 Movie Review:
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
Production Company: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Director: George Lucas
Principals: Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid
Rating: PG-13 (intense battle scenes)
By Gregg Tubbs
(UMCom) – With Revenge of the Sith, George Lucas has brought his immensely popular Star Wars saga to a satisfying conclusion and completed a unique cinematic achievement. Star Wars is a narrative odyssey that has stretched over nearly 30 years and encompassed six films ranging from the stilted to the sublime, all the while holding enrapt an unprecedented worldwide audience.
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| Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) fills Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) with stories of power beyond belief. Copyright © 2005 Lucasfilm Ltd |
Like a drawing by M.C. Escher, where you climb a flight of stairs only to end up at the bottom, Star Wars’ narrative finally has circled around to meet itself in the middle of the story where it began. The fact that two generations of fans have anxiously awaited this final film is a testament to the powerful themes, compelling characters and groundbreaking style that buoyed the series through even its weakest entries. With Sith, Lucas rewards his fans’ loyalty and proves the force is still with him.
The appeal and power of Star Wars is that, for all its technical wizardry, it revolves around a very simple theme—the struggle between good and evil. It approaches this theme intricately by juxtaposing two parallel views: the “macro view,” which deals with the fate of society, and the “micro” view focusing on the fate of the individual. This technique also was used effectively in the Lord of the Rings, as the epic battle between good and evil was portrayed alternately through the clashing of vast armies and the smaller, more personal struggle of Frodo, the ring-bearer, to destroy the Ring of Power. Sith bears striking similarities as Jedi and clones engage in epic battles with droid armies, in a vain attempt to preserve the Republic and its own order of knights, while Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) wages his mostly inner war against the temptations of the Dark Side of the Force. For both Frodo and Anakin, not just their lives, but their very souls are at stake.
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| C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) looks on as Padme (Natalie Portman) and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) say goodbye. Copyright © 2005 Lucasfilm Ltd |
The interplay between Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) and Anakin is an intriguing portrait of the seductive power of evil that echoes that earliest of conversions to the “Dark Side” found in Genesis. Palpatine plays serpent to Anakin’s Adam. He flatters, lies and even promises the power over life and death. It is this last claim that pushes Anakin, haunted by premonitions of his wife’s death in childbirth, over the edge. Although motivated by love for his wife and unborn child, Anakin falls into one of the oldest moral traps—believing that good can come from evil acts. He is willing to sacrifice countless innocent lives to save the lives of those he loves. It’s a choice he has no right to make, and shows that he may feel love but is ultimately morally flawed. As Anakin is finally transformed into Darth Vader, we see him as more tragic than evil.
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| Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and his onetime mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) fight an apocalyptic battle. Copyright © 2005 Lucasfilm Ltd. |
The role of real evil is reserved for Palpatine, who is consumed by the lust for ultimate power. This has made Sith something none of the other five films were—politically controversial. Palpatine creates a “phantom” menace (seen in Episode I) that threatens the democratic Republic. The menace is, of course, a ruse to spread fear throughout the galaxy and allow him to seize personal power in exchange for the promise to keep the people safe. Many have found reflections of current events in this, though Lucas says (perhaps with a wink) that the story was devised years ago. If anything, Lucas says, the story line reflects Vietnam-era America. Still, it is chilling to see the people of Star Wars relinquish their personal liberty for the promise of security.
Taken alone, Sith is a tragedy dominated by the triumph of evil and dispersion of the forces of good, represented by the remnants of the noble Jedi Knights. But in context, it simply sets up the coming battle in which the forces of good vanquish the forces of darkness. In an almost biblical sense, evil’s victory is only temporary, and the final victory of good is already secured. Lucas’ world, for all its evil empires and ominous Death Stars, is an optimistic one, where the good guy really does win and even a fallen Darth Vader can be redeemed. Star Wars also shows that even “a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away,” there will be those who aim to dominate and enslave and those brave and righteous few who will stand against them—whether it’s with light sabers or sheer strength of character.
Gregg Tubbs is a freelance writer living in Columbia, Md.
This review was developed by UMC.org, the official online ministry of The United Methodist Church.
Group Study Guide
Study Questions
- Revenge of the Sith attempts to portray Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader in a more sympathetic light. What do you think? Was Anakin a victim of the manipulation of the Emperor? Is he a tragic figure?
- Is it possible Anakin actually contributed to Padme’s death? How?
- Many people see “The Force” as a metaphor for God. Do you? In what ways is The Force not like God?
- Do the Jedi follow a form of religion? Does Palpatine?
- Does this film wrap up the series? Did it give too much away? Do you think knowing in advance that Luke and Lea are siblings affects the earlier films? What about the fact that Vader is Luke’s father?
- What do you think drives Palpatine? Is it lust for power, or does he believe he is actually acting in the Republic’s good?
- Padme said, “So this is how liberty dies, to thunderous applause.” What did she mean?
- Do you think safety is more important than liberty? Do you think Palpatine could be trusted with either?
- Yoda and the other Jedi Masters dispense their form of wisdom throughout the film. Did you find truth in any of their sayings? Do you have a favorite?
- Is this film in any way uplifting, or must it be taken in context with the rest of series.
- Obi-wan Kenobi feels partly to blame for Anakin’s turn to the Dark Side. Do you agree, or is Anakin responsible for his own fate? Do you think anyone can be responsible for the soul of another?
Group Activities
Life’s Landmarks: The first Star Wars film came out almost 30 years ago. For some fans, Star Wars has been around their entire lives. As a sharing exercise, invite members of your group to share where they were in their lives when each of the films was released. Ask them to mention spiritual landmarks that occurred on or around the following release dates. Finally, discuss how the world and your church have changed since 1977.
Release Dates:
Star Wars (later called Star Wars: A New Hope) -1977
The Empire Strikes Back – 1980
Return of the Jedi – 1983
The Phantom Menace – 1999
Attack of the Clones – 2002
Revenge of the Sith – 2005
Gospel of Luke (Skywalker): Star Wars characters have exotic names, with the exception of Luke, which is also the name of one of the gospels. The Gospel of Luke is filled with some of the best known parables of Jesus. In this activity, have your group work in pairs or small teams and try retelling some of these parables as if they occurred in the world of Star Wars and the gospel was being retold by Luke Skywalker. Use Star Wars characters in your versions. You may even include Star Wars devices or crafts. Suggestions could be the Parable of the Prodigal Wookie, or The Good Samaritan using a droid or clone as the Samaritan.
Serpent Sith: As a group, discuss how the emperor’s seduction of Anakin resembles the serpent tempting Adam and Eve. Read Genesis 3:1-24. Compare the tactics used by the serpent in tempting Eve to those used by the emperor to tempt Anakin. Discuss the consequences to Adam and Eve because of their sin. Did Anakin suffer similar consequences?
Resources
Official Star Wars Web site
Theatrical Trailer
QuickTime
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