#50 Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 13 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: J. J. Abrams
Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch, Leonard Nimoy, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Alice Eve, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, Peter Weller, Noel Clarke.

Synopsis
In the wake of a shocking act of terror from within their own organization, the crew of The Enterprise is called back home to Earth. In defiance of regulations and with a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads his crew on a manhunt to capture an unstoppable force of destruction and bring those responsible to justice. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

Review
Judging from how the critically lauded 2009 'Star Trek' reboot managed to re-establish the universal timeline and its characters through clever use of time travel-altered alternate reality, it's safe to say that J.J. Abrams might still be adventurous enough to surprise audiences by pioneering an entirely fresh new take on how the saga should continue. Well, I was dead wrong.

Instead of bringing the multi-cultural Enterprise crew on a new direction in terms of story and journey, the film however revisits a few notable plotlines from the past series. Familiar Trekkies might find the references or homages a bit too similar to the old storyline (plus a very forcefully done cameo), while new Trekkies like me finds it logically acceptable. However, the magic from the reboot, that unpredictable sense of freshness, made zero presence here.

A higher stakes for the crew means a larger setpieces together with dazzling special effects set in space. The lens-flare filled sequences were filmed in high octane manner. Watching this in IMAX format is a powerful experience that will thrill your senses to overdrive, all thanks to its heart-thumping sound system and crystal clear picture.

Plotwise speaking, the film explores the thematic perspectives of vengeance without losing its magical touch of maintaining the emotional resonance. The plot might be a bit too convoluted from second half onwards. Emotions run deep in every character through effective interactions and chemistry between the cast.The relationship dynamics of the crew is the main locomotive driving the plot. Charming leads aside, notable performances went to Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto's. Pine's portrayal of hotheaded Kirk is essentially the strongest within the crowd. Beneath his impulsiveness and recklessness comes a great breakthrough in terms of character development. Quinto's Spock, who is still prone to logical faults and struggle with any emotional attachments embedded within, is a pure crowd-pleaser cemented with its iconic mythos. Together, the tension rises between the two as they take on the real spotlight of the film - Benedict Cumberbatch's malevolent 'John Harrison'.

A one-man force hell-bent on exacting a revenge on the Federation, Cumberbatch's supposedly post-911 influenced terrorist 'John Harrison' is a letdown. With all the buzz set on him alone, Cumberbatch's menacing character might be cold-blooded and vocally intense (spotting his eardrum piercing British pronunciation), but overall the character is terribly one-dimensional. Intelligent, combat-wise and could speak in very hostile tone, that's more than enough to make up another cliched movie villain.

Rating

4/5 Stars

#49 Star Trek (2009)

Star Trek (2009)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 7 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: J. J. Abrams
Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana, Leonard Nimoy, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, Ben Cross, Winona Ryder, Clifton Collins, Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Faran Tahir, Jennifer Morrison, Greg Ellis, Rachel Nichols, Tyler Perry.

Synopsis
The greatest adventure of all time begins with Star Trek, the incredible story of a young crew’s maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind. The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James Kirk, is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock, was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before.

Review
With a canon that spanned nearly 50 years of TV shows and motion pictures, it's only a matter of time before 'Star Trek' gets itself a decent reboot for the modern generation. This 2009 reboot helmed by visionary director J.J. Abrams plays out both as an approprite universe introduction to all the modern Trekkies and a quasi-sequel that brilliantly continues the storyline without disrespectfully destroying all the things set up by the previous timeline, thus earning all the critical approves from all the old Trekkies alike. One thing I really love about this reboot is how intelligent the filmmakers are creating this brand new environment that'll bound to change the course of lives of every pivotal character. The chemistry between the new Kirk and Spock turns out to be stronger than ever. Quinto's performance as the new younger Spock is emotionally captivating with all his display of personal struggles and racial dilemmas, while Pine's version of the courageous but at times reckless Kirk is heightens up the on-screen energy of the already impressive ensemble cast. The way the story smartly sets up the alternate reality has indirectly opened the door for all the characters to access their characteristic potentials and possible opportunities in near future. With all the emotions, space-opera like special effects and humor intricately woven within Abram's signature style of storytelling that integrates architectural lens flares, intergalactic scores and entertaining pace, 'Star Trek' qualifies as a genuine sci-fi must-love.

