Three years into the Clone Wars, the Jedi rescue Palpatine from Count Dooku. As Obi-Wan pursues a new threat, Anakin acts as a double agent between the Jedi Council and Palpatine and is lured into a sinister plan to rule the galaxy.
Inspired by The Farewell director Lulu Wang's call to action at the 2020 Independent Spirit Awards, we celebrate women filmmakers working in their field.
With the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, this is the perfect opportunity to recap the epic space opera audiences have enjoyed for over 40 years.
Ten years after initially meeting, Anakin Skywalker shares a forbidden romance with Padmé Amidala, while Obi-Wan Kenobi investigates an assassination attempt on the senator and discovers a secret clone army crafted for the Jedi.
Two Jedi escape a hostile blockade to find allies and come across a young boy who may bring balance to the Force, but the long dormant Sith resurface to claim their old glory.
After a daring mission to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, the Rebels dispatch to Endor to destroy the second Death Star. Meanwhile, Luke struggles to help Darth Vader back from the dark side without falling into the Emperor's trap.
Three decades after the Empire's defeat, a new threat arises in the militant First Order. Defected stormtrooper Finn and the scavenger Rey are caught up in the Resistance's search for the missing Luke Skywalker.
Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.
After the Rebels are brutally overpowered by the Empire on the ice planet Hoth, Luke Skywalker begins Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued by Darth Vader and a bounty hunter named Boba Fett all over the galaxy.
Rey develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker, who is unsettled by the strength of her powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares for battle with the First Order.
During an adventure into the criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his future co-pilot Chewbacca and encounters Lando Calrissian years before joining the Rebellion.
Earth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.
Director:
Joss Whedon
Stars:
Robert Downey Jr.,
Chris Evans,
Scarlett Johansson
Nearly three years have passed since the beginning of the Clone Wars. The Republic, with the help of the Jedi, take on Count Dooku and the Separatists. With a new threat rising, the Jedi Council sends Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to aid the captured Chancellor. Anakin feels he is ready to be promoted to Jedi Master. Obi-Wan is hunting down the Separatist General, Grievous. When Anakin has future visions of pain and suffering coming Padmé's way, he sees Master Yoda for counsel. When Darth Sidious executes Order 66, it destroys most of all the Jedi have built. Experience the birth of Darth Vader. Feel the betrayal that leads to hatred between two brothers. And witness the power of hope.
Over a period of several months, George Lucas approved hundreds of designs that eventually appeared in this movie. He re-wrote entire scenes and action sequences to correspond to certain designs he had chosen. The designs were then shipped to "pre-visualization" to create moving CGI versions known as "animatics". Ben Burtt edited these scenes with Lucas, in order to previsualize what the movie would look like, before the scenes were even filmed. The pre-visualization footage featured a basic raw CGI environment with equally unprocessed CGI characters performing a scene (typically an action sequence). Steven Spielberg was also allowed to assist the art and pre-visualization department's designs for several action sequences in this movie. Later, the pre-visualization and art department designs were sent to the production department to begin "bringing the film out of the concept phase" by building the various sets, props, and costumes. To determine the required sets, Lucas analyzed each scene with the staff to see which moments the actors would come in most contact with the set, warranting the set to be constructed. See more »
Goofs
Anakin's scar on his right eye changes, the part below his eye moves slightly down and lengthens. Also, on the DVD box cover, Anakin clearly doesn't have a scar, but posters have artistic license. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
[R2-D2 bleeps]
Anakin Skywalker:
Lock on to him R2.
[R2-D2 responds with more bleeping]
Anakin Skywalker:
Master, General Grievous's ship is directly ahead. The one crawling with Vulture droids.
Obi-Wan:
Oh, I see it. Oh, this is going to be easy.
See more »
Crazy Credits
The opening logo for 20th Century Fox is static (to match the opening of Episodes 4, 5 and 6), instead of the animated 3-D logo used in Fox films at the time. See more »
Alternate Versions
In the 2018 ITV UK Broadcast, multiple scenes are removed for censorship, including shots of Palpatine's and Mace Windu's faces being electrocuted, Anakin burning on Mustafar, Anakin's charred body crawling up the lava bank, Anakin screaming in agony and a shot of his burned face during his reconstruction and Padme screaming in childbirth. See more »
SPOILER ALERT My thoughts on Revenge of The Sith. Although miles better than the previous two, when held up against the original trilogy it still left me feeling under whelmed. Whether that it symptomatic of today's era when big budget spectacles are two-a-penny I'm not sure.
