Les Jones

I agree with you about the conversion to the Dark Side. All the peices were there, they just didn't quite fit together.

I think a big part of the problem was how quick Anakin went from 'I don't know if I should do this whole dark side thing' to 'ok, I'll kill all these kids.'

Palapatines speech making the Republic and Empire was lame too, would have been far better if Yoda or Bail Organa or someone had simply mentioned he had done so and the Senate acclaimed him. Then you could have at least believed Palpatine had been convincing about it.

The fights kicked ass though, and I loved seeing Vader in the suit for the first time!

"All the peices were there, they just didn't quite fit together."

Exactly. Lucas spent a lot of screen time on it, and I understand the general logic (Anakin didn't want to lose anyone else, so the idea of a magic art that could save people from death was appealing), but the way he turned against his friends just wasn't believable for me.

Actually, I found it very believable as I've seen it done many times here in DC. While it usually invovles far more than a day or two of discussions - if you stretch out the recruiting effort over some months - and plan for it right - I can easily understand how the Emporer turned Annakin on his friends through lies, deceit, and the magical carrot of life.

SPOILER ALERT

The process was complete - not when he became Vader but when after emerging Frankenstein like from his surgery he was told Padema died during the battle and was made to believe that Obi Wan did it.

A couple of guys here at work also found the conversion too fast and too steep. My wife pointed out that even without the tragedy of the confrontation in the Emperor (whoops) Senator's chamber, that Anakin would have done anything if he thought it would save Padme.

Melissa: "He's a man. If Princess Hairdo had ever told him to kill people and that she'd love him forever - his only question would have been 'How many?'"

Of course she didn't 'tell' him, and wouldn't have. But Anakin believed he was doing this to save her from death. In light of his impetuousness, his temper, his willingness to do anything to further covet Padme, and the laundry list of major lies and moral lapses the Jedi visited on him - it may not be logical, but it doesn't clash with the storyline.

I walked away from this thinking that the Jedi had turned into a bunch of paranoid lying weenies. I don't think you could forgive Anakin - but the Jedi could have prevented him.

Since Luke marries Mara Jade I guess it solves that ridiculous "I was touched in a bad way when I was a Padawan" celibacy thing.

Ep III whipped the socks off I & II. I'm not flame-baiting, but I think it's better than RotJ

I agree Chris, it was light years better than I & II and is even better then Jedi. I'd put it on par with the Empire Strikes Back.

My wife, of course, thinks its better than the original one (she is into the tragedy for the sake of art thing, I guess)