Rating

Full 5 Stars

#48 Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
PG-13
Running time: 1 hour 56 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Stuart Baird
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Tom Hardy, Ron Perlman, Dina Meyer, John Berg, Kate Mulgrew, Shannon Colchran, Jude Ciccolella, Alan Dale, Wil Wheaton, Majel Barrett, Stuart Barid, Bryan Singer, Whoopi Goldberg..

Synopsis
While passing near the Romulan Neutral Zone, the Enterprise-E picks up an unusual energy signal. The crew investigates, and finds dismantled pieces of an android that looks just like Data. But before the crew has time to determine its origins, they receive a priority message from Starfleet’s Admiral Janeway: There’s been an internal political shakeup on Romulus, and the new leader, Praetor Shinzon, has asked that a Federation ship visit to talk peace. When they get there, the crew discovers that, surprisingly, Shinzon is not Romulan. He’s from Romulus’s sister planet, Remus—but he’s not a Reman either. He’s a human clone of Captain Picard, the vestige of a failed Romulan plot to infiltrate Starfleet. All that’s in the past, Shinzon swears. Today he’s only interested in leading both the Romulans and the Remans down a path of peace with the Federation. But not all—in fact not much—is as it seems.

Review
Other than Patrick Stewart's stellar portrayal of Captain Picard, 'Nemesis' is a sign pointing to the so-called 'franchise fatigue', a condition where new story runs out of originality and the universe receives limited opportunity for expansion. Since not much is going on in the story department, 'Nemesis' sees a very young Tom Hardy playing a renegade Romulan enemy. While there's no shortage of action sequences and a death in the family at the end, these may be the only highlights of the Next Generation's final voyage

Rating
0/5 Stars

#47: Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Jonathan Frakes
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, F. Murray Abraham, Donna Murphy, Anthony Zerbe.

Synopsis
While investigating a report that Data is running amok on the peaceful Ba’ku planet, the Enterprise-E crew uncovers a conspiracy between Starfleet and the Son’a to secretly relocate the planet’s inhabitants. Interfering with the peaceful Ba’ku seems a clear violation of the Prime Directive, so Picard and his crew must choose whether to follow an unlawful order and help the Son’a, or to mutiny against Starfleet and protect the Ba’ku.

Review
The story itself can be quite confusing at times, a situation where the villains' motives aren't clearly represented, and the threat the crew is fighting is clearly fazed by the slightly convoluted plot line of the entire narrative, thus dampening the pace and excitement a Star Trek film usually possesses as a quality.

Rating
0/5 Stars

#46 Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
PG-13
Running time: 1 hour 51 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Jonathan Frakes
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis,Neal McDonough, James Cromwell.

Synopsis
The Borg, the Federation’s deadliest enemy, can’t seem to get past Starfleet’s 24th century defenses to assimilate the populace of Earth. But it’s not in Borg nature to give up. Following the destruction of one of their gigantic cube ships, a small Borg sphere ship creates a temporal passage into the past. Their goal: assimilate humanity before Earth’s residents can take their first tenuous steps towards founding the United Federation of Planets.

Review
With such intriguing premise of a Borg takeover of the Enterprise Starship, the film plays up a grave sense of urgency as the Next Generation must race against time to fight off the Borgs and prevent further intervention of the historical First Contact occasion. To cut things short, 'First Contact' is the best movie off the Next Generation series.

