Revenge of the Sith
The beginning of the movie was very frightening. The scenes are flat, dialogs amazingly dumb - I can imagine McGregor vomiting after every 3rd cut. Very frightening, felt I. Then Grievous…a robot general that coughs…coughs..? A robot?!
The chit-chat between Anakin and Obi-Van when they return Palpatin safely home was unbearable. Man, I started to feel sorry my ticket money.
But then finally something started to happen. Hayden surprised me and played much more impressive Anakin than he did in the AotC. Step by step he built the tension of Anakin going deeper and deeper into the darkness. The scenes between Anakin and Palpatin (while he was still that) are the absolute highlight of the movie. Ian McDiarmid with his amazingly deep voice (is that his real voice?) really nails it home and while the devastation of the Jedis began, I was sure the film is back on the right track.
Sort of a low point is Anakin’s final surrender to the dark side. I don’t know what I expected…or how it should be…but this somehow did not touch me. It’s sure interesting to note that even so wise Jedi Master as Mace Windu fell under the power of rage and anger…wasn’t that the dark side path?
The double duel is amazing, really amazing. Again, Hayden gives good performance of arrogant, guilty-driven, self-doubting and utterly bitter Vader. In the end, it is a good movie, worth seeing. Just ignore first few dozens of minutes.
And - Natalie Portman…so breath-taking. With that long hair, that is.