The 'dark side' permeates last flick

What was it that made George Lucas’ original “Star Wars” trilogy so successful?

Was it the ground-breaking visual effects that realistically brought audiences to a galaxy far, far away?

Was it the abundance of unique characters in such imaginative worlds that awed viewers into believing Wookiees and Ewoks existed?

Or was it Lucas’ epic storytelling that pits father against son, democracy opposite dictatorship and good versus evil?

Each provides strong arguments for the success of Lucas’ space saga as it took over America in 1977.

The original “Star Wars” trilogy (“Episodes IV – VI”) seems to follow Luke Skywalker’s destiny to lead an underdog rebellion against his father, the now-infamous Darth Vader.

However, now that all six installments are finally completed, “Star Wars” actually chronicles the tragic story of Anakin Skywalker, the “Chosen One” prophesied to bring peace to the galaxy but ultimately corrupted by the Dark Side of the Force into becoming Darth Vader.

“Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” captures this transformation on an epic scale. After two lackluster prequels, Lucas returns to the original form that mesmerized audiences 28 years ago.

Computerized technology is used masterfully in the visual effects; the characters that embodied the original trilogy are introduced, and the last hour of “Revenge of the Sith” is nothing short of operatic.

After a dull, monotone performance in “Episode II,” Hayden Christensen proves himself worthy of the role of Anakin with a convincing portrayal of the doomed hero.

Forced to overcome many scenes with cheesy dialogue (one of the film’s few weaknesses), Christensen brings a range of emotion and a dark mystique that keep the script afloat.

His black cloak and shadowy eyes foretell the darkness on the horizon as his character begins to unravel.

Ewan McGregor brings many of the amusing quirks and mannerisms to the Obi-Wan Kenobi character that Alec Guinness perfected in the original. His frustration emerges through the Republic’s downfall and Anakin’s two-faced betrayal.

Through the last hour of “Episode III,” Anakin’s back-stabbing erupts as the Dark Side begins to take over, and all the pieces of the “Star Wars” saga fall into place.

Those who have seen “Episode IV” (the first released “Star Wars” installment) know the Republic has become an Empire that rules the galaxy; the Jedi are all but wiped out, and the spirit of Anakin Skywalker has been destroyed by Darth Vader.

The final ending should be no surprise to fans of the Saga, but how Lucas weaves the story around that ending is a masterful stroke.

“Revenge of the Sith” is, by far, the darkest episode and sits among the best. George Lucas has successfully created a world of his own, complete with mythic tales, legendary characters and wizardly effects.

His main strength, however, is including the basic themes of love, loyalty and good versus evil as cornerstones in one of the most important stories in cinematic history.

Contact the A&E Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.