Rating
4/5 Stars

#45 Star Trek Generations (1994)

Star Trek Generations (1994)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 58 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: David Carson
Cast: Patrick Stewart, William Shatner, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Alan Ruck, Malcolm McDowell, Jacqueline Kim, Barbara March, Patti Yasutake, Whoopi Goldberg, James Doohan, Walter Koenig.

Synopsis
In the year 2293, Kirk, Scotty and Chekov reunite for a ceremony celebrating the launch of the brand new U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-B. (Wait—isn’t this a film about the crew of the Enterprise-D?) But on its maiden voyage, the Enterprise-B must attempt to rescue the passengers of a pair of vessels that have become ensnared in an “energy ribbon”—a deadly space phenomenon. The rescue attempt is only partly successful, and the fateful encounter will resonate through the decades to impact upon the lives of Captain Picard’s crew in the 24th century, where a man named Tolian Soran threatens to take the lives of millions of innocent people unless two Enterprise captains can stop him.

Review
Although the film did feature the hallmark meeting of both Captain Kirk and Captain Picard. the film suffers from a story that is written like an extended special episode for 'The Next Generation' series.

Rating
3/5 Stars

#44 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Kim Cattrall.

Synopsis
An environmental disaster on the Klingon moon Praxis forces the warrior race to consider an armistice with their long-time enemy, the Federation. Kirk, unable to forget the death of his son at Klingon hands, wants no part of it, but Spock “volunteers” the captain’s services to Starfleet for a diplomatic assignment: providing the Klingon chancellor with escort services to an intergalactic peace summit.

Review
With an intended political undertone planted along the storyline, the sixth instalment had Kirk battling his inner demon of fear and prejudice against the kind who he detests. With so much thought provoking messages lying around, the story of  'The Undiscovered Country' is cleverly written with a rebellious twist, thus elevating the overall fear and suspense throughout the course of the Enterprise crew. All in all, it is a great if not satisfactory final adventure for the original Enterprise crew.

Rating
4/5 Stars

#43 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

PG
Running time: 1 hour 46 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: William Shatner
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Catherine Hicks, Laurence Luckinbill.

Synopsis
As his newly commissioned ship undergoes some last minute fine-tuning in spacedock around Earth, Kirk, Spock and McCoy experience the rare opportunity to enjoy a vacation together in Yosemite National Park. But they’ve barely begun to relax when they’re ordered to return to the ship and head for Nimbus III, the so-called “Planet of Galactic Peace,” to resolve a hostage situation instigated by a mysterious renegade Vulcan.

Review
The Enterprise's quest in finding God falls short with a disappointing ending, rendering the whole experience from the first half to be a wild goose chase. Or am I missing something here? 'Cause I'm afraid that's the point after all, we're not supposed to find God in His physical form. Or maybe this film is dull and boring.

Rating
1/5 Stars

#42 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 2 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Leonard Nimoy
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Catherine Hicks, Majel Barrett.

Synopsis

Still on the planet Vulcan (where audiences last saw them at the end of The Search for Spock), Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, Sulu, Chekov and Uhura prepare to head home to receive their comeuppance for stealing the Enterprise and taking it to the forbidden Genesis planet. Spock, who has been recuperating from the fal-tor-pan procedure that restored his katra to his physical body, decides to accompany them so that he can testify at their court martial proceedings. But as their ship nears Earth, they receive an emergency transmission, warning all incoming vessels to steer clear of Earth. The reason: a mysterious alien probe has rendered all nearby ships and planetary defensive systems powerless, and is now wreaking havoc on the biosphere.

Review
It's fun, it's quirky and it's the weirdest, most eccentric Star Trek film ever made, in a great way. With the crew basically thrown into a fish-out-of-water circumstance, extreme measures are taken in order to survive the most dangerous era the world had ever lived through - the 80's! Armed with the very unconventional story of whale-searching (another way to raise contemporary environmental concern), the crew's interaction with people of Earth is golden and very funny. To sum things up, The Voyage Home could be the most special Star Trek movie of them all, and I enjoyed it very much.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

#41 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Picture
Director: Leonard Nimoy
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei.

