And you can't even blame Hollywoodian "written-by-committee" syndrome that so often takes decent scripts and turns them into compost. The man is simply the most highly paid incompetent person on the planet.

I want to cry when I think of what a competent committee could have done with that script.

Which is why I won't go to the theaters to see it. I'll do like the others and order it through Netflix when it's available.

Was it stupider than Episodes I and II?

I think it was stupider than Episodes I and II only because it could have reached greater heights than Episodes I and II, so its failures are more pronounced.

Pretty much. Episodes I and II set their sights lower.

I would love to see the entire series remade by a writer with talent. Or, perhaps, the tragedy-of-obi-wan - the entire story as a meditation on his character flaws and his failure to properly train Anakin. Not to mention the story of the impotent Bail Organa, unable to prevent the Senate from destroying itself.

There's a lot of interesting potential material here that Lucas is just unable to *percieve*, let alone mine.

That said, I enjoyed ROTS far more than the other two; it carried off the atmosphere better. It was more visually engaging, and the scene with Anakin looking out across the sky from the council chambers while Padme is doing the same at home was the most moving scene in the entire series.

Still, the character changes make no sense; one minute Anakin is turning Palpatine in, the next he's killing small jedi children? One minute he's turning to the dark side in order to save Padme, the next he's killing her?

What the fuck?

There's a rumor going around the net that Tom Stoppard helped "polish" the script. I desperately hope there's no truth to it.

Yeah, if that's true, Stoppard needs to have his ass kicked.

I would have been content — like, my low low expectations would have been met — if the fight scenes hadn't been so badly choreographed and even more badly shot. I mean, the lightsaber work in I and II was pretty sloppy, but at least you didn't get the feeling that it had been staged in a telephone booth.

But the most depressing thing was the two or three moments when Hayden Christiansen was actually able to show some acting ability. He would have made a pretty good Luke Skywalker.

I figured I'd see it on the big screen because (1) if it was going to have any redeeming features, they'd have been visual, and (2) this way nobody can say I didn't give it a fair shot.

Though I do have a certain sympathy with the acquaintance who's considering shoplifting the DVD, just so he can make absolutely sure he's not giving George Lucas any money, even indirectly. (I suggested finding a pirated copy on the 'net, for that.)

FLYING MUPPET!

(sorry. I still haven't apparently worked that out of my system, even though mostly I did enjoy the movie.)

Geez, at least give us a spoiler warning...

Ah, but she didn't say which muppet.

My money's on it being Miss Piggy.

Haven't yet seen II, though I long for flying muppet.