*SPOILERS*
I really liked the movie, I didnt really have any problem with the flow and also thought the dialog was delivered much better so even the stuff that would have been cringe worthy didnt make you cringe.
I thought the clone war/senate take over/rise of the empire was a great concept and I think it was pulled off very well.
I did think that Vader's lines after his costume were a bit weak, and their was a drastic change to Anakins character at that point that I found a bit to abrubt. But I did like how they showed Palpatine's manipulation of Vader. Telling Vader that he killed Padme, though while technically true, it wasnt entirely true. But you can see how Palpatine manipulates Vader to maintain control.
I think some good points on Palpatine were revealed to. To me it seemed to show him as not really keeping his apprentices around too long. Palps killed his master Darth Plagueous (could they possibly have come up with a lamer name). And now he doesnt want to let any of his Apprentices get to powerful that they will overthrow/kill him like he did to his master. But at the same time he wants a powerful apprentice. Did anyone else pick up one possible hint that the Emperor (or mayber his master) created Anakin? THe comment about creating life from the midichlorians. It wasnt fully explained/explored, but it kind of sheds light on the 'born from the midichlorians' comment from episode I.
One of my biggest gripes is probably artoo. I thought he did way to much. I mean, with his abilities did they even need anyone else there. why couldnt Obi-Wan's R4 unit fight off those little droids on his ship but R2 had no problem? But i thought the PT/OT tie-ins were done pretty well/smoothly over all. they werent as forced as in the other episodes (except that yoda chewbacca line).
I did find it somewhat wierd that Padme had 2 names just picked out for her kids, and just tosses out the name after hearing It's a boy/It's a girl. but then also just dies 1 minute later. I also, like someone said (possibly in a different thread) would have liked Leia to be kept a secret. Luke didnt matter, because even if they did, once you see/hear Luke Skywalker in Episode IV you would know its Anakin's son. But Leia said she new her real mother, and 'she died when i was very young' now, newborn is considered very young, but too young for leia to remember images of her mother.
The Anakin/Obi wan interaction was great. It showed the strong friendship they had. Anakin risking his own life to save Obi-Wan in the beginning, the scene where even after Palpatine convinces him to 'murder' Dooku Anakin still refuses to just leave Obi-Wan behind. At the end when Obi-Wan finds out about Anakin having turned to the dark side I actually felt his pain, even though we know the truth all along. I felt as if Obi-Wan took the responsibily for Anakins turn, hence why he felt it was his duty to rid the world of Vader even though he obviously didnt want to hurt Anakin.
I didnt have a problem with the Qui-Gon ghost explanation either. I did however expect him to appear at that point, and was suprised that lucas didnt do so, but at the same time i wasnt 'upset' by that or the explanation given as some people appeared to have been. First people claim they dont need an explanation but then when Lucas doesnt have all the Jedi appear you need it spelled out for you. Could it have just been a power thing? Qui-Gon figured it out, but maybe he only figured out how to do the breaking the voice barrier. Maybe he wasnt powerful enough to appear as a Ghost. Maybe Anakin could come back as a Ghost because he learned the method through the Dark Side, and he was extremely powerful in the force. Either way, i thought it was a nice touch to the achieving 'immortality', which was part of Anakins reason for turning to the dark side, but ashowing that it was possible to do while still following the path of light.
I felt kinda bad for C-3PO at the end when he got his memory wipe. It seemed cruel. Why him and not R2? I realize it was really needed as a stop gap for plot holes created by including the droids in the PT. Someone made a comment (again, maybe in a different thread) about artoo getting seriously damage hence loosing some (most) of his gadgets he had in the PT. First, i was thinking how the end of ANH, kind of accomplishes this because artoo is pretty much destroyed and rebuilt, so its possible they didnt have th parts to give back his rocket packs and all that. but i agree that had this happened at the end of ROTS, then it would also explain why they didnt wipe R2's memory (oh, he was destroyed/rebuilt, his memory has been taken care of already, do the same to 3PO and we are all good)
Overall i thought the movie was great, I considered going to a digital showing today, but have other things i should do. Ill probably go see the digital version this weekend and im sure ill pick up on other little points that i missed/forgot.
sorry for the somewhat jumpy review/analysis but my mind is still reeling from the movies and my thoughts are coming a million miles a minute or not at all. I think Lucas did a great job pulling it all together and will see it at least once more in theaters, probably 2 or 3 though, and will get the dvd when it is released. I thought it was a satisfying end to the PT and will flow nicely to the OT
-Darth Simon.