Twenty years ago, “Star Wars” fans across the world finally learned the full story behind Luke Skywalker’s father — a hero who fell from grace to become one of the most iconic villains in cinematic history.
“Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” was released in theaters on May 19, 2005, as the last of three prequel films to the original Star Wars trilogy.
“Revenge of the Sith,” widely considered the best of the prequel films, if not one of the greatest Star Wars films of all time, follows Anakin Skywalker’s (Hayden Christensen) fall to the dark side and the rise of the Galactic Empire.
The tragic story — which no matter how many times one rewatches, still ends in Anakin’s brutal defeat and transformation into Darth Vader — is full of heartbreaking moments. It features expertly choreographed lightsaber duels and iconic dialogue that is burned into the minds of many Star Wars fans.
The rerelease of the film in theaters for its 20th anniversary was thus met with excitement by fans and even cheering in theaters at iconic moments. However, its initial release in 2005 didn’t receive the same response.
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Critics and fans appreciated the film on a technical level, with its seamless action scenes, impressive effects and John Williams’ phenomenal score. However, they criticized the rough, wooden dialogue and performances, with blame falling to both the actors and George Lucas, the writer and director.
Christensen was chosen over 1,500 other actors for the role of Anakin, including stars like Leonardo DiCaprio. Despite this, his performance was met with backlash for his monotone and seemingly inauthentic delivery. Now, his delivery is revered for being raw and emotional, reflecting the character’s spiral towards darkness out of sheer desperation and fear of loss.
While Christensen received the brunt of the criticism, other actors weren’t exempt, despite giving moving performances, particularly in the final scenes. Among these include Natalie Portman’s look of betrayal when Padmé confronts Anakin, the pain in Ewan McGregor’s voice when Obi-Wan Kenobi screams “You were my brother” as Anakin burns in a river of lava and the dark look in Christensen’s eyes throughout all of this as we realize his innocence is truly gone.
While the script is by no means excellent — George Lucas has never been renowned for the natural flow of his dialogue — its slight inauthenticity is what makes it so authentically “Star Wars.”
The franchise, particularly before Disney owned it, has had a specific style, which Lucas has said is like that of a 1930s Western or Saturday matinee serial. This doesn’t necessarily excuse the rough dialogue, but it does allow it to be viewed in a different light and perhaps even forgiven enough to appreciate Lucas’ talent for storytelling.
Despite the mixed responses to the film following its initial release, today’s fans are showing overwhelming support for it, with its week-long re-release in theaters making an estimated $42.2 million at the global box and $25.2 million domestically — one of the top-grossing rereleases behind “Star Wars: A New Hope” and “The Lion King.”
The film’s positive reception today could in part be its comparison to the Disney-made sequel trilogy, which has been criticized for its incohesive plot, poorly choreographed lightsaber fights and inexplicable revelations. (Somehow, Palpatine has returned.)
Because of the sequels, “Revenge of the Sith” is better recognized for the powerful story it tells, which actually served a purpose rather than acting as an unnecessary addition to the franchise. The film explains not only how the Empire came to be, but also tells the once-untold story of Luke and Leia’s parents and how their father became Darth Vader.
In 2005, audiences viewed “Revenge of the Sith” only in the context of the original movies and the first two widely disliked prequels. Today, many viewers are rewatching the film, having seen more of Anakin’s story in series like “The Clone Wars,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi” and “Ahsoka.” These shows, as well as other expansions of the “Star Wars” universe, have given fans a deeper connection to Anakin and the Jedi Order, making his tragic fall and Order 66 hit even harder.
The story also weighs heavier on audiences today because of its political significance, as it shows the rise of an oppressive, authoritarian government. While the state of today’s democracy is debated, it’s safe to say that Padmé’s line following the fall of the Republic: “So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause,” affects some fans on a deeper level than it did 20 years ago.
Whether audiences praise the film as they do today or it receives backlash like it did in 2005, it will continue to reach new generations of Star Wars fans and live on as a gut-wrenching story that hits both new and old “Star Wars” fans where it hurts.