Synopsis
In the aftermath of the Genesis planet’s creation and Spock’s heroic sacrifice to save the Enterprise crew, a somber Kirk and company return to Earth, where Kirk receives an unexpected visit from Spock’s father. Sarek is under the assumption that prior to his death, Spock gave Kirk his katra (or “living spirit”); it’s therefore Kirk’s responsibility to deliver Spock’s katra, along with his body, home to Vulcan. Unfortunately, Kirk left Spock’s body back on the Genesis planet, and he doesn’t have Spock’s katra— although he has a sneaking suspicion who does.

Review
Directed by Nimoy himself, the third Trek does have its moments. While plot inconsistencies are here and there, and Kirk's reaction to the death of his son is not help at all in mending the cracks, 'The Search for Spock' boasts great, fun performance from the crew in their journey of rescuing their miraculously resurrected friend, Spock. Mayhem ensues as Klingons make their presence felt by serving as a subplot menacing the entire mission. However, the film delivers as a solid entry in continuing the chronology of the original Enterprise crew.

Rating
4/5 Stars 

#40 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 52 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Cast: William Shatner, Ricardo Montalbán, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Paul Winfield, Kirstie Alley, Bibi Besch.

Synopsis
Khan Noonien Singh, a dangerous genetically enhanced human from Earth’s 20th century, manages to escape from the planet where the Enterprise exiled him nearly two decades ago. Although Khan could use the opportunity to escape, there’s only one thing on his mind: Revenge against James T. Kirk!

Review
Deemed as the best Star Trek movie by all Trekkies alike,  Montalbán's nefarious performance as the titular Khan is cold, cruel and by far a hardened steel hell-bent on afflicting vengeance upon Kirk. The film, along with its extraordinarily done pacing, did greatly in putting the Enterprise crew in unprecedented life and death scenario. It was fun to watch how the crew pushes the limit in order to outwit the genetically engineered Khan himself, which resulted in the crew paying the ultimate price. In conclusion, 'Wrath of Khan' is very well a Star Trek movie, a strict Star Trek movie.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

#39 Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
G
Running time: 2 hours 12 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Robert Wise
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Persis Khambatta, Stephen Collins.

Synopsis
Kirk and his former crew reunite aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 to save Earth from a powerful living machine that is destroying everything in its path as it searches for its “creator.” When we last saw this crew, at the end of the original Star Trek’s third season, the year was 2269. It is now 2271. Upon completion of his five-year mission, Kirk apparently accepted a well-deserved promotion to admiral, but he’s been having second thoughts about that decision. He feels he’s more suited to sitting in the captain’s chair aboard a starship than sitting behind a desk at Starfleet Headquarters. In the meantime, Spock has returned to his Vulcan homeworld to go through a ritual that will purge him of his emotions once and for all. Doctor McCoy has retired from active service. Chekov has changed his specialty, from navigation to ship’s security. Scotty, Uhura and Sulu continue to hold their familiar posts on the Enterprise. The ship itself, however, has gone through a major refit, with upgrades throughout.

Review
Although critics had all agreed that the first Star Trek full length feature is like an extended episode of the original series, I beg to differ that as a Gen-Y myself, the film plays a pivotal role in introducing the general vibe and feel of the old-school, classic Star Trek. From Shatner's hopelessly wooden performance as Kirk to Nimoy's signature Spock and his catchphrases, the mission to intercept V'Ger starts off with a gratuitous amount of time spent with the original crew. Kelley's witty portrayal of Bones is memorable, and not to mention Doohan's funny performance as Irish engineer Scotty. All in all, the first Star Trek is a great introductory entry into the Enterprise voyage saga.

