Ladies and gentlemen, it's finally here. Five films and more than 25 years later, director George Lucas has created a masterpiece and boy was it worth the wait.
"Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" laid down the foundation in 1999, and in 2002, Lucas taunted fans with "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones." Now it's time to reap the harvest with "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith," undeniably, from start to finish, the best film in 2005.
"Revenge of the Sith" begins three years into the Clone Wars, and the opening scene is all action as Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and the main man himself Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) battle it out in space and force a crash landing.
Both have been sent on a mission to rescue Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), who is being held captive by the evil Count Dooku (Christopher Lee), one of the Sith.
Nevertheless, they're victorious in their effort to retrieve the chancellor, but the happiness and confidence Obi-Wan and Anakin share is one of the final times they will work together, as the transformation of one of the greatest villains ever begins.
Under the guidance of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, Anakin is tempted to come to the Dark Side, not just by his own desires but by his will to protect his wife Padmé (Natalie Portman) from harm. It's inevitable that he'll choose the Dark Side, but the movie is so captivating that the audience still can't help wanting to reason with Anakin.
The tragedy of this movie is immense; it's remarkable how Anakin's great love for Padmé is manipulated and used for evil. Lucas created a classic that's a reminder of "Othello," a similar story where a man's love caused him to do the unthinkable, and in the end, he loses his life.
The visual effects in the last two movies were good, but Lucas outdid himself this time with amazing effects like the complex lightsaber fights, spacecraft battles and all the realism brought to Yoda's movement.
But the best improvement to Lucas' film is the acting. Christensen has come a long way since "Attack of the Clones." He does a convincing job as Anakin, expressing his confusion about his hunger for power and his disappointment in the Jedi Council.
McGregor does an excellent job in his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Through the entire film, his character's passion for the security of the Republic is never extinguished. Even better, the climactic fight scene between Obi-Wan and Anakin is emotional and tense.
The special effects really complement the battle, and the difficulty comes when McGregor and Christensen have to convince the audience they are standing in a lava flow. The scene could have been shorter, but it paved the way for the purpose of the movie - the creation of Darth Vader.
And who can forget Yoda? The little green man with a specialized lightsaber fit for his little hand and infinite wisdom is the best character in the series. Frank Oz, an actor with decades of voice acting under his belt, did a fantastic job as Yoda's voice.
The man, he is, as Yoda would say. The visual effects used in creating Yoda's emotions were on point. As the Republic fell to the Dark Side and the Jedi Council was attacked, Yoda grieved tremendously. Green men have feelings, even if they are hundreds of years old.
Lucas has outdone himself with his last "Star Wars" film. He can retire now, knowing that his cinematic jersey will hang in the rafters. But don't fear; soon all six films will be out on DVD, and the "Star Wars" marathons can begin.
