Sith Happens

Just got back from watching the latest Star Wars installment. Yes, I'm well aware that it is a week after the opening, but going on opening day/night does get old after a while. Plus, I wouldn't be able to get a seat anyway.

First off, Natalie Portman cannot fake cry to save her life. She has two big crying scenes, and each one she couldn't sell me the emotion. When selling something as complicated as that kind of heartbreak, you have to do it well with me otherwise I can't believe in the character. I can't feel like Padme was real when she cried.

The light saber duels were really nice, and to see Sith vs. Jedi is a highlight several have been waiting for a while. The thing was, the fights were too fast. I don't mean they were short in the film. To do that would be cheating out the fans (as if Lucas didn't do that already), but to be perfectly honest, the light saber battles must have been done completely in Force Speed. Most of the time all I saw were blurs of light.

Hayden, on the other hand, I'm starting to wonder. I can see he can potentially be a great actor, but this "debut" into the mainstream may make or break him. I mean, Harrison Ford got the better end of the stick compared to Mark Hammile. I'm starting to think that may be the case between Hayden and Ewan. What's also got me thinking about him is the fact that Hayden has an obligatory "shirtless" moment. And yeah, he's got a hot body. I mean, really hot.

The biggest thing, however, are some of the little blips here and there as far as what Lucas dropped in as far as politics go. It kind of felt ironic that he would sneak in lines like "What if we are on the wrong side? What if the real enemy is the government we are trying to protect?" and "So this is how liberty dies... with thunderous applauds." Given this countries current political situation, as well as the ones that have affected everyone that is conscious of them, you can't help but see the parallels... and maybe fear them. After all, we are on a cultural invasion.

Politics aside (because I have no clue what I am talking about), the film does fill in all the various holes of the movies nicely. We learn how the Clone Troopers became the Storm Troopers. We learn why and how Anikin gets from being a pretty boy into the walking metallic version of Death know as Darth Vader. We learn how Luke and Leia got separated. We even get a hint as to what Obi-won meant by the line "If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you can ever imagine."

What I don't like? The fact that Jedi Jackson kind of lied about him "not going out like a 'punk'," for one. Then there's the voice of Palpatine when his true form is exposed. Too much reverb if you ask me. And finally, why the hell are there Wookies? Well, I can answer that in one word. Cameo. You'll know what I mean if you've seen it.

In any event, it's worth the ride at least once. Twice if you like it. And if you are a fan boy, my opinion doesn't matter because you've already reserved you DVD by now.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to look up a few things about the Aeon Flux movie MTV is apparently putting out.