Movie Review: Star Wars Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Action, fun story, effects

Cons: Cheese, repeated story element

The Bottom Line:

Yes, it has its flaws

Still a fun series climax

That's well worth watching

"How are We Doing?"  "About the Same as Always."  "That Bad, Huh?"

All good things must come to an end, and so it is with the Star Wars saga.  Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is the thrilling conclusion to the story told over six movies.  While it's not the best, it's still fun.

The story picks up pretty much where we left the characters at the end of the last film.  Han Solo (Harrison Ford) has been captured by Jabba the Hutt and is still frozen in carbonite, a trophy in Jabba's palace.  But his friends aren't going to give up.  Before long, everyone has snuck their way into Jabba's house to try to free him.  Will they succeed?

Of course, that's only part of the problem.  The empire is building a replacement Death Star, bigger and better.  They are currently hiding it behind the forest moon of Endor.  The alliance needs to take it out once and for all, meaning that a group, led by Han and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) need to go down to the planet and disable a shield generator.  Another assault will be led by Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) as he tries to take down the Death Star.  And Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill)?  Well, he's going to be busy confronting his father, Darth Vader, and the Emperor himself.  Will they finally be able to overthrow the oppressive empire once and for all?

This movie seems to fall into two camps, either you love it or you can't stand it.  Those who don't like it have some valid points.  The movie is really two stories wrapped in one with very little to connect them.  Then there's the Death Star II.  I mean, haven't we already destroyed one of these things?  Couldn't Lucas come up with something new for our heroes to have to fight?

While I absolutely agree these flaws are there, I still like the film.  The action keeps moving forward constantly, never letting down for a minute.  Okay, so the big finale with three different battles going on can be a bit much, but I still like it.

Plus I love Endor.  Unlike some people, I actually like the cute little Ewoks, the miniature teddy bear like creatures that inhabit the moon.  Plus I love redwood forests, and if I can't be in one, watching action in one is the next best thing.

The special effects continue to improve.  Yes, there are times when you can tell they are faking something, but that's to be expected when a movie is almost 30 years old.  Usually you can get so lost in the moment that you buy what is on the screen.

The acting?  Well, it's never been a strong point in the series.  It's fine here, but still has occasional bits of cheese.  Then again, since the script has its share of cheese, you can hardly blame it all on the actors.

My biggest problem with the movie comes from a minor plot point.  In the last movie, Lando has betrayed our heroes.  Here, he's part of the alliance with no mention of his treachery.  That has never quite sat well with me, but I just ignore it and enjoy the film as is.

This movie definitely works best if you've seen the last two in the series.  Otherwise, much of the character interaction won't make sense.  You don't need to watch all of the movies since Episodes 1-3 were filmed after this one was completed.  However, if you do watch all six movies, you get the complete saga of the fall and redemption of Anakin Skywalker.  The ending is just as powerful if you just watch the original trilogy, however.

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is a fun conclusion to the Star Wars movies.  Despite the flaws, this fan finds it quite enjoyable.