud.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80554

Carl Cunningham also had this to say:

the chud guys are sw bashers aren't they?

Well, the guy who runs Chud is now producing a major summer blockbuster for New Line so...

Yes, there's generally a lot of Jar Jar jokes and other tired shit on their site. They just don't like the prequels and there was little that RotS could have done to change that.

so that means he knows movies right? just like harry knowles knows also right? and the guy who did gigli knows too right?

The reviews have been very positive so far and it has to be killing punks like those on the RT site. Has anyone yet to claim its the best Star Wars ever yet? Maybe I am aiming too high, but I, and I bet many fellow fans as well, felt that the storyline alone has to give this a chance of reaching ESB quality.

Yeah "Scott" wrote it whoever that is but it seemed so poorly written I could barely stand to read it. I didn't bother clicking on the longer comingsoon.net version.

Variety Review link


hollywood.com Kirk Honeycutt Review link

Also, Kirk Honeycutt gave AOTC a bad review for what it's worth.

Very well put. Chitwood sounded like a total moron.


Thanks for the link Dr Bass.

That Variety review is great news. Not just b/c its so positive, but b/c Variety is a legitimate and worthwhile source for film news and reviews.



Just in case people weren't paying attention to page 1, I am still collecting all the links at this time. I get the feeling that soon enough the onslaught of reviews will be so large that I'll leave it up to RottenTomatoes...

But for hte time being, take a look at them collectively. I score it at 8-0 Lucas so far.

That's pretty good so far. Especially considering Honeycutt's review. It's good to see at least one person who didn't like ep 2 likes 3.

Yeah, its good news all around. I get more and more pumped for this flick with each passing thing I read about it. Even the stupid basher on the RT for some reason gets me hyped.

Of course, when AOTC came out, things sounded pretty good off the bat, and everyone was saying "it's not TPM, it's as good as Jedi!" Revisionist history for you...now it's "it's not TPM or AOTC! it's better than Jedi!" So, as pumped as I am, I am suspicious of the critics...

EDIT: I'm not saying I didn't like AOTC w/ the above. I loved AOTC and TPM, my point is that the critics like to revise their opinions after the fact.

I think first impressions from critics, before the media consensus is made, are more trustworthy than opinions years after the fact.

Some research courstesy of Rotten Tomatoes:

Episode I:


"Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace seems designed more as a promotion for Lucasfilm's billion-dollar merchandising concerns than a meaningful chapter in the Star Wars canon."
-- Frank Scheck, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER


"It is neither captivating nor transporting, for it lacks any emotional pull, as well as the sense of wonder and awe that marks the best works of sci-fi/fantasy."
-- Todd McCarthy, VARIETY

The line readings of Portman and Lloyd are often flat, or flat-out wrong!"
-- Richard Corliss, TIME MAGAZINE

Episode II:


Other than McGregor, who continues to cut a dashing figure as the sagacious Jedi, the movie is plagued by bad acting."
-- Kirk Honeycutt, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER



George Lucas has reached deep into the trove of his self-generated mythological world to produce a grand entertainment that offers a satisfying balance among the series' epic, narrative, technological and emotional qualities."
-- Todd McCarthy, VARIETY


"At the end, when the now computerized Yoda finally reveals his martial artistry, the film ascends to a kinetic life so teeming that even cranky adults may rediscover the quivering kid inside."
-- Richard Corliss, TIME MAGAZINE

I don't know what Honeycutt thought of Episode I, but Hollywood Reporter itself panned both Episode I and II. Time panned I but has praised II and now III, and Variety panned I and praised II and III, but both Time and Variety seem to think that III is significantly better than both I and II.

Here's a really quick gush from Karyn Bryant. She is the reporter that interviewed the Time reviewer. The transcript was posted somewhere in this thread I beleive. Anyway, it's not a review really just some basic gushing about the film.

12 MB
http://s39.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2EIEE6Z5EY74S03KBNCXP38F19

And really, the only opinion that matters is your own.
Great to see positive reviews coming from the mainstream press though!

Two I got from rottentomatoes

review #1

review #2


You guessed it, two more very positive reviews.

That was pretty fucking bad. I was just too lazy to edit it out. I really thought that she was going to have an orgasm there for a moment though.

Just some FYI for you guys that don't know this, Scott Chitwood is one of the founders of TFN. I know, I know....

I check out comingsoon.net everyday, and if nothing else, I generally find myself agreeing with most of the things he has to say about movies over there. He may not be the best writer, but, he at least knows Star Wars and he gives things a fair chance.

For the curious, you can read his review of the Trilogy DVDs here: http://www.comingsoon.net/news/dvdreviewsnews.php?id=6337

What the fuck is this shit about Paula Abdul?

From the Classic Horror Film Boards:

David Colton, an editor for USA Today (I'm not sure if he's one of the official reviewers or not) posted this on a EZBOARD!1:




And Bill Warren, a contributer to Starlog, Fangoria, author of Keep Watching the Skies and one of Leonard Maltin's editors posted this ON A EZBOARD!1:

yeah yeah it is totally fuckin great that its getting basically rave reviews, BUT i think almost EVERY critic has been missing the point that the reason this movie is striking such a chord is because the first two movies set it up... say what you want, but without ep 1 and 2 to develop the characters personalities and backstories, anakins fall wouldn't seem so tragic, but more or less selfish and from a writing stance, uninspired... nonetheless i'm glad most critics are gushing, can't wait for midnight to see it on the ULTRA screen my theatre is debuting for ROTS, YA man!

My thoughts exactly. It pisses me off to no fucking end that no one is giving credit to the first two prequels for making this movie "The One."

Fuck it, I remember waaaayyyyy back in the day when Lucas talked about making the prequels and why he didn't make them first, he said it was because they would be boring to most people. He likened it to the first 10 minutes of a movie that the director usually just automatically cuts to make the movie flow better.

I agree with all of the above sentiments.

Hayden is really getting the shaft. I've watched AOTC probably 30 times at this point. His performance is rock solid. There are a FEW slipups where he sounds a teensy too childish. But in general, he's good. How else would they want him to play the character??

And yes, TPM and AOTC set up ROTS very very well. I think what people are not understanding in the swiftness of Anakin's turn is that we are dealing with the third act of a three act trilogy. His fall was set up right from the get-go in TPM, continued perfectly in AOTC and now ready for a slam dunk in ROTS.

I really feel bad for Lucas. If TPM, AOTC, and ROTS were taped together on one big reel, he'd probably be hailed as a genius, make Peter Jackson look like a shmuck and rake in awards...well that's exaggeration, but he'd get a great deal of praise. But he chooses to separate them out and truly treat them as episodic serials and gets ripped apart for it. The prequel trilogy has a great story and a really great arc. I'm hoping ROTS really brings it full circle like I expect it to.

That Cinebland review is awful. You read the first several paragraphs, and then suddenly the writer puts his paranoid politics into the critique. Lucas certainly isnt trying to make a left-wing political comment with ROTS. Lucas has never included a political leaning in any SW movie. Palpatine's ascent to power more closely resembles the Caesars of Rome, or even Hitler. Any resemblance to current American politics is purely in the mind of the beholder. He completely de-legimitized his own review with that garbage.

I hate when reviewers try to find a political angle that the director of the movie never intended.

Yup, Lucas, like Tolkien, does not go for allegory. He's way too broad a thinker for that. He goes for "applicability". Lucas' story is applicable, not only to many different times in history, but our individual lives.

Do you know what Julius Caesar said when they stabbed him?





OUCH!

I thought he said: BRUTUS!

I think what the critics fail to see (whether or not it is because of poor execution on GL's part is another topic) is that a trilogy about Vader turning TEH BAD and killing Jedi would only be interesting and enthralling for about 20 minutes. Where is the arc, the tragedy, the climax, etc of watching somebody purge for three movies? Sure it would be interesting, but that is what the EU is for, to flesh and detail about such things. It would be simply a static story about literally nothing. It isn't dramatic if we don't know the given circumstances. Critics saying that this should be Episode I or the lone movie is akin to starting the OT with the line, "No, I am your father!" Who teh fuck cares then?

Sorry about the rant, I have to finish a paper by 8 am and it ain't going well.

give it a week.

The douchebags who can't wait to tear this film will have their voice.