I'll start with the opening space battle in the film. Nobody can say it wasn't visually effective. You jump straight in to the midst of a battle. Starfighters zig zagging across every corner of the screen, explosions left right and centre, Laser fire criss crossing the cold vacuum of space, Obi-Wan and Anakin in a frenzied dogfight with the droid attack fleet. Probably millions spent on the scene and endless manpower dedicated to its completion. Visually stunning yet souless. Give me the sequence in ROTJ anyday, when in the cold stillness of space the rebel fleet come out of Hyperspace, ready to mount an attack on the Deathstar. The Imperial fleet hangs back in the distance and you know you are in for the mother of all space battles. You can't buy that sort of anticipation, that sort of "Oh My God, I can't wait for what's gonna happen next" feeling. This is what Star Wars is about A grand spectacle with feeling, not just a grand spectacle.
Then we have how easy some of the main protagonists go down. Count Dooku goes from a Sith lord capable of fending off Obi-wan and Anakin in AOTC to someone is easily taken down by Anakin with the shimmy of a lightsabre. I don't see how his skills and powers have improved so much from the second movie but we are told by Anakin that they have and we should just accept it. In the return fight between Luke and Vader in ROTJ. You sense Luke is empowered by the knowledge he has of Vader and a momentary lapse into anger by Luke allows him to bear down on Vader and bring him to the ground. A believable turnaround of events considering what has gone on before. Not so in the rematch between Anakin and Dooku. Considering Dooku manages to immobilise Obi-wan quite easily once again and fought Yoda to an arguable draw in AOTC's, the swiftness by which Anakin dispatches Dooku is a bit stretched.
Then we have the romance. Portman is a great actress, you'll get no arguments from me. Apparently the rumour is Hayden can act as well judging by the reviews he had for Shattered Glass. Why is it then that when they share lines and romantic scenes together they can't muster an iota of the chemistry that Han an Leia had in the original trilogy. Anakin comes across as a simplistic figure, with simple lines. I believe the problem is Hayden always over compensates when he reads out his lines. Understandably he's trying to think how Lucas would want them to be delivered. Is he thinking, "How does saying I love you Padme in the Star Wars universe where there is a galactic war going, differ from saying I love you in the real world". What should I enunciate, what depth of feeling should I squeeze from my character, a tragic hero figure destined for a fall from grace. My feeling is that he shouldn't. Yes Star Wars is set in a galaxy far far away but I love you is still I love you no matter what context you put it in. That's why when the inevitable romantic scenes come along they still leave you feeling flatter than a pancake run over by a bulldozer. Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher to me gave a very adult take on the relationship between Han and Leia. It was basically scoundrel meets women way out of his league and lets forget the hell out of all this sci-fi stuff and just act how we feel it should be. Result - classic scenes to watch again and again. Lucas unfortunately hasn't remembered this lesson in time for the final film.
Oh and the final fight scene, Apparently doesn't matter if you are the chosen one. It's all about height. If you have the "Higher Ground" then the fight's yours. Someone should try telling that to the two pieces of Darth Maul laying at the bottom of a power shaft somewhere.
So to sum up George thank for the memories. It wasn't quite a home run but you sure came damn close and 'A' for effort. I think that other trilogy with the guys with the funny feet kinda of stole your thunder though.
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SPOILER ALERT My thoughts on Revenge of The Sith. Although miles better than the previous two, when held up against the original trilogy it still left me feeling under whelmed. Whether that it symptomatic of today's era when big budget spectacles are two-a-penny I'm not sure.
