ALREADY Revenge of the Sith has broken numerous box office records and sent devoted fans into a frenzy, so why, after five other Star Wars films, does this one matter?

Because this is the crux of the entire six-part saga - the evil empire of the older trilogy rises, the heroic Jedi Anakin Skywalker becomes the villainous Darth Vader and his son, Luke, the hero of the original films, is born.

There's a lot to tell then and the frenetic pace is both a strength and weakness of Revenge, at least on its first viewing. Some scenes are simply too short - Christopher Lee's Count Dooku barely gets enough screen time on which to stamp his phenomenal on-screen presence while Anakin's rapid fall to the dark side is not wholly convincing.

Key elements of the original trilogy - the birth of rebellion, furry warrior Chewbacca and even the return of Darth Vader - were also briefer than expected. The endless sequence of events is just too much to grasp the strong emotions that push the film to its dramatic conclusion.

Yet Revenge is a triumph, the best of the three new Star Wars movies. Visually Revenge is stunning, with massive battles, both on the ground and in space, and sharper dialogue than the wooden Episodes I and II.

The effects are mind-blowing and the violent purge of the heroic Jedi knights is sure to be regarded as a high point of the series.

Best of all, Revenge adds extra emotional clout to the movies released in the 1970s and 1980s - particularly the salvation of Anakin by his son in 1983's climactic Return of the Jedi.

OE