I fear the day [/i]if[/i] LFL ever sold the rights to Star Wars to a third party to produce a movie. Imagine all the fluff: "Darth Vadar vs. Freddy: The Nightmare Has Only Begun"

This whole thing can be a double edged sword. Remember after TPM came out? Starwars fans were treated like lepers in the media and in society in general. We were the black sheep of pop culture. Then AOTC came out and for the most part, it only helped to divide what was left of the mass audience, splitting up the casuals from the diehards into separate camps.

Now ROTS is coming out to almost universal applause, both from fans and from critics. This will be another trying time for us trueblood SW fans. Bandwagons always form around things that are successful. I'm sure even the most jaded person will start blabbering about how much they really liked TPM, only were afraid to admit it openly.

Time is the key here. Let the TFN babies cry and moan, wait for the tide to break, and then we can go back to knowing who's who in the wacky world of sci-fi nerdom.

Anyway, good to see GL getting some much do respect from the press, even if it is too little too late. It's a good time to be a SW junky.

Harry's seen it too! Nice review actually.

http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=20157

STAR WARS EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH review
I have watched my last new STAR WARS film.

Really don’t know what to say. I’ve wanted to see Obi-Wan fight Vader on that Lava Planet since that issue of Starlog in 1978. My 6 year old reading comprehension grasping for every word of every article I could get my grubby hands on. For me, the origin of Vader has been the Holy Grail of my geek soul. That story most coveted, but yet untold. I’m 33 years old now. 27 years lay between me and that boy that dreamt of that fight – but right now, he’s on my shoulders and we’re slapping high-fives.

The imagery in REVENGE OF THE SITH -- The turning of Anakin, the annihilation of the Jedi, the expulsion of Yoda, Obi-Wan vs Anakin, Palpatine revealed, the birth of the twins, Alderran, the adoption of Luke, what became of the droids… These are all near religious iconography in the minds of children raised in the ways of the Force. I’ve spent a quarter of a century discussing these things, speculating on what it’d look like, how it’d play out… I’ve seen it in countless dreams, but never with my eyes open. Never George’s dream of what it was. Till now.

As I sat at the Regal Metropolitan Theater in South Austin watching the film – I couldn’t help but get caught up in it. Dad was there with me, we’ve spent countless years talking STAR WARS – through STAR WARS – I learnt of the source material George was smashing and grabbing from – B serials, Pulp sci-fantasy adventure romances, Asian cinema – all of it. Before STAR WARS – I was well on my way – after STAR WARS the road was poured. I would be a geek for the rest of my life.

That would mean, I’d be primed to openly weep as Yoda crawled through that damn crawlspace to escape, during the whole of Obi-Wan and Anakin’s fight and the death of Luke & Leia’s mother. It is a very powerful thing to see the dreams one has spent a quarter of a century pondering. It might be cheese ball of me, but dammit – this is exactly what I wanted out of this last STAR WARS film… closure.

I’m having a really hard time writing about this one. It’s just so damn big. So full of literally everything that I wanted to see in all the prequels – but crammed all into this one. This really is the big Michael Corleone episode of STAR WARS… It’s where all the traps are sprung, all the cards are laid on the table, where everybody dies, all is lost and evil rules the galaxy.

That’s what makes the film so damn hard to talk about, at least off a first viewing. Let me see if I can explain this.

We all know how dark this film is intended to be. We all know how incredibly dire things will turn out in this film. However, the first 40 minutes are so light… as to be completely disconcerting. There’s just a feeling that THEY shouldn’t be having fun. Don’t they know this is the last smiles they’ll share? That when Obi Wan goes on that last mission and Anakin wishes him well… that that’s the last time they would be friends… Don’t they know that? WE DO, why can’t they see what’s coming? WAKE UP!

The film makes you powerless to change things. It’s like sitting still for a fucking tragedy right from the get go, but unlike TITANIC, you don’t have it all spelt out yet. Unless you’ve read all the spoilers – and I don’t really know what you spoiler-lovers will think. Just because for me… I knew, basically, what was going to happen. The broad strokes. I’ve gone out of my way to ignore as many spoilers as possible – which is a near impossible thing to do when you’re being emailed by everyone on Earth 300 images a day, 40 reviews a day now and were sent all the books, comics, score, everything from Publicity firms… shit… I bought that Talking Yoda toy – and next thing I know the little Green Bastard is trying to tell me the story of REVENGE OF THE SITH. It’s so hard to be pure on this – there’s just so much information out there. Everywhere.

