Sith Hard to Swallow

I don't really have much trouble suspending disbelief when I watch movies. Afterall, I was an avid professional wrestling fan for 8 years or so and I figure if I can accept some of the stuff they pull off at face value then I can accept pretty much anything in the right context. That being said there was one scene in Revenge of the Sith (which I saw last night) that pretty much wrecked the whole movie for me. If you haven't seen it yet or don't want to know what I'm talking about don't click on the link below...

The scene I'm talking about is the lightsaber duel between Annakin and Obi-Wan that takes place 6 inches above a molten lava field. The fact that they're both flying on small little platforms that seem to have minds of their own (alright, they're being controlled by the Force while they simultaneously concentrate on the fight.... it's a stretch, but okay) notwithstanding the scene drove me nuts. Did you notice that at no point was either one of them bothered by the heat of flaming rock and lava flying through the air. Sure Annakin, was sweating. Wow sweat. Don't mind the fact that at the end of the fight as Annakin/Vader was laying two or three feet away from the lava it was hot enough to make him spontaneously combust. Apparently when you're flying 6 inches above it it isn't as hot. All I ask is that sci-fi movies be consistent with themselves, which this one wasn't. If the lava is unbearably hot it's hot all of the time, not just when it suits the story. Consistency George. Consistency.

Overall I enjoyed the movie and thought Lucas did a decent job wrapping up most of the loose ends (I assume R2 gets his memory wiped when C3PO does) and Jar Jar didn't have a single line so that was good. It's just too bad that one bad fight scene and some brutally bad lines and performances by Padme left such a bad taste in my mouth. That and Vader's Frankenstien-esque release from the operating table and subsequent cry of anguish that was so cheesy it belongs on Ed the Sock's Fromage show.

It was still better than Episodes I or II, but is that really saying much. Once I get a chance to watch it again it might even come out ahead of Jedi, but I really liked the Tantooine bits in Jedi so it's not too likely.

Comments

[Jeff Roberts]

I liked the movie over all, but i'm with you. The lava thing was bothering me the whole time and then when Anikin caught fire after having been next to the stuff the whole time I was a bit put off.
I also thought it was kinda dumb that they had just fought this big heroic fight and then -swish- he gets three limbs cut off just because Kenobi is on a hill.
lastly... how do ya'll remember how to spell these funny names?

[Mandy]

Star Wars has always been about the cheese.. Han Solo is the cheesiest hunk in the galaxy.. but there is "ha ha cheese" and then down right awful cheese (also read as "shit")... While I enjoyed the wrap up of the flicks that took place in Sith, there were just too many moments of bad cheese. The acting in so many places was the worst I've ever seen. And I don't think I'll ever get over Yoda not being a muppet anymore.

over all I liked it, but not sure I'd watch this one many more times.