The Final Cut: “Revenge of the Sith” Brings Star Wars Saga Full Circle

This weeks edition of The Final Cut, Devin takes a look at Episode III. Last week she gave us a look at the various season finales taking place on television:

This week we’ll take a look at Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, a movie which hits theaters on Thursday, May 19th, and will have many theaters featuring a 12:01am showing to accommodate eager fans.  Revenge of the Sith is the third and final installment of the Star Wars prequels and will bridge the gap between the Star Wars movies of the past 6 years and the original Star Wars, which was released in 1977.  All 6 films in the Star Wars series have been produced by George Lucas.  Lucas also has writing credits on all 6, and he directed Episodes, I, II, and III.

In Episode III, the Clone Wars are coming to and end after three years of relentless fighting, and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) has been sent by the Jedi Council to capture the leader of the Seperatist Droid Army and bring him to justice.  The power of Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) has rapidly grown back on Coruscant, and the Republic is crumbling.  Palpatine’s many political changes are quickly turning the Republic into the powerful Galactic Empire, and the Chancellor soon reveals the true nature of his power to his closest friend, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), in hopes of luring him to the Dark Side.  The film also stars Natalie Portman, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Jimmy Smits, Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, and James Earl Jones.

Many are betting that this installment will be the most popular film of the latest Star Wars trilogy, but in order to do this, the film will have to gross near one billion dollars worldwide to surpass it’s predecessors: Episode I: The Phantom Menace ($924 million), and Episode II: Attack of the Clones ($649 million).  This movie may just have the clout to do it, however.  It’s been reported that this movie has between 2,151 and 2,180 visual effects shots, and is set to have more intense light saber battles than before (we’ll get to see a total of 5 in this movie), involving almost every major character in the film.  We’ll also get to see many “historic” moments in this movie: Luke and Leia’s Birth, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker’s battle, and, what Star Wars fans worldwide have been waiting for, Anakin Skywalker switching to the darkside and becoming Darth Vader.  With attractions like this, this film is sure to draw in old and new Star Wars fans alike and write itself a place in box office history.