The most shocking or surprising emotion I felt during this film experience is that… I don’t want Anakin to become Darth Vader. I just… Despite 27 years to the contrary, as I sat in that theater watching the last act of a good Jedi that turned evil… I just found myself wanting to scream at him to stop. I wanted desperately to send him on that mission with Obi Wan. I wanted Mace Windu to put his hand on Anakin’s shoulder and say, “Come on Kid, Let’s finish this!” and march off as brother Jedi to kill the fucking Emperor. I wanted Anakin to let go of his hate, fear, ambition, jealousy and self-centered egotism and just be the knight in shining armor… FOR THE GOOD GUYS!

You can tell… Anakin so wants to do what is right. He even does the right things, it’s just everyone around him doesn’t treat him as an equal… save for Palpatine. That when push comes to shove, the only fucking rat bastard in the galaxy that is going to call him son, tell him ‘fairy tales’ and really listen to his problems enough to find out what is REALLY troubling him is the bad guy!

Why?

Because the whole damn galaxy is at war, because to everyone else, Anakin’s existential crisis doesn’t amount to a hill of beans, they’ve got bigger fish to fry. They’ve got to Protect Wookies and the mushroom people and Hellraiser’s home planet and kill lots of robots and General Grievous and police the fucking universe… and… and… well, they’re damn domestic policy sucks!

The Bad Guy has his priorities right. He’s controlling the robots, the clones and to a large extent the Jedi… yet still manages to multi-task enough to listen to Anakin and help him deal with his premonitions of personal tragedy. He'll take the time, to ignore an amazing science fiction zero G Esther Williams number, to tell young Skywalker a SITH LEGEND. A story, an anecdote. And he tells it, like a father would to a son. And the story is directly related to the problem Anakin is facing, it gives him hope, direction and the first glimmer of a happy ending to his concern. He doesn’t tell Anakin bullshit like… learn to not give a shit, detachment is the key to inner peace… What sort of bullshit is that? Ignore your problems, betray those you love, watch everyone you care about die – and just be happy cuz they’re food for the force, which you manipulate… and everyone’s death will just make you more powerful. WHAT SORT OF FUCKING JEDI WISDOM IS THAT SHIT YODA??? THAT'S NOT REALLY HELPFUL YOU NEGATIVE GREEN TURD!

My god. The Jedi really are a bunch of goody two shoe clueless fucks. They’re so concerned with fixing the galaxy’s problems that they don’t have time for their own… and due to their unrealistic and inhumane rules about not loving or caring about anything other than the almighty “force” they created an air of fear for Skywalker. How could he level with them? How could he share with them? By the time Obi Wan finds out Anakin and Padme have kids on the way… it’s too late. That ship has sailed. Everyone is so busy being good little soldiers, that they just are not communicating.

Obi Wan never takes Anakin out for drinks and just levels with him. Sits him down and explains to fascist totalitarianism. He doesn’t explain why sacrificing the most marginal freedoms to create a false sense of security enables those taking on those additional powers to create a greater evil than that which they fear. Hell, nobody really explains to Anakin why Democracy is better than Absolute Rule. Instead it is all this, “Search your feelings” bullshit. Turn to your ancient religion. This is why ultimately Luke Skywalker kicks ass. Because he doesn’t have all this dogmatic bullshit. Because he’s got a buddy like Han Solo that’d be willing to bust ass across the galaxy to save his ass. Somebody that has his back. FRIENDS! Because when the Sith hits the fan, it’s the love of your friends that’ll help you push through and kick ass. Because Luke believes in twin sunsets, the good guys and saving his dad.

What does Anakin have? Who cares about Anakin? Well Obi Wan, but he doesn’t know how to show it. Yoda? He’s too busy being disturbed about the cosmic meaning of shit to even form a no bullshit non fortune cookie sentence. Mace Windu? He’s got his head so far up his ass it ain’t funny. Padme? She’s more concerned with her hair, her image, everybody’s standing and well being. And then Anakin himself? He’s told he’s the chosen one, the key that will make the galaxy unified. Yet, the only one empowering him to do that is the fucking Emperor.

