Picture This! Reviews Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Reviewing ‘Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith’
There is no argument that George Lucas is a creative genius.
By Rebecca Redshaw
Sometime during the hundred and forty minutes of this final installment of George Lucas’ Star Wars series, the ever wise Yoda utters, “Save them, we must.”
Alas, it is a critic’s job to write. Therefore, “Critique it, I must.”
There is no argument that George Lucas is a creative genius. He changed the movie business in countless ways. Since his first Star Wars release in 1977, the industry in general has profited from his marketing acumen, his technical innovations, and his ability to intrigue millions of fans with the concept of “good vs. evil” magnified by special effects. Lucas is a billion dollar, cinematic, cottage industry.
To review this phenomenon by traditional standards, i.e. quality of script or excellence of acting, would be unfair to quality cinema everywhere. Star Wars is an entity unto itself.
Are the special effects impressive? You bet. A post-production crew of visual and special effects artists numbering in the hundreds created more than 2,200 special effects for Revenge of the Sith. [Compared to a mere 350 effects in the 1977 release.]
Cinematography? Music score? Editing? All impressive? Check, check, and check.
Is this movie to be missed? Well, if you’re a Star Wars fan, you’ve no doubt seen this latest installment and added your $8.00+ to the fifty million dollar first day’s receipts. So, reading this column is a moot point.
If you haven’t seen it, then I would recommend renting the 1977 release,
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. The characters did battle with laser swords back then as now, fought impressive air battles back then as now, but they seemed to have a better sense of humor. The irony of senseless wars and dastardly leaders didn’t seem as devastatingly real thirty years ago, back then, as it does now.
If Yoda were a critic, I’m certain he would concur with me regarding movies of all kinds, “See them, we must.”
Like them? Not so much.
Rebecca Redshaw is the Arts& Entertainment Critic for www.NotesFromHollywood.com. She can be reached at r2redshaw@hotmail.com.