TAGGED AS: films, movies, Sci-Fi, science fiction, Star Wars
(Photo by Industrial Light & Magic/TM and ©copyright Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved/Courtesy Everett Collection)
When Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith arrived in theaters in 2005, it did so on a wave of mixed expectations. On the one hand, fans were frothing to finally witness Vader’s full turn to the Dark Side, something they had been fantasizing about – in some cases – for decades. It had to be awesome, right? On the other hand, those same fans had seen the two previous films in the saga and, well, learned that sometimes it was helpful to hope for the best – but expect a poorly acted CGI-stuffed snooze-fest instead.
Listen Now: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Podcasts | Radio Public | Deezer | iHeart | Art19
According to the critics, though, George Lucas delivered, and their praise has pushed the movie’s Tomatometer score to a Certified Fresh 80%, making it not just the best-reviewed film in the Prequel Trilogy, but among the best-reviewed Star Wars movies ever.
So, Revenge of the Sith has the high ground – but does it deserve it?
That’s what we’re asking in the latest episode of our podcast, Rotten Tomatoes Is Wrong, the final in a series of three special episodes in which hosts Jacqueline Coley and Mark Ellis revisited the Star Wars Prequels to ask – two decades and a divisive set of sequels later – do Episodes I-III actually hold up? And are they even, perhaps, better than we ever gave them credit for? Joining them this week is Dorina Arellano, one third of YouTube’s Whirl Girls, movie and pop-culture fanatic, and co-host of Impolite Truths. Was she as seduced by George Lucas’s foray into the Dark Side as critics were at the time? Tune in to find out.
Check in every Thursday for a new episode of Rotten Tomatoes Is Wrong (A Podcast From Rotten Tomatoes). Each week, hosts Jacqueline and Mark and guests go deep and settle the score on some of the most beloved – and despised – movies and TV shows ever made, directly taking on the statement we hear from so many fans: “Rotten Tomatoes is wrong.”
Check out some more episodes of Rotten Tomatoes Is Wrong:
If you have a suggestion for a movie or show you think we should do an episode on, let us know in the comments, or email us at rtiswrong@rottentomatoes.com.
Meet the hosts
Jacqueline Coley is an editor at Rotten Tomatoes, with a focus on awards and indie coverage but with a passion for everything, from the MCU to musicals and period pieces. Coley is a regular moderator at conventions and other events, can be seen on Access Hollywood and other shows, and will not stand Constantine slander of any kind. Follow Jacqueline on Twitter: @THATjacqueline.
Mark Ellis is a comedian and contributing editor for Rotten Tomatoes. He currently hosts the Rotten Tomatoes series Versus, among others, and can be seen co-hosting the sports entertainment phenomenon Movie Trivia Schmoedown. His favorite Star Wars movie is Jedi (guess which one!), his favorite person is actually a dog (his beloved stepdaughter Mollie), and – thanks to this podcast – he’s about to watch Burlesque for the first time in his life. Follow Mark on Twitter: @markellislive.
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.
