Star Wars: Episode III (c) Twentieth Century Fox

Bluntly put, Sith's the best Star Wars movie since the best of them all... -- Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A return to the classic space opera style that launched the series. -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times

This is by far the best film in the more recent trilogy, and also the best of the four episodes Mr Lucas has directed. That's right (and my inner 11-year-old shudders as I type this): It's better than "Star Wars." -- A.O. Scott, New York Times

did you know...

Originally, a young Han Solo was going to make an appearance in the film, living among the Wookies on Kashyyyk.

There are over 2,200 special effects shots in the film, more than Episode I and II combined. Star Wars (1977) only had 350 such shots.

George Lucas played a prank on Christopher Lee, where a puppet of Master Yoda was placed on set, complete with fangs or vampire teeth.

As of this film, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader has been played by seven different people. David Prowse in the first three films, classified as Episode IV, V, and VI, inside the suit of Darth Vader. James Earl Jones as the voice for all films containing Vader on up. Bob Anderson as the duelist for the fight scenes in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). Sebastian Shaw as Anakin Skywalker once Darth Vader's helmet is removed at the end of the "Return of the Jedi" and Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in Episode II and III. And finally Jake Lloyd in Episode I as a young Anakin Skywalker.

The Darth Vader mask for this film was rebuilt from scratch, using a new digital design to computer-lathe the base master, from which molds were made to cast the on-screen costume masks. The resulting masks are, for the first time in Star Wars history, truly symmetrical.

Obi-Wan Kenobi says the series' trademark line, "I have a bad feeling about this," during one of the first scenes of the film. See also _Star Wars (1977)_, _Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)_, _Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)_, _Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)_, and _Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)_.