Rating
4/5 Stars

#38 Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 38 minutes
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: Dave Filoni
Cast: Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Tom Kane, Christopher Lee, Dee Bradley Baker, Samuel L. Jackson, Nika Futterman, Anthony Daniels, Ian Abercrombie, Catherine Taber, Corey Burton, David Acord, Kevin Michael Richardson, Matthew Wood.

Synopsis

On the front lines of an intergalactic struggle between good and evil, fans young and old will join such favorite characters as Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padmé Amidala, along with brand-new heroes like Anakin's padawan learner, Ahsoka. Sinister villains – led by Palpatine, Count Dooku and General Grievous – are poised to rule the galaxy. Stakes are high, and the fate of the universe rests in the hands of the daring Jedi Knights.

Review

Watching this poorly done animation with a slightly unnecessary mini story had my time wasted, not in a good or worthy way.

Rating

0/5 Stars

#37 Return of the Jedi (1983)

Return of the Jedi (1983)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 13 minutes
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Sebastian Shaw, Frank Oz, Jeremy Bulloch, Denis Lawson, Kenneth Colley, Warwick Davis, Caroline Blakiston.

Synopsis

In the epic conclusion of the saga, the Empire prepares to crush the Rebellion with a more powerful Death Star while the Rebel fleet mounts a massive attack on the space station. Luke Skywalker confronts his father Darth Vader in a final climactic duel before the evil Emperor. In the last second, Vader makes a momentous choice: he destroys the Emperor and saves his son. The Empire is finally defeated, the Sith are destroyed, and Anakin Skywalker is thus redeemed. At long last, freedom is restored to the galaxy.

Review

Also known as 'Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi', the saga comes to a satisfying end with a few not so friendly encounters, such as Jabba the Hutt and Boba Fett. Being the one with the most straightforward, blockbuster-charged storyline of them all, the ending of 'Return of the Jedi' highlights the emotional core of the saga - the father-son relationship of Vader and Luke. Oh, don't even mention the Ewok tribe, which is just an awesome bunch of forest creatures.

Rating

4/5 Stars

#36 The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 4 minutes
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Jeremy Bulloch, Denis Lawson, Clive Revill.

Synopsis
After the destruction of the Death Star, Imperial forces continue to pursue the Rebels. After the Rebellion's defeat on the ice planet Hoth, Luke journeys to the planet Dagobah to train with Jedi Master Yoda, who has lived in hiding since the fall of the Republic. In an attempt to convert Luke to the dark side, Darth Vader lures young Skywalker into a trap in the Cloud City of Bespin. In the midst of a fierce lightsaber duel with the Sith Lord, Luke faces the startling revelation that the evil Vader is in fact his father, Anakin Skywalker.

Review
Also known as Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the second chapter could very well be the darkest and most radical outing of the original trilogy. With much advancements done to both the plot and the characters, 'The Empire Strikes Back' ends on a high note with a classic third-act - a fine lightsaber duel, which leads into what seems to be one of the most iconic cliffhangers of all time in the history of Hollywood filmmaking.

Rating

Full 5 Stars

#35 Star Wars (1977)

Star Wars (1977)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 1 minute
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Phil Brown, Shelagh Fraser, Paul Blake.

Synopsis

Nineteen years after the formation of the Empire, Luke Skywalker is thrust into the struggle of the Rebel Alliance when he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, who has lived for years in seclusion on the desert planet of Tatooine. Obi-Wan begins Luke's Jedi training as Luke joins him on a daring mission to rescue the beautiful Rebel leader Princess Leia from the clutches of the evil Empire. Although Obi-Wan sacrifices himself in a lightsaber duel with Darth Vader, his former apprentice, Luke proves that the Force is with him by destroying the Empire's dreaded Death Star.

