uto, 15. ožujka '05 u 16:27
Rana recenzija nekoga tko je vidio trenutačnu verziju ROTSa...
Seeing the nearly completed Revenge of the Sith brings forth some strong emotions, most noteable of all is that the 30 year ride George has taken us on has now come to an end.
I remember seeing Star Wars in 1977 as a boy and feeling a thrill that I never had before, and haven't since in a movie theatre. Being a part of the Star Wars generation gave me alot of expectations for the prequels. When I saw Phantom Menace, I was just happy to see another Star Wars, but the film felt empty, lacking the heart the Originals had. Then came Clones, another film I had the privilege to preview a month before its opening. The second installment was enjoyable, but had its fair share of problems. If anything it was a setup for the movie we all wanted to see, a movie which the prequels were made for in the first place - Episode III. So this is it, the last in the trilogy as well as the saga. Buckle up kids, come May 19 you'll get your last cinematic trip to a galaxy far, far away....
The question from everyone off the bat will be a simple: 'Is it any good?' A follow up would likely be, 'Is is everything I've hoped for and more? Is it the best of them all?' While the answers will likely vary from person to person, in my very humble opinion, having gone into the film with hefty expectations though hesitent to buy into the hype that's been created....
Yes. The film is good. Really good. Revenge of the Sith is a shocking piece of cinema that will likely go down with most fans as the best film in the saga. I say shocking because I would have never imagined that some of the images in this film would come after the gold yellow logo and the main titles we've come to love. The film gets brutal. It's dark, and that's sure to make fans happy and turn some others off. The effectiveness of the film would not be possible without the work of some great talent, and that ladies and gentlemen is what makes me most pleased with Revenge of the Sith.
Well it's about time. The pacing is fast and furious, with a grave urgency attached to every scene in the film. The space battle sets the tone early as pilots frantically fight to survive and strike a crushing blow against the enemy fleet. Our Jedi heroes lighten the mood occasionally with quips and exchanges that were lacking from the previous movies. I now know how great a friend Anakin was to Obi-wan Kenobi. The battle itself is like nothing else in the previous films. The camera winds, dives and brings you into the chaos in what can only be described as dazzling. Computer graphics have made a giant leap forward since Clones, and this sequence takes advantage. It is truly something to be experienced.
Also during the opening battle we are introduced to the saga's newest villain, the part alien part droid, General Grievous. His introduction is classic, that of a frustrated commander shouting orders while occasionally losing his breath and coughing loudly, a colourful addition that adds life to the droid. While he does display a kind of sinister wit, the character may fall victom to the criticism that plagued Jar Jar and other computer generated characters of the prequels. Grievous's sterotypical villain dialogue is sure to be a point of attack from weary critics and fans. The character that immediately comes to mind is "Bosley" from the Care Bears television show. His animation, for the most part, is spectacular and really gets to shine in a fight to the death with Obi-wan Kenobi later in the film.
The battle in space soon carries over to a skirmish aboard an enemy cruiser as the Jedi (and a aggressive R2-D2) move to rescue the captive chancellor. This scene really stuck out in my mind because it directly echos the Death Star scenes in Star Wars. The Jedi keep in contact with R2D2 over a comlink, and the droid providess help opening doors and the such via his signature computer appendage. The scene culminates in the first of severa lightsaber battles between the Jedi and the villain Dooku.
Anakin's seduction to the dark side starts here, as the future Emperor encourages the victorious Jedi to finish off the defeated Dooku. When he does, a stern satisfaction comes over Anakin - though with a tinge of regret - a quality that Palpatine exploits over the course of the film. Worthy of note is that in the cut I saw, the final music track appeared to be in place and it's nothing short of sensational. The space battle music is filled with recognizeable beats and cues from the original trilogy's space battle sequence. As the enemy cruiser makes for a thrilling crash landing (that showcases some of the best work ILM has ever done), the music kicks up a notch, enhancing the urgency of a scene that is sure to wow moviegoers.
The actors feel much more comfortable in their roles in Revenge of the Sith. During the opening sequence, you actually believe the characters are responding to real situations. Hayden's performance during the first duel is spot-on, not breaking from the posed and determined stature of a warrior soon to become an agent of evil. There is some awkward dialogue, however which brings down the performances a bit, but the actors fight hard and stand their ground. Only during the first Padme-Anakin scenes are we reminded about what made Clones' love scenes so difficult to take in. It's not that acting is bad here, in fact it's quite good. There is no awkward blocking or positioning that I found hampered the performances of the leads in Clones, but instead a tenderness between the two lovers that conveys real emotion, amidst often difficult dialogue. Anakin speaks of his love for Padme and how he's missed her dearly, but the scene could lead to some rolling eyes. Nevertheless, these scenes are quite brief in comparison to its Episode II counterpart.
So begins the plot. The end of the Clone Wars are at hand, and the Jedi Council organize in a briefing room, reminiscent of a similar scene in Return of the Jedi, to plan the final stages of the war. Yoda goes to the Wookiee homeworld and Obi-wan to Utapau, a sinkhole planet that's rumoured to be the santuary of General Grievous. Meanwhile, the Jedi have grown weary of Palpatine's leadership and appoint Anakin as a spy to inform the council of the chancellor's activities. These series of scenes are quite well done, and focus on the tension that exists between the Jedi and the executive branch of the Republic. Anakin is caught in the middle, seeing Palpatine as a father figure, but is sworn by duty to the Jedi. His allegiances begin to fall in favour of Palpatine when the Jedi deny Anakin 'master' status, a decision Anakin blames on Obi-wan, whom he feels is jealous of Anakin's power. I take my hat off to Hayden Christensen, who will emerge from this film as a very capable leading actor, especially in a project of such high stature. His confidence becomes arrogance, which then turns to frustration and finally culminates in anger. His emotions are front and center of his portrayal of the dark lord to be.
