Return of the Jedi

Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Ian McDiarmid, Frank Oz (voice), James Earl Jones (voice), Alec Guinness
Directed by: Richard Marquand
Rating: PG
Genre: Action, Science Fiction
1983

Times Seen:
Tim: 5

Summary: Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) must rescue Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Leia (Carrie Fisher) from Jabba the Hut, and face off against Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) and the Emperor (Ian McDiarmid).

Review:

Tim: In my mind, Return of the Jedi is the best of the franchise. I know many people will greatly criticize me for this, but I can't help it. I think the opening sequence with Jabba the Hut is one of the greatest of all time. I absolutely love it- from Han Solo frozen in carbonite, to Leia's iconic wardrobe, to the showdown in the sand pit. It is Star Wars at its very best. The rest of the movie is good, but never as great as the opening few minutes.

The trilogy comes to a very good close. I know that many people hate the Ewoks, but I thought they were likeable and funny. I love the big battle at the end, even with the recycled plot from the original film. The final battle between Luke and the Emperor with Darth Vader watching is just amazing.

There might be a great deal of debate, but having grown up on these movies, I feel very strongly that the franchise ends on a very, very high note.

*Update- Many years after initially reviewing Return of the Jedi, I watched it again, this time with my 8 year-old son to finish off the original trilogy. While my review above leaves a lot to be desired (it was obviosuly one of the earlier ones I'd ever written), I still agree with the sentiment. As a now 40 year-old, I'm much less interested in detailed debates about which movie is better than which. I'll still have them, but it's always subjective. The original Star Wars trilogy is excellent- it remains to this day, one of the greatest of all time. From the incredible original, to the dark and surprising The Empire Strikes Back, to the conclusion in Return of the Jedi, you have to just marvel at what George Lucas accomplished. To me, I still believe this is the best film of the trilogy. As I stated above, the first big sequence with Jabba the Hut is just so much fun. You see how Luke and the team slowly infiltrate Jabba's lair, getting all the pieces in place. And then, it all comes together brilliantly in a memorable and stunning action sequence that is still among the best of the entire franchise. You have the Rancor, which I loved as a kid and still love as an adult. You see more of Boba Fett. Luke returns to Dagobah to conclude his training with Yoda. You learn about Luke and Leia. Towards the end of the film, you get "It's a trap!" and an exciting, rousing space battle with the Death Star 2. Sure, it's redundant from the original, but it doesn't make that sequence any less exciting. The battle on Endor is great- the rebels and the Ewoks teaming up to bring down the evil empire. You have the climax with Luke and the Emperor and the conclusion of the Vader saga. This movie covers so much ground, and gives the trilogy an epic conclusion. How could you not love this?

I didn't talk about the cast in my original review, but they are so excellent. It's incredibly difficult to describe the great performances from Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford. They each perfectly embody these characters, it's almost difficult to separate the actor from the character. That's a testament to how fully they stepped into each of the unforgettable characters. Ian McDiarmid is excellent as the Emperor and I always love hearing James Earl Jones voicing Darth Vader. They are all so incredible in these roles.

Return of the Jedi is an action-packed masterpiece. I have no interest in debating this, as you could make a case for any of these three films to be the best. It's my personal favorite for how much ground it covers while wrapping up multiple storylines so effectively. I could easily watch it over and over again. It's still my favorite Star Wars movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 9



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith