Movie Review: Revenge of the Sith

In 1977, a single Roman numeral sparked nearly thirty years of imaginative speculation.

By dubbing his first Star Wars movie as "Episode IV," George Lucas created a lingering desire in the hearts of fans like myself to see the implied existence of Episodes I-III made into reality. The strength of this wish was only amplified by the original trilogy's many references to a hidden backstory involving the Jedi career of Anakin Skywalker, the fall of the Old Republic, and something called the "Clone Wars." It didn't help that Lucas spoke frequently of this history himself, suggesting that its complete plotline had been constructed in his head from the very beginning. (Star Wars was not, as many believe, based on an original series of 9 books, nor had George Lucas written a comprehensive script for any of his prequels prior to their being made.) For the majority of our lives, I and others silently and eagerly asked Lucas, "Why did Luke's father turn to the dark side?" "How did the Empire take power?" and "What happened to the Jedi?"

Though the release of Episode I in 1999 ensured that the questions Star Wars die-hards had would finally be answered, it is in Episode III - Revenge of the Sith that this promise is ultimately fulfilled. And whereas its two predecessors often fell short of living up to the Star Wars legacy thanks to some poor character development, the final intallment of the series is great enough to earn its place alongside the original trilogy in the epic movie pantheon.

If watching Revenge of the Sith doesn't fill you with a growing sense of dread as you watch Anakin Skywalker gradually succumb to the temptations of dark side power, then I question your ability to emotionally respond to movies. From Anakin's initial tendencies to give in to rage and fear to his chilling adoption of the name Darth Vader, Revenge spares no thrills in bringing you to its inevitable tragic conclusion. This spiral downward culminates in the long awaited battle between Vader and Obi Wan Kenobi, played by Ewan McGregor at the top of his game. When McGregor laments that Anakin was "supposed to bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness," I knew that we had experienced the birth of another one of the saga's unforgettable moments.

As its script comes straight from the pen of George Lucas (unlike The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, which had more polished screenwriters), some of the flaws we've come to expect in the prequels still haunts the film. The romantic dialogue between Anakin and his wife Padme still sounds excruciatingly forced, and we never actually feel anything more than a factual knowledge of the love between them. Even so, Episode III steers clear of some of the other pitfalls that plagued The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. Each moment of the movie fits appropriately within the fantasy Star Wars universe, and gone are some of the intrusions of modern day American society such as Episode I's out-of-place pod race sportscasters or Episode II's misfitting diner on Coruscant.

However, perhaps the greatest testament of Revenge of the Sith's success as a piece of the Star Wars saga is its ability to excite you about re-watching the rest of the series that is linked to it...Episodes I and II included.

Kize grade: A

Hey! You! Get Offa my Field!

Today's Daily Progress reports that the Rolling Stones will perform a concert at the University of Virginia's Scott Stadium in October as part of their 2005 tour.

Needless to say, if these rumors are true, it would be one of the biggest events ever to hit the grounds of the University. Not only have special events at Scott Stadium been rare (the last one was the famous Dave Matthews Band and Neil Young show in April 2001), but the Stones occupy a status higher than almost any rock band still in existence. Serious debates are carried on as to whether they were a better band than The Beatles, and just about anyone would recognize more than a few Stones songs if they heard them. Of the acts still making music today, the only one I can think of that might equal the Rolling Stones in stature is U2, and the Stones predate them by about 20 years.

Despite all this, it seems ludricrous that UVA would consider such an event to take place. The word on the street is that the planned date for the concert would be in early October, during one of two away game weeks for the Cavalier football team. Historically, the University has been resistant to allow any non-football activity to take place within the stadium, even during the off-season. The potential effects of an in-season concert stand to be quite disruptive. Following the DMB show in '01, the stadium's turf had to be resodded because the existing one suffered irreparable damage due to the concert's on-field seating. While Dave was gracious enough to fund the repairs, and though the Stones may be expected to do the same, a football field cannot be replaced overnight. New grass needs time to take root, and a quick patch job could create dangerous field conditions for the Hoos' Oct. 15 showdown with Florida State (if you're looking for evidence, just ask anyone who was at JMU's national championship game this past fall, where UT-Chatanooga's recently replaced field came up in clumps any time a player shuffled his feet).

Even if the Rolling Stones rumor doesn't pan out, it still seems that UVA has committed to hosting a large musical event for the same timeframe. Why the administration would permit such a questionable act following countless springs and summers worth of empty stadiums is beyond me.

A Couple of Singles

On May 10, two of my favorite bands will release new albums. Dave Matthews Band, following a couple of its members' disappointing solo efforts, reunites on the long-awaited Stand Up, while Weezer, the one-time kings of geek rock, unveils Make Believe. Currently in rotation on radio are the debut singles from each of these upcoming LPs--DMB's "American Baby" and "Beverly Hills" from the Weez. Click the links above to hear a (legal) audio stream of each.

Ever since they became a mainstay on top 40 stations, there have essentially existed two versions of the Dave Matthews Band. The original version, the jam-loving concert performists who marched ants through Charlottesville in the early 90s, is currently funded by a second incarnation, a band ensuring its appearance on teenage girls' bedroom walls by virtue of slickly produced four-minute radio hits. It is the latter that brings us "American Baby," but not at the total expense of selling out fans of the former. Whereas DMB's pop sensibilities cannibalized the travesty that was 2001's Everyday, this doesn't look to be the case on the new album, if Baby is any indication. With a prominent display of Boyd Tinsley's violin and Leroi Moore's sax, the song actually sounds like DMB, even if its lyrics and musical structure are largely simplified. "American Baby" is a love song to the United States, a refreshing sentiment from a band who clearly couldn't have been happy with the results of last November's election.

I wish I could find a sliver of such tolerability in Weezer's "Beverly Hills," the latest generic package off the uninspired rock assembly line. With each album released since the epic Pinkerton (or, as I like to refer to it, the greatest album that ever has or ever will be created by man), it seems that Rivers Cuomo and company have drifted further away from their trademark creativity in music or in lyric. "Beverly Hills" represents the lowest point to date in this de-evolution, and it's hard to imagine that the pattern could descend much deeper. The song sounds like something from the latter day Everclear catalogue, landing firmly on the dark side of the catchy/annoying divide. Though my loyalties to the band will probably win out in the end, right now I'm questioning whether I should even buy the upcoming album. Weezer, you might as well take off your glasses and frost your hair if this is where your music is headed.