Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith parents guide

Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith Parent Guide

Beware the dark side...

Overall A-

In this third (dare we say final?) episode of the mother of all movie franchises, George Lucas is faced with a daunting task of tying up all the lose story threads. The big question everyone wants answered is: How does Anakin (Hayden Christensen) end up in that villainous black suit?

Release date October 18, 2005

Violence D+
Sexual Content A-
Profanity A
Substance Use A

Why is Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith PG-13 for sci-fi violence and some intense images

Run Time: 140 minutes

Parent Movie Review

The time for cloning around is over. In stark contrast to Episode II—Attack of the Clones, this third (dare we say final?) episode of the mother of all movie franchises pulls its characters through the story faster than a lightsaber can chop carrots. Faced with a daunting jumble of strings to tie up, Lucas doesn’t waste any time. Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) faces the beginnings of his inevitable moral undoing early in the first act after the Jedi Council holds back on giving him the full privileges he feels he deserves.

His buddy, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), counsels him to be patient, but the whisperings of the dark side are in his ears. Could Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) be giving subtle utterance to such blasphemies? Or is the helpful official truly an understanding political figure who is justifiably concerned about the intermingling of state and Jedi religion?

These questions, and many more, bring the script of Episode III into the light of reality far more than any of the five other films. With less focus on the battlefield, we spend more time at home with Anakin and Padme (Natalie Portman), who are faced with the news of an unexpected delivery (at least unexpected for them… there isn’t a soul in the audience who isn’t aware the stork has been circling in a holding pattern for some time now). And we’re there for the painful introduction of the next infant generation in a birthing sequence.

Dealing with the consequences of choice is what this movie is all about - for George Lucas, the creator of this universe, as well as for his characters. Having written himself into a corner with the success of the films he made over two decades ago, he now needs to portray circumstances convincing enough to account for the behavior of his famous villains. The situation has both positive and negative implications. On the one side, it has forced Lucas to write what is definitely the best script of the three latest installments. Now ranking with the original series, this movie has more dialogue and focuses on only a handful of characters, which allows for rounding out of personalities. Anakin Skywalker’s deliberation over what is good versus what is evil is especially enlightening.

But, on the “dark side,” this is the first Star Wars production to receive a PG-13 rating (the other five are PG), and rightly so. There are no pod races here, and Jar-Jar is demoted to a cameo. Instead, after watching this film, you’ll never see a lightsaber as a “toy” again. Arms, hands, legs, and heads are cut and cauterized throughout the movie. While there is little evidence these humans bleed, the sanitized swashbuckling is explicit enough to consider leaving the under-ten crowd at home. Even more gruesome is when a character, whose legs have been sliced off, is left to burn alive beside a river of lava.

Was it necessary to pull Star Wars into a level of violence similar to the intensity of Lord of the Rings? I’ll take the easy way out and let you answer that question. One thing is for certain though—fans will be glued to the screen for all 140 minutes.

Directed by George Lucas. Starring Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor. Running time: 140 minutes. Theatrical release October 18, 2005. Updated

Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith Parents' Guide

Anakin’s struggle to know good from evil is something we all face during our lives. Have you had any real-life scenarios where you have been unsure if you are being manipulated for someone’s selfish purposes? What things can you do to help discern whether or not you are being lead into a harmful situation?

One of the mysteries of Star Wars has been the lightsaber. The staff at How Stuff Works has put together a fascinating article on this secretive Jedi weapon, and provides some tips on its use.

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith movie is October 31, 2005. Here are some details…

Home Video Notes: Star Wars: Episodes I - III

Release Date: 8 October 2013

20th Century Fox is releasing Star Wars: Episodes I - III to home video (Blu-ray and DVD). This 6 Disc Combo Set (3 Blu-ray +3 DVD) includes:

- Blu-ray Only Bonus Features: Audio Commentary for Each Movie from Archival Interviews with George Lucas, Cast and Crew.

Note: Star Wars: Episodes IV - VI are also being released on the same date as a separate package.

Home Video Notes: Star Wars: Episodes III: Revenge of the Sith

Release Date: 10 October 2005

If you have been waiting a long, long time, you will be happy to hear Twentieth Century Fox Home Video is releasing Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith right in time for the Christmas shopping season. Although you will have to chose the size that’s right for you (either wide or full screen) both editions are stuffed with the same bonus goodies.

Included in the two discs set is a commentary by writer-director George Lucas, producer Rick McCallum, animation director Rob Coleman, and ILM visual effects supervisors John Knoll and Roger Guyett, as well as deleted scenes introduced by George Lucas and Rick McCallum.

Get deep into the headspace of the creators of the movie with the featurettes: Within a Minute (the making of the Mustafar battle), The Chosen One (George Lucas traces the myth of Darth Vader through episodes 1-6) and It’s All for Real (the stunts of Episode III). Also offered is the 15-part collection of Lucasfilm’s Web documentaries. Gamers will take note of the opportunities to see the trailers for Star Wars Battlefront II (and take an Xbox game demo for a spin) and Star Wars Empire at War for the PC. The DVD-ROM component lets you test-drive a free trial of Hyperspace: The Ultimate Online Star Wars Experience. The package is all tied up with a music video for A Hero Falls, poster and print campaign samples, trailers and TV spots, and a never-before-seen production photo gallery. Audio tracks are available in English (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX) and French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), with subtitles in Spanish.

Related news about Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith

Star Wars Re-releases The Complete Saga

Star Wars Re-releases The Complete Saga

{parents:pull_quote}

New Title for Star Wars Episode VIII

New Title for Star Wars Episode VIII

{parents:pull_quote}

News About Star Wars VIII and Rogue One

News About Star Wars VIII and Rogue One

{parents:pull_quote}

Star Wars VII Has An Official Title

Star Wars VII Has An Official Title

{parents:pull_quote}

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer and News

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer and News

{parents:pull_quote}

The Big Teaser: Star Wars VII

The Big Teaser: Star Wars VII

{parents:pull_quote}

The Force… It’s calling to you…

The Force… It’s calling to you…

{parents:pull_quote}

Lego Star Wars Droid Tales May Be The Droids You’re Looking For

Lego Star Wars Droid Tales May Be The Droids You’re Looking For

{parents:pull_quote}

Get Your Kids Animating With LEGO

Get Your Kids Animating With LEGO

{parents:pull_quote}