The Single Best Thing In Every Star Wars Movie

9. Revenge Of The Sith: Ian McDiramid's Insane Performance

Darth Maul
Lucasfilm

While the previous instalment, Attack of the Clones, is possibly the most underrated Star Wars film Revenge of the Sith is, by several country miles, the most overrated film in the series.

While often lauded as a return to form it really isn't any better than the previous two films. It's a visually stunning and highly thrilling action flick but as a dramatic work it's a lot more hit-and-miss. There are some poignant moments, but thanks to the film's generally terrible writing little about its tragic final act feels earned and most of it makes no goddamn sense.

Still, the film did bless us with one absolutely great thing, and that's Ian McDiarmid's performance as Palpatine.

He is completely and utterly brilliant in the role, delivering a masterpiece of campy villainous acting that is as terrifyingly unhinged as it is fiendishly entertaining, and frankly McDiarmid is so outstanding that he considerably elevates the whole film.

Revenge of the Sith isn't that great, but at least it blessed us with not only the plethora of memes that this performance has spawned, but quite arguably the greatest Star Wars baddie of all time. That's right, Palpatine is the best Star Wars villain of them all.

Sorry Darth.

In this post: 
Star Wars
 
First Posted On: 
Contributor

Film Studies graduate, aspiring screenwriter and all-around nerd who, despite being a pretentious cinephile who loves art-house movies, also loves modern blockbusters and would rather watch superhero movies than classic Hollywood films. Once met Tommy Wiseau.