illuminating science

Well, the midnight screening went off without a hitch! We arrived around 8pm or so, and I have to confess that I was in a Jedi outfit, which my partner made me for my birthday. I had also constructed a lightsabre (you’d be amazed at what you can find at your local hardware store!) which, while not being able to glow, was pretty darn cool Quite a few characters were dressed up, though not as many as last year - there were surprisingly few character battles, although two Jedi/Sith battled it out complete with force pushes.

As for the movie - what can I say. I won’t give any spoilers here (I might raise some questions in a later post though! Yeah, so I’m a little geeky), but this is definitely the highlight of the trio, and a strong contender with the original trilogy to boot. While the first quarter or so was a little slow, it picked up pace and by the end was rollicking along, and despite being about 2am, I was absolutely gripped.

Anakin was wonderful, and I thought he played the tormented soul beautifully - his slow fall to the dark side was delighttful to watch (I’ve always had a soft spot for the villains). And Palpatine was absolutely superb - there was a surprising amount of insight into his character and his history - he stole the show, as far as I’m concerned. The interaction between these two characters was definitely the highlight of the movie for me, and I think George Lucas did a brilliant job of tying everything together and creating a memorable Star Wars story.

And, of course, no Star Wars movie would be complete without lightsabers, and this was no exception. Being their last chance to show off their stuff, the choreographers spared no effort (or expense) in creating simply superb fight sequences that really showed off their skills. Anakin’s final battle was absolutely brilliant - like the first Matrix (and unlike its sequels) the emotion and the story was worked into the battle, so that every blow really counted, and we really saw what true Jedi (or Sith!) can do with the force. And Anakin’s final transformation was very cool too

Of course, this movie was far darker than any of the others in the series so far - it has an M (voluntary 15+) rating here in Australia. Anakin’s final transformation, the destruction of the Jedi, and many other scenes really added a realism to the story that was perhaps a little lackin the in first two movies (though I liked them as well) and it really enhanced this movie. You really felt for the characters. And let me tell you, if I didn’t know how 4,5 &6 go, I’d be quite depressed right now.

So, overall opinion is that it was a tops movie - everything came together: story, acting, special effects, battles…just brilliant. I can only advise you to go and see it for yourself. Even if you’re not a Star Wars fan, I think it will be a most enjoyable experience!