On the new Star Wars

I don't really think I can do justice to the new Star Wars flick in this post, but I feel compelled to join the cacophony of those who have something, anything to say about it.

After my recent discussion of Star Wars and what is about (which, by the way, JLowe, the ultimate Star Wars geek, is still fashioning a response to), I have been able to see the newest film, ruminate on it a bit, and theorize on what it all means in the grand scheme of things.

I saw the film on Friday, despite my self-pledge that I wouldn't see it in the first week, because JLowe and his wife planned a viewing and somehow managed to talk my wife into it. That was unexpected.

I have to say, the thrill that ran up my spine when I saw the "Star Wars" creeping up the screen was less than I've felt in a long time, probably from a combination of disappointment over the last two installments, combined with fear that this film wouldn't deliver on the implied promise that it would be the best of them all (in some ways, it wasn't, but part of that is perhaps my idealized rememberances of my youth).

What I saw was a film that efficiently covered all of the major points that needed to be covered, but sometimes wasn't convincing in its delivery. Anakin has become a Jedi Knight, despite the fact that the Council doesn't trust him and he still shows tremendous immaturity in his behavior. Padme is blatantly pregnant, yet noone seems to notice. Palpatine has been kidnapped by the beta version of Vader, General Grievous, who looks like he should be tremendously sinister and powerful, yet never quite delivers when the time comes. Jar Jar, strangely, has not yet been killed by someone so annoyed that they've yanked out his tongued and strangled him with it, but he does manage to keep (mostly) silent in recognition of some implied death threat from the fans. Obi Wan clearly is greatly respected by everyone, yet when you watch him in battle, you never understand how he's distinguished himself. And the Republic, a mere shell of what it once was, is teetering on the brink.

The plot points that I was never compelled to buy into?

• Why'd noone pick up on the pregnancy, and start inquiring into the paternity, sooner?
• Why does the Jedi Council so readily acquiesce to Anakin's placement on the Council?
• Why is Anakin so hung up on status, if he's truly such a great Jedi?
• If Yoda's able to sense anger, fear, hatred, suffering, and even the moment that Anakin makes his turn to evil, how come he couldn't discern Anakin's paternity of the twins, or Anakin's growing trouble with the prospect of losing Padme?
• What turned Anakin in that moment that he went from going to arrest Palpatine, knowing of his evil, to bowing before Palpatine?
• Why was Mace Windu so easy to kill? He's a freakin' master...
• How'd the Republic buy into Palpatine's representation that the Jedi had attempted a coup so easily, considering the same senate had, only hours before, relied on said Jedi to lead their armies into battle to save the Republic?
• How plausible is it that the senate would simply acquiesce in the creation of an Empire? Although there's precedent for us in our history, it seems silly in a society as technologically advanced as the Star Wars Republic.
• How could the Emperor not sense the existence of the Skywalker babies?
• What kind of mother would simply give up living knowing that her babies needed protection? I'd think this odd for Padme...
• Why wipe C-3PO's memory and not R2-D2's?

Anyway, all these things said, it was gratifying to see how the prequels and the sequels were tied together. At the end, we see Luke's uncle gazing at the Tattooine sky, a la Star Wars; we see Leia's adoption by the eventual royal family of Alderaan; we see Yoda and Obi Wan's exile, and we see Darth Vader and a David Niven look-alike joining the Emperor in viewing the initial stages of the Death Star construction.

Couple of other queries:

• How long does it take to make a Death Star? The second one was operational fairly quickly, probably 5 years in the Star Wars timeline, so assuming that it's construction was aided by knowedge gained the first time around, is it realistic to think that it took 15-18 years to complete when the pieces were already starting to be put into place as Luke and Leia were born?
• Assuimg that it did take 15-18 years, how did Yoda become such a lame-ass so quickly? In Episode 3, he's jumping like a pingpong ball, and is as nimble as can be. How, in such a short time (relatively, given how old Yoda actually was) does he turn into a doddling near-invalid by Episode 4? Couldn't Lucas have explained that away better?

Whatever. That's all just being picky.

Anyway, go see Revenge of the Sith. Take your kids (but don't necessarily let them go alone). It's a quality film which does much in restoring the legacy of the SW franchise, and which is more than serviceable in tying everything together. I give it a 7.5 on the ol' 1-10 scale.

May the Force be with you, and catch ya later.