I love how together Palpatine is. He’s just one of the greatest bad guys in the history of bad guys. He absolutely must be Karl Rove’s hero. Look at this. Palpatine has engineered so many things. The creation of the Droid armies, the creation of the Clone armies, his various Sith apprentices, Fall guys for Fall guys… all with the direct purpose of spreading his enemy so thin, that no matter their powers, when he calls ORDER 66… they’ll never see it coming. It’s like inviting your friends over for an all night session of game play and spreading cyanide on the fucking pizza. They’re all gonna eat it, cuz… dude… it’s what you do when you play games. The Jedi are fighting their war, doing Jedi shit. Kill the droids, tons of them. This shit is fun for them. They eat it up. This is their Frosted Flakes with Bananas. They finally got their Holy Crusade, woo hoo, a sense of purpose. They never think twice about all them fucking Boba Fetts watching their backs.

It’s so beautifully laid out. It’s fucking immaculate. This is literally how you rule the universe. It is to be admired. And learnt from. Cuz as Padme says, “This is how Democracy ends, with Thunderous Applause.” Exactly. Distractions, a clear and concise innocent front and cutthroat evil behind the scenes.

REVENGE OF THE SITH is a masterpiece. The final piece of the puzzle Lucas first presented me at age 6. 27 years later, the Jigsaw is complete and damn if it isn't just damn near the most tragically cool thing I’ve ever seen put to film. We won’t see another like this. This is it.

We’ll see enormous sci-fantasy told, with more focus and even grander visions in our lifetime… but we’ll never care as much about a story like this one. For our generation, Star Wars is our mythology. The big story we lived to see told the first time. For those of you that were kids in lines in 1977 through to the coming weeks… I have to say, it has been an absolute fucking honor to do this with y’all.

We all know where we each were at the opening of all these films. In two weeks… this is your last story. I’ll never see a new Star Wars movie with my father again. I’ll see many more movies – but this is the last Star Wars, I’ll ever see for the first time with my dad. I’ve seen all 6 with him. All on either the first day – or before. It’s the mythology he’s grown old with and helped me grow up with. This one counts, this one is beautiful. This is the last one.

I can’t possibly express how profoundly odd that is to type. How weird it makes me feel. I went out after the film – I went to find a toy to sit on my desk to look at while I typed this. I went through the aisle after aisle of Star Wars stuff, and I couldn’t pick something out. I think the one I most thought was cool – was this Lego play set of Anakin and Obi Wan on Mustafa. You pressed down the Lego character’s head and the light sabers lit up. Gosh that’s cool. I’ll probably buy it for my nephew… Instead I came home, played the score to REVENGE OF THE SITH and wrote this.

Remember – this isn’t a Star Wars movie to cheer for, to erupt into applause and call cool. If you really love STAR WARS – this one is heart ache. Not only is it the end of a nearly 30 year journey for us… It really is the story of how things got so bad, that the good guys had to be a rebellion, where the Jedi had to hide and how evil ruled the galaxy. Wow, I’ve seen my last new Star Wars film. Fuck.

I heard that!

Nice review actually. He summed up pretty well what it feels like to be a lifelong, die-hard Star Wars fan right now.

Bittersweet.

review by Bill Hunt of www.thedigitalbits.com

Well, it seems that I promised you another film review today, didn't I? Let's get right to it then.

I have seen Episode III.

I can't tell you how strange it is to finally be able to say that. Like many of you out there, Star Wars was the film that first ignited my imagination back in 1977, and awakened in me a life-long interest in the cinema. And like many of you, I've been waiting 28 years for the Star Wars experience to be complete. I'm just so... well, it's hard to describe what I'm feeling right now. It's a very bittersweet thing. I've seen the last Star Wars film ever, and it feels somehow as if a major chapter of my life - one that in many ways has defined it - has closed. I know a lot of you are going to feel the same way come May 19th.

It's well after Midnight as I'm writing this. I'd planned to get this review up early yesterday evening, but my mind has been spinning all day, thinking about and absorbing and processing what I've seen. Honestly, far more powerful than Episode III itself could ever be, is simply the experience of finally seeing it. It's frankly going to require many weeks, and many more screenings of this film, before I really have any kind of perspective on it. But I promised you a review, so I'm going to give it my level best. I'll tell you one thing, silly though it may sound to some: This is probably the hardest film review I've ever had to write.

