The past five years have been a firm reminder of the power of nostalgia. Following the disappointing reception of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, some individuals began to view the prequels with greater fondness. Suddenly, movies that were mostly about failed trade negotiations and how terrible the Jedi actually were at their jobs started looking better and better.
That was especially true for Revenge of the Sith, the Star Wars movie that was received most warmly upon its release. In the 20 years since its release, though, Revenge of the Sith, and specifically that movie’s politics, has only become more relevant. It’s a movie about what it’s like to watch an entire political order fall and how much easier it is to let that happen than it might seem. Here are three reasons Revenge of the Sith continues to resonate today.
It’s the most overtly political Star Wars movie
Star Wars has always been political, but those politics are often more suggestions than anything concrete. The Rebels are the Vietcong, and the Empire is America, but none of that is stated explicitly.
That is not the case in Revenge of the Sith, a movie that, if anything, is too blunt about its worldview. This is a film where disinformation leads to the destruction of the Galactic Republic and its replacement with a Galactic Empire. It’s one in which Natalie Portman’s Padme Amidala explicitly points out that democracy has died, and the response is “thunderous applause.” Anakin Skywalker says, “If you’re not with me, you’re my enemy.”
Revenge of the Sith is operatic and blunt, but it’s a movie about democracy so decadent and self-absorbed that it becomes subject to the whims of a master manipulator.
Hayden Christensen is better in it than you remember
The backlash against Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker was swift and severe, but much of the stuff you remember comes from Attack of the Clones. In this installment, Christiansen seems to understand Anakin’s desperation to save Padme and how torn he eventually becomes as he becomes disillusioned with the Jedi. It’s a performance that definitely goes big in moments, but crucially, one that also lands many of the movie’s biggest scenes.
When Anakin is alone on a balcony in Coruscant, and you watch a single tear drift down his cheek, you come to understand just how much the events of the movie are tearing him apart. Christensen is playing a hero who becomes a villain, and he acquits himself better than you might remember.
John Williams goes on an absolute tear
Perhaps the most important reason for the success of Revenge of the Sith and of Star Wars generally is the continued greatness of John Williams. Although he’s just adding to his most iconic themes in Revenge of the Sith, he manages to write one piece of new music that feels genuinely elegiac. Anakin vs. Obi-Wan, which plays over the final confrontation between these former friends, is sweeping, sad, and beautiful in a way that the best Star Wars songs always are.
Just as importantly, Williams does some of his more unsettling work on this soundtrack, reminding us explicitly of Anakin’s journey into darkness. Revenge of the Sith is a movie about succumbing to the darkness, and Williams knows exactly how to meet that musical moment.
Stream Revenge of the Sith on Disney+.