Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

With the mixed reactions to the first two prequels in the trilogy, fans and critics alike have been waiting nearly a decade for the third and final installment to the saga, the sixth overall in the series. For fans, it's a redemption for having to endure characters such as and the acting of in order to watch make the transition to one of the most important villains in all of storytelling: . For critics, it's the ultimate litmus test to see if can truly develop and tell a story without leaning too heavily on special effects and the magic of digital wizardry. Throughout the nearly three decades the universe has been in existence, the music has played an integral storytelling role equal to the special effects. Composer has created his own language along with ' character development during the series, and as a result could have easily coasted through the final score. Instead, has more than stepped up to the task, delivering a harrowing score that complements the transition of to the dark side. Familiar motifs in the universe -- motifs that are embedded in the consciousness of even the most casual of pop culture fans -- make their appearances here. Some, like make their full unabashed return in sweeping, dramatic glory; through subtle placement, half developed passages, and quiet motifs, they were only previously hinted at in the scores of and . Making less prominent appearances are the anthems of the first two movies, complementing the eventual transition to the classic trilogy just as much as the visual storytelling itself. Gone are the passages and sequences that relied on heavy tribal and unconventional symphonic instruments, and in their place are long sweeping string passages and quiet, almost drone-like atmospheric moments similar to moments in 's symphonic works. Some passages are so effective in telegraphing their messages that it's possible to envision the events on the screen occurring by just closing one's eyes. But buyer beware: in keeping with tradition of the first two scores of the prequel trilogy, the track titles give away shades and sequences of the plot without deference to ambiguous language. Granted, it's not as bad as the track titles of the first two movies, but it's still easy to decipher the plot twists just by looking at the back cover. holds a place on the mantle with some of the classic scores that made a legendary film composer. It's also a fine closing masterpiece to a series of movies filled with some of the most important musical moments in modern cinematic history. [Also included is a 70-minute DVD examining the history and scores of . Essentially footage and highlights from the six movies set to ' finest musical moments, this disc brilliantly highlights the relationship between the music and storytelling, and is a must-have for any die-hard fan of the series.] ~ Rob Theakston