I'm going to describe the basic plot of Episode III in the paragraphs that follow, but because I know that many of you want to be unspoiled when you go into the theater on the 19th, I'll refrain from posting any major plot revelations. If you're a long-time Star Wars fan, and you already know the basic premise of Revenge of the Sith, you'll be fine reading this review. The rest of you should just click away now, and we'll see you back here on Monday. Believe me, I understand.

For those of you still with me... here goes:

It's been three years since the events of Episode II, and the Clone Wars have ravaged the galaxy. Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi have become legendary heroes of the conflict, having led the Republic's clone legions in many successful campaigns against the vast droid armies of the Separatists.

After a particularly fierce battle over Coruscant in which the cunning commander of the enemy forces, General Grievous, narrowly escapes, Anakin and Obi-Wan return to the capitol and learn that while the Jedi are spread precariously thin across the galaxy, the war seems to be turning in their favor. Despite this, however, the Senate continues to vote Chancellor Palpatine ever greater emergency powers, raising serious concerns among the Jedi Council.

Meanwhile, Anakin reveals to his secret wife, Padmé, that he's struggling to remain on the Jedi path. Despite the guidance of his friend and mentor, Obi-Wan, Anakin is having difficulty containing his ambitions. Soon after learning that Padmé is pregnant, he's plagued by nightmares of her death. Afraid of losing his love as he once lost his mother, Anakin becomes desperate... and vulnerable. Little does he know, the Dark Lord of the Sith is about to emerge from the shadows to complete a diabolical plan a thousand years in the making - a plan that will pit friend against friend, transform Republic into Empire... and forge Anakin's ultimate destiny.

I'll say it right now, I think most of you are going to really dig this film. As you've no doubt already heard, Revenge of the Sith is far darker and more intense than either of the two films that preceded it. It starts out with a bang, in an absolutely amazing sequence of edge-of-your-seat action and CG effects, then slows down for a time as the story's various levels of character and political intrigue begin evolving to their inevitable resolution. Thankfully, about halfway in, things start to really hit the fan and the tension builds almost exponentially until the film's final moments. What really makes Episode III work is its strong emotional thru-line. This is not a happy story, but Lucas has finally managed to make you connect with, and feel for, his characters in a visceral way. As one tragic set of events after another unfolds, it's very easy as a viewer to get caught up in the drama.

It also certainly helps that the second half of this film is NOTHING but the stuff we've all been waiting years to see. Lucas has hinted in past interviews at just how it was that Anakin came to be transformed into the formidable Darth Vader that we're all familiar with. Now you'll finally get to see that happen. Phantom and Clones were mere appetizers to this film (and they're actually diminished, I think, by comparison). Sith gives us, at long last, the main course of the prequel trilogy's backstory.

The acting is better in Episode III almost across the board. Gone is Hayden Christensen's occasional awkwardness as Anakin in the last film. Here he only has to brood and glower, but he does it well indeed. Natalie Portman (Padmé) and Ian McDiarmid (Palpatine) finally get to emote rather than just standing around in Kabuki apparel delivering flat dialogue about trade sanctions and executive orders. But the real stand-out of this film is Ewan McGregor, who absolutely nails the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi, perfectly capturing Alec Guinness' subtle nuances of performance in the original films. A real treat to watch here, McGregor too finally gets to express some genuine emotion for a change.

The CG animation, while still imparting a somewhat artificial beauty to the imagery, has never been more intricate and gorgeous to look at. The action, particularly the lightsaber battles, is easily the saga's best (and by a WIDE margin). Jar Jar Binks, though he appears briefly twice, never utters a single word (as 3P0 might say, "Thank the Maker!"). Better still, Revenge of the Sith is absolutely rife with hallmark, connective moments that firmly tie the prequel trilogy to A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. And there's one particularly interesting new piece of information we're given in Sith - something that I have to say came as a bit of a surprise to me. It's given almost in passing and not everyone I spoke with after the screening caught it, but if you do... it forces you to reconsider the complete saga in something of a new light.

