“Revenge of the Sith” is the final chapter of the “Star Wars” prequel trilogy, filling in the backstory leading up to the original 1977 film, now fully christened “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.” “Revenge” tells of the final corruption of Jedi knight Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) into the vicious Darth Vader, whom we all know and hate. We also witness the ruthless Sith sorcerer Palpatine’s (Ian McDiarmid) coup-de-tat, transforming the benign Republic in to the oppressive Galactic Empire. Chancellor Palpatine has created a fake war, thrown the galaxy into a state of panic, given himself all sorts of powers, and finally announces an Imperial reorganization in the name of peace and prosperity. The only thing that stands in his way is the fourth branch of the Republican government: the Jedi council. To defeat it, he needs to convert Anakin to evil. And then kill everybody.
Dude, did anyone else notice that Sith is an anagram for Shit?
“Revenge” follows the last few steps of Anakin’s descent, as he loses his faith in the Jedi and his eyes turn orange. His mentors Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor), Yoda (Frank Oz), and Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) finally figure out what’s going on. Meanwhile, Anakin’s cutie-pie wife Padme (Natalie Portman) is preggers with the two wee ones whom we, having watched “Star Wars,” “The Empire Strikes Back,” and “Return of the Jedi,” know will turn out to be Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. Luke will get in a motorcycle accident and Leia will get stoned. No, wait, that’s real life.
A friend of mine mercifully described George Lucas as “not an actor’s director.” Anakin’s character arc—from nice guy Chosen One to Total Asshole—is a mixed bag. I like that he doesn’t seek power as an end in itself, like the Emperor, but sees fascism as a way to make everyone safer. The whole Jedi vs. Sith thing is quite Jungian, and not just because there are archetypes of fathers, mothers, heroes, rebirth, redemption, and wise old men everywhere. Jung’s basic guide to self-actualization is to come to terms with our dark side (shadow, anima, whatever). We must confront and understand all our negative impulses if we are to become mature, functional beings.
Yet what is “Star Wars’” dread of “The Dark Side” if not the fear of taking that adult step? The Sith are childish, selfish, and vengeful, but aren’t the Jedi equally childish in their refusal to admit to having any darker impulses? The one-on-one battles between good and evil in “Revenge” may seem to stretch forever, but that’s because the battle between our inner impulses cannot be resolved. It’s fitting that Yoda and the anti-Yoda (Palpatine) fight to a stalemate. Good and evil can never truly conquer one another in this life. Luke does not vanquish darkness from the galaxy. He brings balance to The Force. He touches evil in “Return of the Jedi,” but in his final victory he does not strike evil down, but throws his weapon away and accepts his fate.
In contriving a bridge between “Episode II” and “Episode IV,” “Revenge of the Sith” has so much ground to cover that, exciting as the setpieces are, we’re always on the verge of watching events and plot points being listed laboriously, scene going to scene. “Attack of the Clones” suffers from this big time, but “Revenge” keeps things brisker, up until the aforementioned stretch nearing the end when I thought I would need Ritalin. The length of time necessary for interstellar travel has always been wisely vague, although Emperor Palpatine makes a trip from city-planet to volcano-moon so quickly that we can’t help but imagine that the cutting between two different sword battles must be for dramatic effect, and not because they are concurrent.
Politically, the entire prequel trilogy seems to badmouth politicians and the political process while at the same time praising democracy and being terrified of its alternatives. It’s old-style Jeffersonian vigilance, channeled from Capra’s “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” and Stone’s “JFK,” in which democracy is a fragile, infinitely valuable institution that will go stale without our constant attention. Or this ambivalence may simply be another way that Lucas focuses on the tug-of-war between good and evil.
Besides Frank Oz’s readings for Yoda, there is still no great acting in this prequel. The actors, who shot most of their scenes not on sets but in front of green screens, are adequate but never really feel at home. Hayden Christensen, who was nominated for a Razzie for his portrayal of Anakin in “Attack of the Clones,” fares better this time, all glowers, dark looks, and loaded smiles, while Natalie Portman, once a woman of action and decision, is given nothing to do besides look worried, pregnant, and mope around her spectacular apartment on city-world. Ewan McGregor knows that the Obi-Wan he must become is a man characterized primarily by sadness and regret. Now that I think about it, Ian McDiarmid has always had a blast as Yoda’s evil opposite. The meaner he gets, the more he sounds like a frog, and the more every syllable he chokes out seems like it should be accompanied by an eyeful of saliva. As for composer John Williams, he is both at the top of his game and overscores every dialogue scene.
If you’re like me you’ve come to know and love, if at least not these characters, then the galaxy where they live. The brave Jedi, whom we’ve followed for three movies, meet their inevitable demises, and it’s a bummer. There’s no denying the pleasure of watching the circle complete, as the old-new is tied to the new-old. How does “Revenge of the Sith” rank against the other prequels? While it lacks the smooth forward momentum of “The Phantom Menace,” it deserves to be called my favorite for its campy heedlessness, nearly-religious imagery, and raw emotion. Are any of the prequels on par with the original trilogy? No, and you might be better off imagining or daydreaming your own backstory instead. I’ve always thought that the devotion of the Imperials to their Empire is too fervent for a mere 20 year endeavor. But, anyway, that doesn’t make the new movies bad. They’re still “Star Wars.”
Oh yeah, and Jar-Jar Binks doesn’t say a damn thing this time around.
Click here to read "More Thoughts on 'Star Wars Episode III.'"
Finished Thursday, May 19th, 2005
Copyright © 2005 Friday & Saturday Night
Page one of "Revenge of the Sith." Back to home.