The middle act follows four separate plot threads: Anakin's relationship with Palpatine, Yoda's mission to the wookie homeworld, Obi-wan's mission to Utapau and the formation of a rebellion against Palpatine's growing power. Each plot thread is strong, and makes for a very compelling story - whereas in Clones, this part of the movie seemed to drag a bit.
Anakin's true path the darkside begins with a surreal vision he has in a dream, a trance-like sequence similar to Luke's cave experience in Empire Strikes Back. In his dream in Revenge of the Sith, Anakin walks towards the murderer of his pregnant wife and as he catches a narrow glimpse of the villain (slightly hinted to be himself), he awakens in a cold sweat. His fear of loss is what makes his tie to Palpatine stronger, who promises the power of eternal life to Anakin, if he were to join the darkside of the force. Of the entire film, the scenes between Palpatine and Anakin stand out as my personal favourite. We see their relationship grow from a father/son like appreciation to a powerful devotion that begins after Anakin discovers Palpatine's dark secret - that he is the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.
The Wookie/Utapau sequences were not finalized in the cut I saw, but the new worlds are exotic nonetheless. My only criticism of these sequences is that they feel a bit tacked on, almost like an afterthought, especially the Kashyyyk sequence. It's action for action's sake, but then again it is a Star Wars movie. On Utapau, Obi-wan's detective side explored in AOTC is revisited as the Jedi leads a mission to locate and arrest Grievous and retake the planet for the Republic. (as a side note, I really like the music during the Utapau sequence - very mysterious and sinister).
At about this point of the film, things start going sour and the film gets dark. Anakin informs the council of Palpatine's true nature and Mace Windu leads a team of Jedi Masters to secure the chancellor. This is going to be one of those scenes that will make the audience catch a lump in their throat. As much as you know it's coming, the scene is brutal. At the moment you think that maybe, just maybe things will work out and the Force will be brought into balance, Anakin makes a choice that would change the galaxy forever. When the familiar music blares on cue, there will be a collective gasp in the entire theatre.
Anakin's turn leads to greater disaster - the destruction of the Jedi, in the capital and around the galaxy. Obi-wan and Yoda are betrayed by their troops and forced to flee. From this point on, the film goes full throttle and never lets up. Every loose is tied as the Republic is destroyed and the Empire rises in its wake. The ultimate showdown between good and evil is fought, as Yoda confronts Sidious and Obi-wan, Anakin.
The duel has been the main topic of hype and for good reason. It's the best fight ever put to film, period. Not just because of the incredible coreography that pits combatants against each other in every imagineable scenario, but because the emotion that flows through this battle is phenomenal. Hayden and Ewan put on a great show both in their swordplay and their acting. Hayden's transformation into the dark lord is picture perfect, and he's sure to get some great critical praise for his work in these scenes: His eyes wrought with evil, he leaks the hate and arrogance that illuminates his transition from Jedi to Sith.
As the film winds down, we're treated to a montage sequence of the creation of Darth Vader - another haunting scene that is sure to please the diehards. To hear the booming voice of James Earl Jones gave me shivers. The story ends where the Original trilogy begins, the twins are born and hidden at opposite spots of the galaxy. A few small surprises are in store as well, as the secrets of the force are unlocked for fans to better understand the dissappearing act of the Original Trilogy. Though the end of the film is somber, there is a faint optimism which is illustrated by the film's closing shot that a new hope will come for the future.
I was asked to list the scenes I thought were best, and those not so good. What worked and what didn't. Here's a short run-down of my final thoughts of the final Star Wars movie.
The best single scene of the entire film is the Palpatine-Mace standoff. It's definately the one scene in the movie that signals the beginning of the end. The destruction of the Republic and the triumph of the dark side. Each actor is in top form. The scene is well written and executed and the music caps it off perfectly. The beginning of the duel and the final scene between Obi-wan Kenobi and Darth Vader are two of the most powerful moments in the entire saga. Everything done here is just spot on. Alot of care went into these scenes, and it shows.
Some of the dialogue is still a bit hokey. It doesn't destroy any scenes per say, but it does slow them down. Most of this comes during the Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, Padme scenes. It's nothing significant and far from disastrous, but worth noting nonetheless. Jar Jar is back of course, but what's left of his role is about a half a page of dialogue and standing around during the Rebllion and senate scenes.
Will Episode 3 avenge the last two prequels? If you were really disappointed with Episode 1 and 2, this movie could be your saving grace. I'm sure most people will still find ways to get ticked off by Revenge of the Sith, but at the end of the day it's a terrific film. Don't take my word for it, and don't think I'm preaching gospel, you'll all have your chance to make up your mind in May - but sleep easy, George Lucas has nailed it.
"Leaves from the vine, falling so slow.
Like fragile, tiny shells,
Drifting in the foam.
Little soldier boy, come marching home.
Brave soldier boy, comes marching home."
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