Barnstorming end to epic third episode

EXCLUSIVE STAR WARS REVIEW
5th May 05 Herald Sun
Michael Bodey

GEORGE Lucas has rewarded those who kept with The Force for almost 30 years with a barnstorming conclusion to his Star Wars saga.Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith has astonishing digital effects, a terrific last few reels and wonderful light-sabre rattling.
Revenge of the Sith, the third of the modern prequels to 1977's Star Wars, ditches the petty politicking and tedious back stories that made Attack of the Clones and The Phantom Menace so laborious.
It opens with a frenetic air battle that emphasises just how advanced film technology has become -- the colours are vivid and the detail so minute they're almost wasted.
A new villain is introduced, a wheezing Terminator-type, General Grievous, while Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) reintroduces the bread roll hair bun, showing how Revenge of the Sith maintains a sense of history while keeping it fresh for the kids.
Nevertheless, the early battle scenes and subplots are almost too much to consume.
It's all mildly irrelevant anyway, as we know this film has one task -- to transform Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) into Darth Vader.
Lucas ensures the film is twisted and evil -- a quandary for parents.
The violence is heightened, both explicitly, in the case of severed, red robots, and implicitly in one chilling scene showing just how low Jedi Anakin will stoop. I'd be reticent to take any child under 10.
They won't understand the essence of why the film really heats up, when Anakin kills and betrays.
Without spoiling it, he has revenge issues. He also has designs, fuelled by the mischievous Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) on ruling the galaxy.
The weight of the series, and some good plotting, mean this crucial development works, despite Christensen.
The last 45 minutes is enough to forgive Lucas's prior misdemeanours.
It's angry, fiery and occasionally brilliant.
Australian actors involved in the film might not be so happy though.
Only Bruce Spence (as Tion Medon) has meaningful dialogue, thus completing his honour of acting in the Mad Max, Matrix, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars trilogies.
Other Aussies include Graeme Blundell, Trisha Noble and Joel Edgerton.
The Aussie crew has reason to be proud.
The sets are terrific and, technically, it's hard to fault anything other than occasional lapses in continuity.

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