Top Films of '05: #2 Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Oh, what the hell – warts and all, Episode III was still the giant joygasm all us nerds have been waiting for almost thirty years. Hokey dialogue? – Check. Bad acting? – Check. But hey, lightsaber smackdowns, Anakin in flames, wookies, Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan? Check, check, check and check! There’s no reason to suppose that casual observers would appreciate this mess, but for those of us truly invested – heart, soul and finances – in the Star Wars legacy, it was a meaty payoff. Lucas redeems himself as the born visual storyteller we fell in love with, and he wisely allows the chain of events to guide the momentum of the film, particularly during its action-packed second half. I don't usually cry at the movies, but when Obi-Wan leaves Anakin in a pile of ashes? Pass me the kleenex!

Rendering Episodes I and II nearly pointless, Revenge of the Sith restored much of the good name of Star Wars and should soothe at least some of the savage rage directed at George Lucas for the past few years. Lucas has concluded his space opera – still one of the enduring myths of our time – on a high note, and no one can take that away from him.