I'll start with the opening space battle in the film. Nobody can say it wasn't visually effective. You jump straight in to the midst of a battle. Starfighters zig zagging across every corner of the screen, explosions left right and centre, Laser fire criss crossing the cold vacuum of space, Obi-Wan and Anakin in a frenzied dogfight with the droid attack fleet. Probably millions spent on the scene and endless manpower dedicated to its completion. Visually stunning yet souless. Give me the sequence in ROTJ anyday, when in the cold stillness of space the rebel fleet come out of Hyperspace, ready to mount an attack on the Deathstar. The Imperial fleet hangs back in the distance and you know you are in for the mother of all space battles. You can't buy that sort of anticipation, that sort of "Oh My God, I can't wait for what's gonna happen next" feeling. This is what Star Wars is about A grand spectacle with feeling, not just a grand spectacle.
Then we have how easy some of the main protagonists go down. Count Dooku goes from a Sith lord capable of fending off Obi-wan and Anakin in AOTC to someone is easily taken down by Anakin with the shimmy of a lightsabre. I don't see how his skills and powers have improved so much from the second movie but we are told by Anakin that they have and we should just accept it. In the return fight between Luke and Vader in ROTJ. You sense Luke is empowered by the knowledge he has of Vader and a momentary lapse into anger by Luke allows him to bear down on Vader and bring him to the ground. A believable turnaround of events considering what has gone on before. Not so in the rematch between Anakin and Dooku. Considering Dooku manages to immobilise Obi-wan quite easily once again and fought Yoda to an arguable draw in AOTC's, the swiftness by which Anakin dispatches Dooku is a bit stretched.
Then we have the romance. Portman is a great actress, you'll get no arguments from me. Apparently the rumour is Hayden can act as well judging by the reviews he had for Shattered Glass. Why is it then that when they share lines and romantic scenes together they can't muster an iota of the chemistry that Han an Leia had in the original trilogy. Anakin comes across as a simplistic figure, with simple lines. I believe the problem is Hayden always over compensates when he reads out his lines. Understandably he's trying to think how Lucas would want them to be delivered. Is he thinking, "How does saying I love you Padme in the Star Wars universe where there is a galactic war going, differ from saying I love you in the real world". What should I enunciate, what depth of feeling should I squeeze from my character, a tragic hero figure destined for a fall from grace. My feeling is that he shouldn't. Yes Star Wars is set in a galaxy far far away but I love you is still I love you no matter what context you put it in. That's why when the inevitable romantic scenes come along they still leave you feeling flatter than a pancake run over by a bulldozer. Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher to me gave a very adult take on the relationship between Han and Leia. It was basically scoundrel meets women way out of his league and lets forget the hell out of all this sci-fi stuff and just act how we feel it should be. Result - classic scenes to watch again and again. Lucas unfortunately hasn't remembered this lesson in time for the final film.
The events that lead Anakin's turn to the darkside are also difficult to accept. Yes we know his transformation must be complete by the end of the movie less we find ourselves potentially forking out for the "Fourth in the Trilogy © Orange Cinema ad". But the excuse of needing knowledge to save his wife and keeping alive the only person who has this knowledge is the premise for an alarmingly rapid descent into the dark side. Sure he murders the Tusken Raiders in AOTC's without a second thought but that was shortly after his beaten mother died in his arms. After lopping Mace Windu's hand off and allowing the Emporer to lighting blast the bad-ass Jedi into the Corsucant night sky, there is not a hint of remorse by Anakin. A rapid betrayal of the Jedi, the murder of the Jedi children quickly follows, yet hours before he's still Anakin the Jedi. Sure a little confused, hugely frustrated but not a child-killer. Much more believable would be something like the murder of Padme in front of his very eyes and the Jedi complicity in this which might enable Anakin to turn against everything he believed in so quickly. Yet it is only the hint of great power he might be able to achieve under Palpatine tutelage that triggers Anakin to turn against everyone he loves, in an instant.
Oh and the final fight scene, Apparently doesn't matter if you are the chosen one. It's all about height. If you have the "Higher Ground" then the fight's yours. Someone should try telling that to the two pieces of Darth Maul laying at the bottom of a power shaft somewhere.
So to sum up George thank for the memories. It wasn't quite a home run but you sure came damn close and 'A' for effort. I think that other trilogy with the guys with the funny feet kinda of stole your thunder though.