Star Wars Episode III- Final Verdict

So we saw Star Wars Episode III yesterday afternoon and it was awesome. I'm sure hard core fans of the original trilogy would still rate it below those films but for me it was at least on a par with them and certainly eclipsed the first two episodes. The action in this movie was almost unrelenting, with a sense of urgency and building climax that was maintained throughout the story. And the scale of the battles, the villains, the duels and the personal drama was far above anything we've seen in Star Wars before. And in the midst of all this, George Lucas managed to weave enough in political, religious, and philosophical themes to keep any person looking for a deeper side to the film happy. This was always going to be the movie to tie up all the loose ends and bridge the two trilogies, and it was amazing how effortlessly it all just fell into place. None of the plot seemed contrived or forced to make it fit the original trilogy - it really for the first time looks like this was the story that was there in the beginning 30 years ago, before any of these movies were made, rather than simply a prequel that was added on later. The final scenes of the movie flow seamlessly into "A New Hope" - the title of which now really genuinely makes perfect sense.

The acting was a touch above what we've seen in the last two movies, and although the Anakin-Padme romantic dialogue was a bit syrupy, the romance itself was more like a Shakespearean tragedy. Hayden Christiansen did fairly well as Anakin, but the actor who truly shone was once again Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Like Harrison Ford as Han Solo in the original trilogy, McGregor is the heart and soul of the prequel series, especially in this movie where he gives a brilliant performance. In fact I'd probably say he's one of the best big screen actors going around today full stop.

So see the movie. If you're already a Star Wars fan I don't need to tell you this, but if you found the last two movies disappointing, hopefully Lucas has redeemed himself, and the series, with this amazing movie. A perfect climactic close to the films that have helped define a generation.

[Currently playing in my IPod: Time and Space by Groove Armada]