We're back again with another showdown in the Star Wars Madness Tournament, this time with two members of the prequel trilogy set to duke it out. The darkest chapter in the prequel trilogy, Revenge of the Sith looks to prove that the dark side never goes defeated. However, the oft-criticized Attack of the Clones is determined to counter the end of the Clone Wars with it's start and move to the next round. Will the rise of Darth Vader claim victory and advance, or will the start of Anakin's fall come away with the win? VOTE BELOW!
Released: May 19, 2005
Director: George Lucas
Era: Prequel Trilogy
Box Office: $850,035,635
Synopsis: Three years into the Clone Wars, the Jedi rescue Chancellor Palpatine from Count Dooku. As Obi-Wan Kenobi pursues General Grievous, Anakin Skywalker acts as a double agent between the Jedi Council and Palpatine and is lured into a sinister plan to rule the galaxy.
Pros: In many ways, Revenge of the Sith is a perfect Star Wars movie. The action is top notch, the story is emotionally taxing, the stakes are at an all-time high, the film slows itself down to dig into the characters when it needs to, John Williams’ score shines, and the movie serves as the perfect bridge between the prequel and original trilogies. The lightsaber duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan, now truly like brothers, is by far and away the best in the saga that culminates in the heartbreaking loss of Padmé and Anakin’s full transformation into Darth Vader. Ian McDiarmid steals the show as The Senate, who completes his brilliant plan to wipe out the Jedi, end the Clone War, and establish the Empire. The final four scenes of the film, showing what becomes of the mother, father, daughter, then son, are absolutely perfect and end the trilogy in tragedy, but also hope.
Cons: In some regards, Anakin’s decision to turn to the dark side can feel a bit abrupt. It’s important to remember that he’s had three years of war to get darker since his first major episode with the Tusken Raiders, but in Episode III things go downhill for him pretty quickly. It was sad to see Count Dooku last no more than a scene before being whacked, and the relative ease with which Obi-Wan took out General Grievous makes one wonder how he made it through three years of war.
Released: May 16, 2002
Box Office: $649,436,358
Synopsis: 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.
Pros: Pushing the story towards galactic conflict, Attack of the Clones does a great job showing how Anakin Skywalker begins to walk the line towards the dark side, planting the seeds for his rebirth as Darth Vader. Seeing the Jedi Order in battle for the first time was epic, and when the Clones arrive the scale of the film reached groundbreaking levels for the Star Wars universe. A frequently overlooked highlight of the film is Christopher Lee’s performance as the charismatic Count Dooku, and detective Obi-Wan’s investigation into the plot against Amidala’s life is a unique venture for the saga.
Cons: Despite the great story, the film’s execution is easily the weakest of the prequel trilogy. The Bantha in the room is the acting in the romance scenes between Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman, which left much to be desired. Many of their problems stem from poorly written dialogue, which led to an Anakin that at times came across as whiny - although that dialogue has proven to be a goldmine for memes. The CG for the Clones, Kaminoans, and locations could really use some updating, as they haven’t aged well. As neat as it was to see Yoda break out his lightsaber and engage in a duel, the flipping and scream was a bit excessive and comedic at some points.
