Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is back in theaters to celebrate its twentieth anniversary. Back in 2005, the movie’s hype was everywhere: there were toys, restaurant promotions, tie-in commercials, and plenty of other material to excite everyone about the conclusion to Anakin Skywalker’s story. Audiences were eagerly waiting to see how Anakin would fall to the dark side. Now, twenty years later, people can revisit the movie and see how it has aged like wine. Let’s look at five reasons why.
1. The Eternal Themes
“So this is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause,” laments Padme Amidala when Palpatine declares himself Emperor of the galaxy. The movie shows how easy it is to let darkness win. Corruption comes not just from people committing corrupt acts, but also from others standing by and allowing those acts to happen. In addition, Anakin’s descent to the dark side is stimulated by love, showing how even something as pure as love can be corrupted by fear and rage. The movie encourages the audience to look within themselves and see how we are all capable of light and dark.
2. Revenge of the Sith is Quotable
Many people will echo Padme’s aforementioned quote when real-life governments practice corruption. In more lighthearted situations, people love to quote Obi-Wan’s “Hello there!” and “I have the high ground!” Meme culture has harvested quotes from the film, making even innocuous quotes like “What about the droid attack on the Wookiees?” iconic. Throwing quotes at each other has long been a favorite pastime among Star Wars fans, and Revenge of the Sith provided plenty of rich material to help fans bond.
3. It’s Gorgeous to Look at
If you get a chance, I highly recommend revisiting this movie on the big screen. The theatrical experience lets you fully appreciate the amount of detail that went into creating the galaxy far, far away. From the opera house on Coruscant to the sinkhole labyrinth on Utapau, so much love shines through every frame of the movie, letting the audience savor the colors and designs. Revenge of the Sith was when Lucasfilm obtained near-perfection with digital effects, making the journey to the galaxy far, far away almost seamless.
4. The Awesome Action Scenes
Anakin and Obi-Wan’s lightsaber duel on the volcanic planet Mustafar has become one of the most iconic fights in the entire saga. Even twenty years later, watching the former best friends duel as lava explodes in hellish geysers around them continues to wow audiences. In addition, other action scenes, such as the opening space battle duel between Mace Windu and Palpatine, also pump adrenaline into the viewers through their visuals, iconic sound effects, and cinematography.
5. The Emotional Moments
Revenge of the Sith is perhaps the most tragic movie in the Star Wars saga, and the emotional moments are every bit as memorable as the grand action scenes. Watching a single tear fall down Anakin’s cheek after he murders the Separatists gives the audience a look at how some part of him is aware that he has sold his soul. Anakin gazing out the window as he loses hope is eerily beautiful, and Obi-Wan crying that he and Anakin were brothers has pulled on many a heartstring.
Conclusion
In today’s divided world of tense political climates and social media fights, Revenge of the Sith is arguably more relevant now than it was when it first came out. It reminds people of how darkness resides in everyone and how easy it is to be corrupted. Audiences will likely return to it for many decades to come and immerse themselves in Anakin, Padme, and Obi-Wan’s story. If you can, take a couple of hours this week to see Revenge of the Sith in theaters and return to the galaxy far, far away.