Review

Also known as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, 'Star Wars' is very well the greatest space opera to ever exist. Its significance had given pop culture a sense of symbolism with various memorable characters and moments. From Han Solo's notorious 'who shoot first' moment to the borderline incestuous relationship between Luke and Leia, the film never runs short of something that defines what it is today. So much can be said in praising Lucas' direction, but I would rather respect the obvious by speaking less about it. After all, this is the movie that introduces the intergalactic weapon of death - lightsaber.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

#34 Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Temuera Morrison, Matthew Wood, Jimmy Smits, Silas Carson, Peter Mayhew.

Synopsis
Years after the onset of the Clone Wars, the noble Jedi Knights lead a massive clone army into a galaxy-wide battle against the Separatists. When the sinister Sith unveil a thousand-year-old plot to rule the galaxy, the Republic crumbles and from its ashes rises the evil Galactic Empire. Jedi hero Anakin Skywalker is seduced by the dark side of the Force to become the Emperor's new apprentice -- Darth Vader. The Jedi are decimated, as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Master Yoda are forced into hiding. The only hope for the galaxy are Anakin's own offspring -- the twin children born in secrecy who will grow up to become heroes.

Review

With much improvement done in the writing department, Anakin's major transition into Darth Vader comes full circle as the third episode takes this dark turn of event to culminate what seems to be a tragic downfall of a Jedi knight. As the trajectory of the story is far more clearer than its predecessors, episode three ends on a high note with the best third-act setting and lightsabre fight ever done. Apart from that, the acting has definitely improved ever since the horrendous second chapter. Overall, 'Revenge of the Sith' makes a fine, confident concluding chapter to the prequel series.

Rating

4/5 Stars

#33 Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 23 minutes
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Temuera Morrison, Daniel Logan, Leeanna Walsman, Silas Carson, Ahmed Best, Rose Byrne, Pernilla August, Jack Thompson, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse.

Synopsis
Ten years after the invasion of Naboo, the galaxy is on the brink of civil war. Under the leadership of a renegade Jedi named Count Dooku, thousands of solar systems threaten to break away from the Galactic Republic. When an assassination attempt is made on Senator Padmé Amidala, the former Queen of Naboo, twenty-year-old Jedi apprentice Anakin Skywalker is assigned to protect her. In the course of his mission, Anakin discovers his love for Padmé as well as his own darker side. Soon, Anakin, Padmé, and Obi-Wan Kenobi are drawn into the heart of the Separatist movement and the beginning of the Clone Wars.

Review

Being my least favourite film off the prequel series, the second chapter has the recipe of a disastrous big-budget blockbuster: a laughable script, bad acting (yes, Hayden Christensen) and the awkward 'age is just a number' infatuation between Anakin and Padme. Yes, it's that bad, so bad that even Yoda's astounding lightsabre skills couldn't handle the damage control.

Rating

0/5 Stars

#32 Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 11 minutes
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ian McDiarmid, Ahmed Best, Pernilla August, Ray Park, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Silas Carson, Hugh Quarshie, Andy Secombe, Lewis McLeod, Frank Oz, Samuel L. Jackson, Terence Stamp, Brian Blessed, Greg Proops, Scott Capurro.

Synopsis
Stranded on the desert planet Tatooine after rescuing young Queen Amidala from the impending invasion of Naboo, Jedi apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jin discover nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker, a young slave unusually strong in the Force. Anakin wins a thrilling Podrace and with it his freedom as he leaves his home to be trained as a Jedi. The heroes return to Naboo where Anakin and the Queen face massive invasion forces while the two Jedi contend with a deadly foe named Darth Maul. Only then do they realize the invasion is merely the first step in a sinister scheme by the re-emergent forces of darkness known as the Sith.

Review
As a prequel trilogy that took decades in the making, the first instalment in the highly anticipated series is such a huge let-down. Although the introductory story to Anakin Skywalker's oppressed childhood is saved by stellar performance courtesy of Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor, there were still a few not so proud moments such as cringe-worthy dialogues and of course, Jar Jar Binks.

Rating
1/5 Stars