All of this is not to say that Revenge of the Sith doesn't have its flaws. Several moments of juvenile humor early in the film seem very out of place given the dark and unsettling intensity of the last act. Trust me, this film is rated PG-13 for a reason. There's disturbing imagery here that is definitely not appropriate for younger children (although I applaud Lucas for having the wherewithal to give this film the more adult edge the story demands). The dialogue, while somewhat better than in the previous two films, still occasionally sounds flat. The Jedi continue to seem, for all their powers, to be a surprisingly clueless bunch (and they pay dearly for it). After the opening sequence, and before the film really takes off in the second half, there's a bit too much... well, padding is the best word for it. And while most of the various plot threads between the two trilogies are tied up nicely by the time the words 'Directed by George Lucas' appear on screen, there are a couple of minor inconsistencies that remain unresolved. I expect that entire books will be written in the years to come by die-hard fans attempting to resolve these outstanding issues.

All this aside, however, I believe it's fair to say that Lucas has crafted the best climax we could reasonably expect given the realities of The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. While Revenge of the Sith is not a great film, it is EASILY the strongest of the three prequels, as well as the most thrilling and emotionally engaging (I saw grown men moved to tears yesterday, and I had a pretty good lump in my throat once or twice). It's also, more importantly, the most satisfying of the three. By my thinking, Sith takes its place solidly as the third best film in the Star Wars saga, behind Empire and A New Hope.

As I mentioned at the start of this review, I'm still WAY too close to this experience to trust my perspective on it completely. So I reserve the right to revise my judgement slightly in the weeks ahead (call it Editor's prerogative). That said, if I were going to assign grades to all six Star Wars films in light of having just seen Episode III for the first time, here's how I'd do it this morning:

The Phantom Menace: C
Attack of the Clones: C+
Revenge of the Sith: B+
A New Hope: A
The Empire Strikes Back: A+
Return of the Jedi: B-

So there's my take. When you see Sith, you'll have to let me know whether or not you agree. In any case, I sincerely hope you enjoy it.

By the way, can anyone out there recommend good rehabilitative services for a recovering Star Wars fan? The withdrawal symptoms are a bitch, let me tell you. You're all welcome to join me in counselling in two weeks. I'll save you a seat. ;-)

Sorry if this has been posted. It's a review from bigfanboy.com. There are screenshots throughout the review, but nothing we haven't seen yet. I hope this is a new one.

http://www.bigfanboy.com/pages/reviews/ ... 3/ep3.html

Apparently, there's also an interview with the voice of grievous that I haven't seen posted here either. You can find the link about halfway through the review.

Rotten Tomatoes:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_wars_3/

We are currently at 100% fresh... wonder how long that will last?

The following quote made no sense to me (from the bigfanboy.com-review):



Has there ever been a big budget popcorn movie besides SW and the first two Alien movies that was brilliant?

That Digital Bits guy wrote a great review, not just in terms of the fact that both his positive and negative points were very articulate, but just cuz the guy was a total hero and all like "let me know if you agree." THat's probably the nicest fuckin critic I've ever seen!!


For the time being, I won't be updating hte main page w/ links...I unfortunately have to go hand in some papers...

I always like Bill Hunt's reviews. They are always very well thought out.

I'm not sure what he is talking about here, though:

He might be referring to the Darth Plagueis tale, which can be taken as a hint that Palpatine "fathered" Anakin somehow.

You know, no matter what people say about Harry Knowles and AICN, I have to hand it to Harry, that review is fucking amazing.

He just wrote everything that's inside of me. And, he didn't make ONE fucking comparison to any other Star Wars movie, or talk about the quality of the other Star Wars movies, he let his review talk about the merits of THIS Star Wars movie, and for that, I salute him. Both for that and for laying out very personal feelings for all to see. This is what it is like to be a true fan. And I know many of us here are going to feel these same emotions.

And, he's absolutely right. I KNOW that I will be crying at the end of the film. It will be the last time we take a journey to that "Galaxy Far, Far Away." It will be the last time we see our old friends in a new film, and this film, will completely and irrevocably shatter all of our notions of the Star Wars sextet.

I know we've all been dying to see the birth of Vader, THE duel and the purge of the Jedi. But, I think Harry hit the nail on the head, inside I'm gonna be screaming, "don't do it Anakin, don't betray your friends and your loved ones, be the hero." I'm going to cry because Obi-Wan will be heartbroken, because Yoda will feel like a failure because all that was good in the galaxy will nearly be wiped away in a single, well-executed military command.

This is going to be a hard movie to watch, and in some ways, I think we're going to feel the weird feelings of guilt about how everything turns out. I know, that on May 19th, at approximately 2:30 AM, my life will be forever different, and I'm already trying really hard to steel my resolve for that moment.

