[The_Reader_David]

I liked the movie, too. I'll agree with some reviewers that it was better than the original Star Wars (a.k.a. Episode IV), but I'm torn as to whether it, or the other unhappy-ending episode, The Empire Strikes Back, was the best of the six.

It still suffered from Lucas not directing his two romantic leads into shape. (I guess even with dialog ghost-written by Stoppard he just wasn't up to it--good thing Christensen matured a little and Portman didn't get too much screen time.)

I'm not sure Annakin's turn to the Dark Side was too quick (after all, it was set up by his perfectly human, but un-Jedi-like revenge killing of the Tusken raiders who kidnapped, presumably raped, and killed by ill-treatment his mother).

[ocr1]

"The Empire Strikes Back" rules over them all.

[PzLdr]

Murdering Dooku on command, after amputating both his hands (George does have a thing about amputations), could also be an indication Anakin's headed for a name change. But, Lucas should have done a Jackson, and made the flick longer, so the interplay between Anakin's hubris, anger, concern for his wife, guilt over his violation of the Jedi rules, and what he sees as the Jedi's betrayal of those rules could have been developed more slowly. And, he should have had someone else write (and possibly direct)it, as he did in "Empire", the best of the six, and the movie that MADE the franchise.

[I still care]

In II, at the point where Anakin hunts the Tuskans, you can see his shadow has become Darth Vader. One of the few things in the movie not blasted into the obvious.

I know i am in the minority here, but I've always thought the Star Wars series truly great, although in many ways deeply flawed.

To me, the greatness lies in the theme (as I see it) - the fall, salvation, and redemption through love. The related tie in of good vs evil, in epic terms. That is why although it has new age overtones, Christians tend to react strongly to it.