It was worth waiting the three long years. The apparent final chapter in George Lucas’ Star Wars saga is finally here. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is the only part of the second trilogy that can be compared to the original, which comes from an unrelenting portrayal of utter despair. The film begins in a similar manner to Episodes I and II: our two favorite Jedi, Anakin (Hayden Christensen) and Obi Wan (Ewan McGregor), go on another daring rescue mission. Later, as was shown so heavy-handedly in Episode II, Anakin’s insecurities and fears begin to surface in relation to his secret marriage to Senator Amadalla (Natalie Portman).

Until about the half way point of the film, very little stands out above the previous two episodes. The same predictable writing and corny acting plague the film’s flow and ability to keep audience interest. As Anakin’s corruption continues and the film comes to a peak these superficial flaws are immediately forgiven. The film’s climax hits with an emotional ferocity on level with the end of The Empire Strikes Back, and upon conclusion the audience is left troubled and disturbed. Even though we are fully aware of what happens next, we still feel concerned with the fate of the characters and the galactic republic.

The film is only able to captivate so well because it serves as the climax of the entire series. The six Star Wars movies essentially tell the story of one man’s corruption from good to evil, and his eventual redemption and demise. The classic Sci-fi allegory shows the story Anakin Skywalker and his corrupted form: Darth Vader. Everything else is background. The goal of the Jedis, the guiding voices of the galaxy, in Episode I: The Phantom Menace, is set around a young Anakin. In Return of the Jedi, episode VI, the last thing we see (aside from some dancing teddy bears) is a reformed, dying Darth Vader…or is it Anakin? Episode III shows the final dissention into evil that had been built up to so unfulfilling in Episodes I and II. For the film to be emotionally successful and fully captivating, a deep darkness and degree of horror is required (note the pg-13 rating). While it still suffers from similar flaws found in earlier installments, abysmal dialogue being the most prevalent, Episode III packs enough of a emotional punch that we can see past these weaknesses and be completely engrossed in the gloominess.

This film does not prove that Lucas can write decent dialogue. Nor does it convince anyone that Hayden Christensen is a great actor. It does, however, due to its excruciating darkness, redeem the classic series more than anything short of the light-saber decapitation of Jar-Jar Binks could.