Star Wars has long been on the forefront of the cultural and entertainment spheres. From its meteoric rise, to its prolonged success, to its recent hardship, the story built and created by George Lucas has established itself as an intellectual property on the bleeding edge of the cultural zeitgeist. For most fans, The Empire Strikes Back or the original trilogy as a whole is the pinnacle of the franchise, and for good reason. However, at the time this is being written, Episode III, Revenge of the Sith, has just been re-released in theaters for its 20th anniversary. The prequel trilogy is much more divisive than the original trilogy. And while The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones are judged harshly, this recent re-release has exposed a truth: Revenge of the Sith is something far greater. For some, this comes as a shock. For others like myself, it feels as though everyone else is finally stepping into the light we have long seen. Today, I wish to examine why the Revenge of the Sith re-release is generating so much hype, and what it all means.
The first reason the Revenge of the Sith re-release has been a massive success has all to do with demographics. Through anecdotal evidence, though not exclusively so, it is plain to see. Personally, when this film first premiered, I was a child. I did not see it in theaters, as my parents thought the Emperor was too scary for me, but I remember the movie coming out. But what’s more, I remember all the Star Wars hype surrounding it. Books, video games, toys, Star Wars Revenge of the Sith was everywhere. Posters of Anakin and Obi-Wan and Yoda and Darth Vader and Palpatine hung in every library and in the windows of every bookstore and comic shop. At school, my friends and I would discuss and debate the most powerful Jedi and Sith, and who would win in a fight between Anakin and Luke when each were at their full potential (Anakin). And my story is just one amongst many. I believe the driving force behind the eruption of the Revenge of the Sith re-release are the people who were kids when the movie first debuted. They were the ones who fell in love with Star Wars because of Anakin, not Luke. And now, they, like me, are grown, but the love for this film has not subsided in the least. The masses are yearning for a film of true quality in theaters, and the call of an old friend, the familiar face of this movie is more than enough to draw them back.
Secondly, in a take that may be more controversial than I believe it should be, Revenge of the Sith has always been good. It was and still is the best of the prequels, but in my opinion, is also one of the best in the entire Star Wars saga. On any given day, I may rank it before Empire as the best. And while I know, The Empire Strikes Back is superior on many levels both tangible and subliminal, Revenge of the Sith is just as capable in many ways of its own. For one, the performances are superb, far greater than the previous prequels. Hayden Christiansen’s portrayal of Anakin Skywalker in this film nearly perfect. Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan, Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu, Natalie Portman as Padme Amidala, and Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine also shine. And while there is some stunted dialogue, there are also countless lines that are both memorable and profound. The visuals are stunning to this day, and the story is Shakespearean. The more Revenge of the Sith ages, the more I believe it will be recognized as a defining film of its era, especially due to the timeless themes and ideas it depicts through its story and characters.
In a similar vein, Revenge of the Sith remains popular due to its emotional weight and ability to resonate with audiences on a deep level. As previously mentioned, the conflicts detailed within the film feel much greater than just a whimsical space opera. Of course, there are light-hearted moments, along with a treasure trove of quotable lines. But, amidst all that, the heart of the story George Lucas was trying to tell shines through. Revenge of the Sith just feels like a genuine work of art, labored over by a man full of passion and conviction for the story he wished to tell. And this story is a significant one. It is the fall of a free society into tyranny. It is the depiction of what the burden of the world can do to a man. It is the fall of a hero into despair, in which he nearly kills his wife and ends up hating his near-brother. It is good versus evil like the original trilogy, yes, but it is filled with greater nuance still. The focus is on Anakin’s fall from Chosen One to slave of darkness, but the conflict in every facet of his life leading to this collapse is executed to perfection. His marriage is forbidden, and thus he must hide it. His relationship with his Order is rocky, and so he must tolerate it. His friendship with the Chancellor is revealed to be against everything he is supposed to believe, and so he must choose. All these little battles and more contribute to his fall from grace, and upon multiple viewings, this is more evident in the best way. Revenge of the Sith is a powerful film, and stories that can evoke such strong feelings leave a lifelong impression on their audience.
As a small aside, I do not want to make this discussion a generational one. However, I did want to highlight this briefly, especially in tandem to my first point about the returning audience for the film. While Generation X has had decades to rave about their experiences in theaters as children during the release of the original trilogy, the hype and success surrounding the re-release for Revenge of the Sith just feels like a win for Gen Z (and younger millenials). Of course, it goes without saying that the audience for Episode III spans multiple generations and demographics, but Revenge of the Sith was the hill for Gen Z Star Wars fans to die on. And now, as it proves its worth once again, we can say our Star Wars movie is recapturing its deserved acclaim. In days that have seen Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remastered and re-released, a game first published starkly near the debut of Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Episode III is too rekindling the light that previously shined on this era of media, and those who grew up with it can show everyone else why we loved it in the first place.
Star Wars has become quite unfortunately weighed down in politics and mismanagement, and the magic had all but evaporated. What was once the greatest media franchise in the West had become nothing more than a cultural scapegoat and laughingstock. But with the re-release of Revenge of the Sith, I and many others remembered why we loved Star Wars in the first place. Through a combination of a hungry target audience, a strong and underappreciated foundation, and a larger-than-life story, this film has reinvigorated a defeated and deflated community, at least for a little while. And we all can be happy about that.
Russell A. Wells 