‘Revenge of the Sith’ Is the Best Star Wars Movie — 10 Reasons I Know I’m Right
Released in 2005 as the climactic conclusion to his incredible prequel trilogy, George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith was the cinematic event of the year, a truly thrilling and epic tale that capped off a remarkable chapter in the saga and has only gotten more popular with age. Can anyone believe it’s already been two decades since this modern classic came out? Its cultural impact feels more powerful now than ever.
Twenty years later, this is still a blast of entertainment. Whatever your thoughts on the Prequel trilogy are, and believe me, I know the other two entries have their problems. However, there’s no denying Revenge of the Sith is the undisputed best one. So much comes together here that Star Wars fans today continue finding more appreciation for. It’s a film that a lot of fans, including myself, consider to be the best of the saga, rivaling that of Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back. From the jaw-dropping visuals, riveting action scenes, and captivating performances to how it compellingly tells Anakin Skywalker’s (Hayden Christensen) heartbreaking fall to the Dark Side, here are ten reasons why I’d argue Revenge of the Sith is the greatest Star Wars movie of all time.
10
The Battle Over Coruscant Opening Scene
Way to kick things off with a bang!
Let me start with how it began, and boy is it spectacular. The opening scene of Revenge of the Sith is nothing short of incredible, following Anakin and Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor) along with their clone fighter-pilots as they engage in an epic space battle over the Republic capital planet Coruscant, in a desperate mission to rescue the kidnapped Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) from evil clutches of General Grevious (Matthew Wood).
It’s visually marvelous, neatly paced, and shows the epic scale of the Clone Wars that was noticeably absent in the previous installment. This opening drops audiences right into the action, showing that this is going to be a truly unforgettable and pulse-pounding experience, unlike anything fans have seen up to this point. There’s a reason Revenge of the Sith is often considered the most thrilling of the saga, and the opener certainly explains why.
9
The Stunning Visuals
Impressive… Most Impressive
The prequels were often criticized for their heavy reliance on unconvincing-looking CGI effects. And while I have to admit they have a point, considering there are many moments I’ve seen where it’s just actors walking around on a green screen set, there are effects, mainly in Revenge of the Sith, that I can’t deny as visually stunning.
The CGI special effects in Revenge of the Sith hold up remarkably well, honestly way better than some of the CGI films that are coming out today. There was a lot of ingenuity and creativity put in here, from creating the grand scale of the opening battle to General Grevious’s sleek design to making the ending duel on Mustafar look undeniably impressive. These effects are just jaw-dropping and beautiful to look at, and they’ll continue to get better over time.
8
The Iconic Lines
Which one do you quote the most?
What’s a Star Wars film that is more quotable than this one? Revenge of the Sith is highly regarded for giving fans and cinema history some of its most iconic lines. From start to finish, it gives us truly memorable phrases to often repeat, from unintentionally hilarious ones that have become memes like “Hello There” and “I AM the Senate!” to truly compelling ones like “You were the chosen one,” almost every line in this film is legendary.
Admittedly, Revenge of the Sith‘s dialog isn’t perfect, as some lines suffer a lot of the cheesiness and melodrama the prequels and even parts of the original trilogy were criticized for. But even the weakest lines have become fun for fans to say. Even though some of the dialog doesn’t work, it doesn’t drag down the film’s value. Overall, this is a highly quotable classic, with lines that almost every Star Wars fan can enjoy.
7
The Epic Lightsaber Duels
Where else are they so intense?
One of the biggest takeaways from the Star Wars films is the epic lightsaber duels. Their epic moments have become crucial to the franchise’s success all the way back to A New Hope. There are staples of the series that each film includes. And I argue Revenge of the Sith has some of the best of these battles in the entire saga.
There are so many epic duels in this film, from Anakin’s rematch against Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) in the first act to Yoda’s (Frank Oz) epic senate chamber battle with The Emperor after Order 66 to the emotional final confrontation between Obi-Wan and Anakin in a brother-against-brother duel on the hellish landscape of Mustafar. They’re perfectly shot, brilliantly choreographed and set against exciting backdrops. For every fan who’s more excited about the lightsaber battles when it comes to watching these films, Revenge of the Sith is right for you.
6
The Performances
“You were my brother Anakin! I loved you!”
A film doesn’t quite come together without decent performances, and thankfully Revenge of the Sith excels in that department. Though the Star Wars saga hasn’t been known for having the most acclaimed acting, considering Alec Guinness is, to date, the only performer nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Obi-Wan in A New Hope. While I would be bold in saying the acting is Oscar-worthy here, the performances stand out, and they’re some of the best in the franchise’s history.
Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, and Oscar-winner Natalie Portman are a powerhouse main cast, delivering some of the most remarkable performances of their careers, and they’re backed by a talented supporting cast as well. Christensen, at the time, received criticism during his stint as Anakin, and although I’ll admit Attack of the Clones saw him struggle a bit trying to fit into the role, can we all agree the dialog was mostly to blame? Revenge of the Sith was really where he showed he was perfect for the role, and a lot of his quieter moments where he acts mostly with his expressions are truly captivating. Overall, it’s hard to deny this film has acting that keeps audiences invested.
5
The Incredible World Building
There’s more to add in a galaxy far, far away…
One major thing the prequel, and especially Revenge of the Sith, did exceptionally well was how greatly they expanded the Star Wars mythos. Not only did they add newer, exciting worlds, more interesting characters, and cooler-looking alien species, but they highlighted much more of the extensive history within this universe, giving more context to significant moments from the Star Wars timeline.
Revenge of the Sith has perhaps the best world-building of the trilogy, adding newer and exciting stuff, like showing the end of the Clone Wars, the fall of the Jedi Order, and the rise of the Galactic Empire. Perhaps the best example of this world-building comes from Palpatine’s chilling Darth Palgueis speech in the first act of the film. In this scene, while trying to slowly sway Anakin to the dark side, he relays a tale he “heard” of a wise Sith Lord so powerful that he could cheat death but ironically couldn’t save himself in the end. It’s a memorable and eerie speech that gives so much deeper meaning to Palpatine’s backstory, the dark side, and the mysterious nature of the force. It’s a powerful, thought-provoking moment that’s made Revenge of the Sith such a masterclass in storytelling.
4
Order 66
It’s one of the saddest, most shocking betrayal scenes of all time.
.jpeg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2)
Let’s now talk about one of the most pivotal moments in Star Wars history, the Order 66 scene. In only a short amount of time, this powerful scene is what this whole trilogy was building up to: Anakin’s fall from grace and becoming Darth Vader, the conclusion of the Clone Wars, the sad end of the Republic, and Palpatine’s sinister plan finally revealed as he orders the clones to turn on their Jedi generals.
Order 66 is a scene that has Star Wars fans constantly talking about, as it’s so iconic and, honestly, one of the most crucial moments in the franchise, period. It’s brilliantly shot and nicely edited, and the dramatic score accompanying it greatly emphasizes the tragedy of this event. There’s no talking about Revenge of the Sith without praising this incredible scene. It’s an emotional moment that still feels heartbreaking to see today.
3
It Shows How Palpatine Became Emperor
There’s a reason why he’s the most evil being in the galaxy.
Another great thing about the prequels was showing how the sinister Sith Lord Darth Sidious, Sheev Palpatine, rose to become the dreaded Galactic Emperor. How he reached this power is truly one of the most fascinating parts of Revenge of the Sith. In a terrifyingly brilliant move, he takes control of the galaxy by manipulating the chosen one, Anakin, over to the dark side, causing the collapse of the Jedi order and turning the Republic into a tyrannical dictatorship.
Honestly, Revenge of the Sith gives more and better reasons why the Emperor is one of the most evil cinematic villains of all time. Here, he proves how monstrous, irredeemable, and cold-hearted he truly is. He’s elevated, of course, by Ian McDiarmid’s Oscar-worthy performance, who steals the show every moment he appears on screen. Sure, the Emperor was a domineering presence in the Originals, but here he really shows the extent of his wickedness and brilliance, and it’s so compelling.
2
Mature Storytelling
It’s not afraid to go dark
There’s no denying that Revenge of the Sith is the darkest entry in the Star Wars franchise. This one really doesn’t hold back and pulls no punches. Its tone is bleaker, there’s more violence and destruction, limbs are constantly sliced off, there are beheadings and massacres, and Anakin’s fall to the dark side is shocking and truly disheartening.
That’s one of the main reasons why it’s so great, after all. Revenge of the Sith and Empire Strikes Back, more often than not, are cited as two of the best films because they weren’t afraid to go bold, showing darker themes. This one shows that Star Wars isn’t always for kids and that it has the power to tell more mature, compelling storytelling.
1
The Fall of Anakin Skywalker
This is what it was all building up to!
Finally, at the end of it all, what really makes Revenge of the Sith the best is how masterfully it showed the downfall of Anakin Skywalker and his rebirth as Darth Vader. It’s one of the most fascinating and saddest parts of the prequels and the franchise in general.
For two films, audiences follow this once-compassionate Jedi Knight, going from humble origins as a slave on Tatooine to rising through the ranks and becoming a hero of the Republic. But, now here, we see his tragic fall from grace as his fear of losing the ones he loves pushes him towards the dark side of the force and losing everything to finally becoming the feared dark lord of the Sith. It’s truly one of the most compelling and heart-wrenching story arcs in movie history, and for this reason, Revenge of the Sith reigns supreme as the greatest Star Wars movie.
