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I’ve always felt like TMP is the last good movie Lucas did. I don’t think it is quite up to the OT, but I think it is a good view into the world of these characters as they start their journey. Then it fumbles in AOTC and struggles to come back from that in ROTS. I think Lucas’s story of the rise of Palpatine is too subtle. He is behind the Trade Federation blockade and invasion of Naboo, but the connection is hidden. He is behind ordering the clones, but that is hidden. He has been influencing Anakin the entire time and has been planting the seeds for his fall since TMP, but that is hidden. He used the force to bend a vulnerable Anakin to the dark side after Anakin saves him from Mace, but it is not obvious. He uses the force to keep Anakin alive, but again it is not obvious. He is the likely source for Anakin’s nightmares. He may have arranged for Shmi’s kidnappng and may have used to force to kill Padme (my theories). But Lucas chose to make it a mystery and leave so much unrevealed.
In ROTS Palpatine reveals a lot, but not everything. What we see in ROTJ is better revealed. That should have been what we see in ROTS. His plans should have been revealed, but I think Lucas was more focused on showing the story of Anakin, but the story of Palpatne was crucial to that. I do think as a film, ROTS is the best of the three in many ways. But in others is fails. Though not as badly as AOTC.