Chuck's Top Ten Movies of 2005 - Number 9

We continue with the top ten movie list of 2005, courtesy of renowned movie watcher, collector, and critic, Chuck Fournier. Here's Chuck's number 9 review:

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
The Star Wars films are the most profitable and most popular movies ever made, and years after the original trilogy was released in the late 70's and early 80's, George Lucas stunned fans by announcing an all new prequel trilogy. These films would outline the back story of the original trilogy, showing how Luke's father, Anakin Skywalker, turned to the dark side of the Force and became Darth Vader. Fans actually camped out in front of theaters for days waiting to see Episode 1 The Phantom Menace, and it was THE movie to see in 1999.

While I didn't camp out for days to see it,it was by far the most anticipated movie I've ever attended. After seeing The Phantom Menace, I was, unfortunately, disappointed. The main problems were the kid who played the young Anakin, and of course, Jar Jar Binks. I also thought the movie to be juevenille, with poor dialogue and bland performances.

These problems aside,there was definately a lot that I did like about it. I loved the visual look of the film. The scale, the detail... There hasn't been anything close to the epic scope and beauty of this film. It also had some great action sequences; the climactic light saber duel being the best. I thought the score was some of composer John Williams' best work. In the end, with my disappointments, I did enjoy the film and went to see it several times.

A few years later Episode 2 was released, promising to be less for kids, with a grown up Anakan falling in love with Padme from the first movie. This installment had a more complex storyline, involving political struggles in the republic and a deception uncovered by the Jedi. It also featured the start of the Clone Wars, mentioned in episode 4, which was very impressive and exciting to watch.
Episode 2 had a battle scene with hundreds of Jedi fighting battle droids, which was a real treat, and the best suprise of all in the movie was a lightsaber duel between Yoda and the villian, Count Dooku.

My only problem with this film was the love story between Anakin and Padme. I didn't feel the love they had between them as much as I wanted to, and again I think the problem was bland writing. The film did, however, show the struggle Anakin has with his feelings and emotions, which would be the root of how things change for him in the future. In the end I enjoyed the film and thought it much better than the first.

Now, 3 years later, the final installment, the last Star Wars movie ever, has been released. This is the movie that fans have truly been waiting for, including myself. This is the movie that finally shows what happens to Anakin in making that fatefull decision to turn to the Dark Side. It shows how the Galactic Republic begins on the road to becoming the Galactic Empire, and presents all of this with TONS of action, scope and drama.

This film is by far the best of the three prequels, and while it still suffered from shallow writting, there was enough development in the characters from the past movies to get me into the drama of what was happening. Anakin's betrayal and decent into evil involved a lot of complex variables, but ironically, in the end, it was his attachment to what he deeply cared about that was his downfall.

A lot of people I've talked to have said that he turned too easily and too fast to the Dark Side, but for me, it seemed realistic. After all, Palpatine was a big influence in his life, Anakin was arrogant and rebellious, and he also struggled
with fear, which is a huge weakness. Yoda said in Empire Strikes Back that once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. In saying
that, I think that once someone makes that decision to "sell their soul" to the devil, there is no easy turning back. In your mind you've done too much and have gone too far. You accept your decision and only fall deeper into evil.

The moment Anakin becomes Darth Vader, the movie takes a very dark turn. Vader helps Palpatine (Darth Sidius) kill all of the Jedi and helps tie up all of the loose ends that are in the way of Paplatine becoming emperor. During the slaugher of the Jedi, Obi Wan and Yoda manage to escape and try to defeat the Sith before it's too late, and it's this third act of the film that is the most dramatic and powerful. Fans have waited YEARS to see the fatefull lightsaber duel between Obi Wan and Vader that caused Vader to become the cyborg you see in the later films. With all that anticipation, it ended up being much better than what I had imagined. By far the best sword fight I've seen in a movie. John William's
music also added much to the sequence, making you feel the sadness of what was happening: Two friends as close as brothers fighting to the death.

As this duel is taking place, there is another major battle happening: The duel between the Sith Lord Darth Sidius and the most powerfull Jedi in the galaxy,
Yoda. When I heard about this fight, I wanted to see it almost as much as the Vader/Obi Wan fight (since Yoda kicked so muck ass in episode 2!)

The fact is that Yoda has a lot of cool crowd pleasing scenes in this film and you get to see him at his very best. Yoda brandishing a lightsaber in episode 2 was the coolest thing I've ever seen in a Star Wars movie, and when I saw him began to fight, the whole crowd in the theatre said a collective "holy S". Well that fight was nothing compared to the duel he has with Darth Sidius. Very exciting, and Lucus did a good job intercutting between the two lightsaber duels. The duels eventually end with Yoda escaping and Obi Wan of course defeating Vader. The scene that shows Darth Vader injured to the point of death, and the last words spoken between him and Obi Wan was one of the most dramatic and powerfull scenes in the whole Star Wars saga.

This movie is the most darkest of all the Star Wars movies, but it does end with a glimpes of hope with the birth of the twins, Luke and Leia. After seeing this film, I see Vader in a different light - Not simply an evil, twisted cyborg, who I found hard to believe would come back to the light side of the force, but a tragic character that has a humanity to him; someone who you can see come back from the darkness.

This movie helped flesh out and frame the original trilogy, making them better for me. I grew up watching the Star Wars movies, and they have become a very big part of my life by influencing my imagination and faith. I'm glad that Lucus has finally finished his saga he began almost 30 years ago.

The prequels are still not better than the original trilogy, but I do consider all six movies to be one story, as Lucus himself said he intended. If you are a Star Wars fan and for some crazy reason haven't seen episode 3 yet, then get off your butt and check it out. It's pretty cool.