The latest releases reviewed
STAR WARS - EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH **
Directed by George Lucas. Starring Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Christopher Lee, Samuel L Jackson, Frank Oz, Ian McDiarmid PG cert
Not since the time of Milton has one man worked so hard at explaining the back-story behind a well-known animus between two quasi-mythical rivals. The special effects are better than those in Paradise Lost, but Lucas's dialogue is not as good as Milton's. Or SpongeBob SquarePants's for that matter. Or the Chuckle Brothers'. Expect the usual stupid bonus material.
THE DESCENT ****
Directed by Neil Marshall. Starring Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder, Nora-Jane Noone, Molly Kayll 18 cert
Carnivorous troglodytes pursue female cavers of various nationalities in Marshall's fantastically exciting, exhilaratingly revolting refinement of his 2002 werewolf adventure, Dog Soldiers. Nothing is subverted, nothing is reinvented; this is just superb genre entertainment. The extras on the generous two-disc special edition almost secure the release the full five stars.
Donald Clarke
