High expectations for final Star Wars episode

Just over a week to go until Star Wars Episode III Revenge of The Sith opens!

Lots of pre-reviews are appearing around the net, nearly all highly positive commentaries about this final episode in the Star Wars saga. This comment from a review by the Daily Telegraph on Saturday sums it all up well:

The fans who have been camping out for weeks in front of cinemas across America will not be disappointed. Lucas has created an eminently satisfying, albeit surprisingly violent, final instalment that brings the story back full circle to the first film.

It contains all the ingredients that fans have come to expect: aerial dog-fights, swirling light-sabres, Jedi battles, evil droids – and it packs an emotional wallop.

Talking about camping out, check to see how Jeff Tweiten’s doing – he’s been camping out in Seattle since January waiting for the opening.

Last night I listened to a 50-minute commentary (MP3, 35.7Mb) by Jason Calacanis who saw the movie a few days ago. It’s a good personal insight. (Interesting to hear lots of music from the movie soundtrack in Jason’s MP3: if it’s not Creative Commons, I hope you got permission, Jason!) Like him, I’m a big Star Wars fan – I was at the opening night in London of the original first episode in 1977. I’ve seen every episode, I’ve worn out all the VHS tapes and I now have all the DVDs.

Is Episode III the best one in the saga as Jason and many others believe? Not having yet seen it, I can’t judge that. But not long to wait.

Meanwhile, you won’t be able to miss the blizzard of TV and other advertising starting to come your way in major markets where the move will play, from official trailers through to sponsors’ promotions. And it’s the cover feature in this week’s Time magazine.