Synopsis available in the Star Wars LogBook.

Revenge Of The Sith is easily the best of the Star Wars prequels, although some will think I’m damning it with faint praise. I don't mean to; I liked both Episodes I and II, and I think Sith provides a very satisfying conclusion to most of the story arcs developed over those two films. I was sufficiently absorbed by the story that, despite knowing how it must end, I found myself sitting in the theater desperately hoping that characters would make different choices. There are some weak points of dialogue and character development that will pull some viewers out of the story, and if you don't like anything about the tone and style of the prequels thus far this won't change your mind. But despite those flaws, I think this is a very strong entry to the Star Wars canon.

OK, that's the general take. My more specific thoughts on the film follow. Beyond this point, spoilers aplenty. You've been warned.

I've seen Lucas give interviews where he says that, of the central storyline of the prequels, he saved 60% of it for Episode III. Most of the problems I have with the movie come from that decision. For example, the opening sequence, in which Obi-Wan and a fully-knighted Anakin invade Grievous's command ship to rescue Palpatine, is a fun 45 minutes or so, with an easy friendship and trust between the two Jedi highlighted by plenty of action. It's good to see this aspect of the relationship firmly established, in order to make their eventual split more powerful, and I really enjoyed this sequence. But I'd sure like to have seen more of this type of interaction in the earlier films - it might have given them a sense of fun and adventure that was missing, and made the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan something that had a similar resonance to that between Luke and Han.

Also, in order to keep the running time at just under two and a half hours, a subplot showing Senators - including Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Padmè - growing uncomfortable with Palpatine's power and forming the basis of an alliance devoted to democracy was cut. As a result, Natalie Portman gets the short end of the stick in this movie. She really only functions in the film as Anakin’s wife, which means most of her scenes are full of less-than-convincing romantic dialogue. (Although I must admit, Portman and Hayden Christensen were able to convince me of Anakin's and Padmè's feelings with the looks on their faces more than their dialogue.) This is unfortunate; Luke and Leia's mother is practically a non-entity in the original trilogy, far overshadowed by Luke's issues with his father. The first two prequels helped demonstrate the degree to which the twins - especially Leia - drew their compassion, strength, and leadership skills from their mother. But that is almost entirely missing from this movie - especially when Padmè dies simply because she has given up on life.

Despite these issues, I really enjoyed the movie. I was far more engaged in Anakin's descent to the Dark Side than I expected to be. It's a slow, halting descent, motivated in many cases by the best of intentions. But he is masterfully pushed along by Palpatine, and Ian McDiarmid does a terrific job of being an apparently benevolent mentor, right up to the moment he pulls the rug out from below Anakin's feet. Anakin is ultimately done in by his fear of loss, a fear that was well-established in the first two films and which pays off here. Christensen does a very nice job of portraying Anakin's desperation as he looks for any way to save Padmè from the fate he has foreseen - and like any good myth, his efforts to forestall the prophecy only fulfill it.

Once Anakin turns and becomes Darth Vader, the movie makes sure you know it. The scenes where he leads the clone troopers into the Jedi Temple build to one of the most chilling moments in the entire saga, and by the time he and Obi-Wan confront each other on Mustafar, it's clear how much his rage has overtaken him. Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan is a major highlight for me, as he travels from the almost jaunty approach of the film's opening to the anguished Jedi who apparently destroys his former friend. The duel itself, one of five major lightsaber battles in the movie, is appropriately intense, and its final result makes sure the film well deserves its PG-13 rating.

Links to the original trilogy abound in this film, from the presence of Chewbacca as one of Yoda's protectors on Kashyyyk to Bail Organa's use of the Tantive IV. The designers do a good job showing how the aesthetic of the Republic evolves during wartime to that of the Empire. I am somewhat disappointed that Lucas chose not to parallel the closing image of the film with the original trilogy, as he did with the first two films - that could have paid off the revelation about Qui-Gon's discovery much better than the exposition scene that we got. But then again, perhaps it's appropriate that the conclusion emphasize Luke and Leia. After all, there's a lot riding on those two kids.

Credits available in the Star Wars LogBook.