Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith turned 20 years previous again in Could, a film I noticed twice in theaters on the finish of my junior 12 months of highschool. Although not the greatest Star Wars film, this has lengthy been my favourite of the prequels and one thing I nonetheless look again upon fondly. Nonetheless, for as a lot good that’s on this film (I’ll admit, a few of my favourite Star Wars moments are set in Revenge of the Sith), that one unhealthy factor had me peeved again after I was 17.
I lately went again and watched it for the primary time in nicely over a decade, and although I had a whole lot of enjoyable watching Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi go from greatest mates to mortal enemies, that one factor I didn’t like then was nonetheless an issue this time round.
I Have Myriad Points With Revenge Of The Sith, However My Major Gripe Is With Anakin Skywalker
There’s so much to like with regards to Revenge of the Sith. It has that unimaginable opening area battle in Coruscant’s orbit, it has among the greatest lightsaber duels, and it has the execution of Order 66, probably the most emotional and terrifying moments on the Star Wars timeline. Nonetheless, it additionally has a whole lot of unhealthy. Not as a lot as Assault of the Clones three years earlier, however sufficient to sully it some.
Although the CGI that regarded extra like these terrible Star Wars FMV video games from the ‘90s, the scene the place Padme dies of a damaged coronary heart (a deleted scene would have made it so a lot better), and questionable dialogue are all fairly horrible, my essential gripe is with Anakin. I’ve nothing towards Hayden Christensen, however the way in which his character is offered all through this film is terrible, annoying, and ick, as the youngsters would say.
I Thought I would See It Otherwise On A Rewatch, However That Wasn’t The Case
Earlier than rewatching Revenge of the Sith, I truthfully thought that I’d have a distinct expertise with regards to Anakin. I imply, it was heartwarming seeing Christensen reprise the character within the Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries just a few years in the past, and I assumed to myself that possibly the 2005 character would age higher with time.
I used to be incorrect. So, so incorrect. Every little thing I didn’t like about him 20 years in the past nonetheless made me mad, nonetheless aggravated me, and nonetheless made me want George Lucas would have finished one thing else with the character that made him appear extra like an precise Sith and fewer like a petulant little one. He was speculated to be in his 20s by the point the film began, not a whiny teenager upset as a result of he can’t play with the older youngsters.
Rising Up Earlier than The Prequels, I Thought Anakin Would Be The Finest And Brightest Jedi Earlier than His Fall From Grace
I fell in love with Star Wars shortly earlier than the Particular Editions of A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Again, and Return of the Jedi, and I used to be obsessive about the franchise on the time. Although the prequels had been nonetheless just a few years out on the time, my mates and I’d speak about how cool it will be to see Anakin flip into Darth Vader and the way wild it will be to observe his fall from grace unfold just a few years later.
Going off what Obi-Wan mentioned within the first film all these years in the past, plus additional explorations of Vader in the expanded universe novels (now referred to as Star Wars Legends), it appeared like Anakin was the most effective and brightest the Jedi needed to supply earlier than he was tempted and corrupted by the darkish aspect. I imply, how might that not be the good factor ever, particularly with all these tales about how he turned a cybernetic Sith lord? Certainly, issues couldn’t go incorrect, proper?
However In Revenge Of The Sith, He is A Moody, Gullible Moron
Once more, I admit that the duel on Mustafar is without doubt one of the highlights of the Star Wars motion pictures, and Anakin wiping out these younglings on the Jedi Temple is without doubt one of the most emotionally charged moments within the franchise. Nonetheless, each of these now iconic scenes happen throughout or after Anakin falls to the darkish aspect. Earlier than that, he’s only a moody, jealous, and gullible moron who’ll take Chancelor Palpatine’s phrase as gospel.
Critically, I assumed Anakin was speculated to be good, heroic, and in tune with the drive, not some man-child who discards all the pieces his mates and family members say however falls for all the pieces the unhealthy man throws his method. I get it, he’s underneath stress and Palpatine is benefiting from his weak spot, however the way in which the soon-to-be Sith lord eats all of it up doesn’t make the autumn all that heartbreaking.
Positive, He is Nice In The Cockpit Or With A Lightsaber, However That is About It
Make no mistake, Anakin is unmatched as a pilot within the Star Wars universe. Whether or not he was constructing and piloting his personal podracer, saving the day in a Nabooian starfighter as a child, or pulling off some heroics within the Clone Wars as a youngster and younger grownup, Anakin is an ace within the sky, err, area. The identical could be mentioned about his talent with a lightsaber. Whether or not he was combating Rely Dooku a number of instances, taking out droid after droid in every single place he goes, or combating his friend-turned-enemy Obi-Wan on Mustafar within the Revenge of the Sith climax, he’s a lethal and formidable opponent.
Nonetheless, We by no means see any of the opposite cool stuff Anakin does earlier than his fall. That highlights considered one of my main issues with the prequels: We hear about his heroics, however we don’t get to see them. As an alternative of watching him do some cool stuff outdoors of piloting and combating, we simply hear about it and as a substitute watch him mope round and be a toddler earlier than he turns into probably the most evil characters.
Regardless of my points with Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, watching this film for the primary time in perpetually was a whole lot of enjoyable. In case you really feel the urge, you may test it out, together with all the opposite Star Wars motion pictures and reveals, with a Disney+ subscription.