16 | Entertainment
May 24, 2005
Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith The highly anticipated final film in the Star Wars series finally arrived on May 19 on the big screen to audiences eager to see and feel what was present in ‘Empire Strikes Back’ and ‘Jedi’. BY
DAN PRENDERGAST ‘05
» STAFF WRITER
WARNING: This review contains spoilers. Do not read on if you want to remain ignorant! This is it. The last of the Star Wars series was shown all across the United States at exactly 12:01 Thursday Morning. Well, technically, it wasn't the last of the Star Wars, because George Lucas created the last three in the ‘70s and began directing again the beginning three in the ‘90s. However, it was the last Star Wars to ever be shown in theaters and to ever be created by George Lucas. Oh what an ending it was. It was filled with action, betrayal, love, and even some humor, in the beginning. The humor, however, did throw
me off a little bit. Star Wars movies aren't meant to be comedies, and something about robots cracking jokes just doesn't get a laugh out of me. The movie starts out where the second film, Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones, left off. The republic, led by Chancellor Palaptine, is in a battle with the droid army all over the galaxy. The beginning battle takes place over the planet Coruscant, the central system of the Republic, which is covered entirely of an enormous city. The Chancellor has been taken hostage by the droid army and the Sith Lord, Count Dooku. Jedis Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker have been given the task of rescuing the chancellor. Fighting off droids and falling elevators, they reach the chancellor just in time to meet up with Count Dooku. Both Obi Wan and
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FROM WWW.FREEGREYMATTER.COM
Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi battle in Revenge of the Sith.
Movie Review Anakin have fought Dooku before and lost miserably, so now it was time for revenge. Obi Wan was quickly knocked out and Anakin fueled his anger (Dooku had cut of most of Anakin's right arm) to overcome Dooku and cut both of his hands off. The Jedi Code specifically says do not kill an unarmed enemy, and Anakin had Dooku on the ground unarmed with Anakin’s lightsaber at his throat. With the urging of Chancellor Palpatine to kill Dooku, Anakin sliced off his head with a clean swipe. This was the beginning of the fall of Anakin Skywalker. The love between Anakin and Padme had grown stronger and they secretly were married and now Padme was pregnant. Anakin's troubles were now growing stronger and he was growing frustrated with the whole Jedi council for not having faith in him. Lucas really developed Anakin's character well. You could see his fate and his collapse into the dark side as you got deeper and deeper into the movie. That is what the movie mainly focused on too, the descent of Anakin Skywalker from the good to evil. The thing that bothered me, and what bothered me about most of Lucas' star wars movies was his dialogue. When he both wrote and directed the movie, the dialogue was atrocious. I'm more of an action movie man myself, but when you get cheesy love lines back and forth between Anakin
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FROM WWW.KINO-GOVNO.COM
A theatrical movie poster for Star Wars Episode II: Revenge of the Sith, which hit the big screen on May 19.
and Padme, or lines that weren't necessary put in the movie, then I'm going to notice. The action though, I give two thumbs up. The battle scenes were pretty good, but the scenes where two people are dueling are just phenomenal. The choreography and timing put into those duels was extraordinarily well done. I read that they spent fifteen hours on each duel to time each move, each strike just right; and did they ever do a perfect job of that.
I know the stereotype of Star Wars movies is that only nerds go to see them, but this was an exceptional movie, no matter how you look at it, and is filled with every thing you'd want in a film. Sure, it's unrealistic and some characters and dialogue in the movie are incomprehensible, but that's what seeing a movie is all about, experiencing something out of this world, literally. I highly recommend those who have seen the first two to go out and see this movie, and those that haven't, you're missing out.
‘Heaven’ fails to meet expectations Kingdom of Heaven comes off as little more than another cheaply devised film of epic battles and cookie-cutter acting. special effects. However, as most people have seen, these attributes certainly do not guarantee a I will be the first to admit that I movie will be any good. Kingdom opens with Godfrey am a big fan of historical battle movies, but now it seems like a (Liam Neeson) returning from the new one is released every other Crusades to recruit more men and to make amends with his illegitiweek. Kingdom of Heaven is no dif- mate son, Balian (Orlando ferent from recent releases of this Bloom), who is mourning the genre. Like both Troy and recent death of his wife and son. Balian goes with him and along Alexander, it features big name stars, huge budgets, and dazzling the way Godfrey is mortally injured in a battle. Before dying, he knights Balian and sends him to meet troops in Jerusalem. Balian meets quite a few troubles just getting to Jerusalem, including a shipwreck and a trek across the desert. Now in his father’s former position, Orlando commands a large PHOTOGRAPH FROM WWW.DARKHORIZONS.COM number of troops Orlando Bloom stars as Balian, the illegitimate in the recently conson of Godfrey, played by Liam Neeson. quered Jerusalem, BY
TIM OSBORNE ‘06
» STAFF WRITER
w h e r e Christians and Muslims live in a f r a g i l e peace. However, due to some b e l l i ge r e n t Christians who claim to fight for “God,” the peace does not last. Suddenly Balian finds h i m s e l f defending the city from PHOTOGRAPH FROM WWW.IMDB.COM hordes of M u s l i m Balian (Orlando Bloom, left) has much to learn from his father, Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam attackers led Neeson) in Kingdom of Heaven, which was released Fri., May 6. by General engage in warfare when promovies. Saladin (Ghassan Moussad). The acting is pretty well done. voked. It does not follow the cliché This movie does boast some Thankfully, after the Lord of the of making them the villains or terrific special effects. Using CGI Rings trilogy, Pirates of the enemies. to the fullest effect, battles of Caribbean, and Troy, lead All in all, Kingdom is a pretty epic proportions are shown realis- Orlando Bloom has his chops mediocre epic battle movie. tically. However, nowadays, you down. My favorite was Liam I was expecting more from need something more than just the Neeson as Godfrey, but he is Ridley Scott, who directed such special effects. killed off much too early in the good movies as Gladiator and It felt like I’d seen the same film. Black Hawk Down. battle before many times. You get However, I could think of worse One positive aspect of the film lots of flaming arrows, catapults, is its portrayal of Muslims not as ways to spend your time at the and swordplay, but it lacks some- bloodthirsty savages, but as multiplex. (House of Wax, cough thing to distinguish it from other peaceful people who only cough…)