Hell, I'm already about to cry just writing this and reading Harry's review.

I know this point has been made many, many times, but ESB doesn't work at all without ROTJ as a follow up.

What a shitty ending you'd have with just 3, 4, and 5.

It has to be Qui Gon. Just another example of why his dialogue should not have been cut out. It would have changed the way the entire saga is viewed. Hopefully it will be included on the dvd or something. I still don't understand why it's gone.

But really though, I guess because I was 3 when ROTJ came out, I like it. I love the entire scene at Jabba's palace (okay maybe not the music piece in the SE or DVD), the scene on Dagobah, the speeder bike chase, the first scene between Vader and Luke on Endor, the entire space battle, the duel between Vader/Luke and the Emperor's demise.

Really, I guess because I was so young at the time the Ewoks really didn't bother me. I mean I can put up with 25 minutes of furry midgets if it gets me the other hour and a half of greatness.

Personally, I do feel that my final list will be V, III, VI, IV, II, I. And I don't even dislike II at all, especially if the sound is muted and I have the soundtrack to A New Hope on.

I think by now, the only ones who have been somewhat negative are some of CHUD´s reviewers. (Even though Devin had to point out certain good parts in it).

Overall, the reviews seem very good.


If it was Qui-Gon, it wouldn´t be mentioned in the review, now would it?

My guess is it´s Palpatine revealing he basically created Anakin with his Sith knowledge and manipulation of midichlorians. Which would indeed change pretty much everything about the whole Skywalker family and it´s conflicts.

Except for the fact that's not in the movie. Anyone who makes that connection is a moron. So right back at you.

Well, the reviewers at CHUD were a bit disgusted with it, so it has to be in the movie in some way.

Yeah, but CHUD has questionable credibility.

Nick gave favorable reviews to both Episode I and II and pulled a 180 pretty rapidly both times (I can buy it happening once, but twice, come on!). It's obvious that his opinion on III is middle-of-the-road so he can go either way in the future and jump on whatever bandwagon (positive or negative) rides up in the horizon instead of doing another embarassing about-face.

He also is the guy who did a set visit to Hellboy and was shown an early cut of the film by the director and raved endlessly (even so far as to devote a CNN column to how great it was) and then it was revealed that the director of that film will be one of the producers of MEG. He also spent years savagely attacking Jan De Bont (saying some real horrible things about him like he should be anally violated with hot shards of rock in his Tomb Raider review) and is now singing his praises now that he's going to direct MEG.

Devin has constantly played the more-bitter-than-thou sheep routine, especially in regards to Star Wars, but will rant about anything that gives him a sense of intellectual superiority so he can feel better about his failed and useless life. Anybody ever read his blog for godsakes? The guy just has too much psychological vested-interest in hating Star Wars and Lucas.

Since CHUD is something of a personality cult site, the boards are full of syncophantic minions that give blind obedience to the people that run the site. Just look at Slater's (who hasn't seen the film yet) post when it's brought up that many other reviews are positive. He shoots them all down in favour of kissing up to Nick, Micah and Devin. Their word is supreme. He never even considers that the people, whom asses he kisses, might be wrong, and that Variety, Time and the Hollywood Reporter might be right and that he could, if he ever thought for himself a day in his life, might have his own opinion. But, he's already made up his mind.

Aside from the sychophants, there's many others their that fit the profile of netgeeks who just want to feel superior to everybody else and think that by trashing Star Wars (and many other things), that shows off that they have taste. One (Andre Dellamorte) went even as far to even say that!

Why because Palpatine says that his master could influence the midis to even create life? The whole point of that is the prevention of death plot point. It's even clarified two sentences later.

Let's see we have seen about 20 great reviews, none of which mention this, and some clown at CHUD who is disgusted with everything about star wars brings this up. Like I said. If you make that connection you are a moron. This isn't EU style bullcrap.

How old were you when you fell in love with the Star Wars saga? I read shit like that and wonder to myself where the children who fell in love with these films have gone that they now talk about "shooting a load on the screen" or "beating it in the back row during the final duel".

This being said, I will be fisting my ass while having my woman tickle my gooch as Yoda gets his ass smacked down by Palpatine.

Long live the Saga!