'Revenge of the Sith' revisits old friends

It seems unreal that the first “Star Wars” film was released 28 years ago.

Since then, over the course of five films, the “Star Wars” franchise has generated around $17 billion in box office receipts, merchandise licensing, home video sales and TV broadcasts. Creator George Lucas is the wealthiest man in the movie business with an estimated worth of $3.5 billion. That doesn’t include any monies from the latest installment, “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith,” or the DVD box sets, etc., that the future holds. Not bad for a guy who read a lot of comics, watched a lot of B movie sci-fi as a kid and made the first “Star Wars” for $11 million.

I must admit, I am not a fanatic about the series, and I only saw the previous two films the weekend I saw “Sith.” The uninitiated may be wondering why, if this is the sixth film in the series, is it referred to as “Episode III?” Well, it’s like this: The original “Star Wars” film (now called “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope”) was really the fourth episode. This new film is the third, and it ends just a few years before “A New Hope” begins, right in the middle of the whole saga. Got it?

Actually this is a tricky film feat to pull off with success. In the three latest episodes, the audience is well aware of who will live, who will die and what happens to all of the main characters. This doesn’t make the fight scenes, daring rescues and close calls any less exciting, though. I’ll give it to Lucas. Even though the characters are wooden at times and the dialogue cornball – he read comics and watched B movies, remember – he’s created a universe unto itself. It is more intricate and finely crafted than any other in moviedom.

Many critics feel the best films in the franchise are “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” Lucas employed outside writers and directors for these. Indeed, in retrospect, “A New Hope” seems to be the weakest of the lot. Well, you’ve got to start somewhere, even if it’s in the middle.

“Return of the Sith” easily ranks near (or at) the top spot in the series.

It begins where “Attack of the Clones” ends. There’s a long, exciting battle scene with the usual state-of-the-art effects. Even people not enthralled with the whole “Star Wars” phenomenon need to appreciate that, without the enormous amounts of cash it generated, the state of movie effects and digital technology would be far below the standards we see today. Lucas puts money into the technology, and it ends up on the screen. Each episode, technically, is better looking than the last.

Obi-Wan and Anakin are off on a mission to save the Supreme Chancellor from Count Dooku and General Grevious. These two led the droid army in “Attack of the Clones.”

Anakin Skywalker is upset because the Jedi council won’t make him a “master.” He begins to get closer to the supreme chancellor. Both the chancellor and the Jedi want Anakin to spy on the other. This confuses Anakin and adds to his emotional turmoil.

Also adding to his emotional strife is the fact that his wife, Padme, is pregnant. Their marriage is a secret, as Jedis are forbidden to marry, and marrying a senator would make things even stickier. He dreams Padme dies in childbirth and vows to do whatever it takes to save her – even if it means embracing the dark side of The Force.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of “Sith” is revisiting old friends. Chewbacca the Wookie is here for the first time since “Jedi,” and indeed we get to see a whole herd of Wookies. R2D2 and C3P0, the only characters in all six films, live up to their usual antics.

As we all know, as “Episode IV” opens, the Jedi are all but extinct. In “Sith” we see how this happens and how Yoda and Obi-Wan manage to escape. We also see the babies, Luke and Leia.

A highlight, besides the long battle scenes and light saber duels, is the Frankenstein-like birth of Darth Vader. When the black helmet goes on and Hayden Christensen’s voice becomes that of James Earl Jones, it’s pretty exciting.

Lucas also manages to achieve a continuity of style here. Since – chronologically – we’re coming up on “Episode IV: A New Hope,” the first film, the style of aircraft, costumes, interior sets, etc., needs to match what we saw 28 years ago. Although the technology is better, the continuity is, indeed, onscreen.

This is supposed to be the last in the series, but I doubt it. I can picture “The Advent of Yoda,” “The Origin of the Jedi” and, of course, “Luke and Leia: The Missing Years.”

Jim Wunderle owns Wunderle Sound Services and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.