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

Turning to the dark side takes Anakin Skywalker about one conversation, and that rush is the crack running through the whole movie. Years of setup, and the big fall happens like someone hit fast forward. The romance dialogue is still rough too. But Revenge of the Sith is the prequel that finally feels like Star Wars. The opening space battle is a spectacle, Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan is so dry and charming he basically invented a meme with two words, and Ian McDiarmid’s slow chat at the opera is the creepiest scene in the prequels. The last act is a full tragedy, angry and loud and genuinely sad, and John Williams goes all in. It pulled $905.6 million worldwide, and the internet has spent years turning its lines into jokes, which is its own kind of love. A 7.6 because the big moments land even when the road to them is bumpy. $26 says you say hello there to the next person who walks into the room.

What works: The opening space battle, Ian McDiarmid’s chilling Palpatine and a final act that plays like real tragedy.

What doesn’t: Anakin’s turn to the dark side happens way too fast to feel earned, and the love scenes are still painfully stiff.

Who it’s for: Prequel fans, meme fans, and anyone who wants to know exactly how Darth Vader got his suit.