Return of the Jedi

r96sk 6/23/2021 3:58:50PM 8.4

Arguably the weakest (comparably) of the original trilogy, yet <em>'Return of the Jedi'</em> is still an excellent film! Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher remain a thoroughly enjoyable trio. I did find parts of the plot a little similar to 1977's <em>'Star Wars'</em>, due to the Death Star stuff, but overall I unquestionably enjoyed the 135 minutes. The score is great again, while the new bunch of characters are cool. There are some memorable moments in there, as we see the first spate of films come to a close very nicely. I'm very intrigued to see where things go with the prequels, hopefully they continue to hit high marks.

John Chard 5/16/2024 3:22:12PM 8.4

This is not quite Bantha fodder. Following on from the freshness of Star Wars (1977) and the all round greatness of craft and story telling that was The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi was always going to struggle in comparison. That's not to say there are not fans who prefer it of the original trilogy, because there are many, and like minded fans of George Lucas' space saga shouldn't have a problem with that. However, it is the weakest of the three. The characters we have come to love, and to be a part of their universe, are performed with gusto - but they are mostly thinly written, reduced to playing second fiddle to special effects, while the dark heart has been replaced with - well - smokey hokey (furry teddy bears with sticks and stones, I ask you). Then there's the lack of sexual tension so evident in the previous two films. Oh we love Han and Leia because that's love! But one can't help missing the sparks that was once between them - and Luke of course, hmm... Yet for all that, of the irks and complaints, Return of the Jedi is still a thrilling film, the budget up on the screen to entertain the children and the adults with the child within. Characters and creatures wander into this wonderful world for super impact. The Emperor, Jabba the scene stealer, Rancor and Sarlaac, while the speeder bike chase, further lightsaber shenanigans and the space battle ensure the action is never far away - even if one can be a little underwhelmed by the big finale not all it can be. Ultimately it was not without faults, but still it was one hell of a conclusion to a genre defining (then) trilogy. 8/10

Joogle83 7/20/2026 2:01:02PM 8.4

Watched one favorite third acts Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi .Starring Mark Hamill(Britannia Hospital) as Luke Skywalker, Harrison Ford(Blade Runner) as Han Solo ,Carrie Fisher(The Blues Brothers) as Leia Organa, Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca, Jermey Bulloch(George & Mildred) as Boba Fett, Billy Dee Williams(Colt .45 ) as Lando Calrrission, Anthony Daniels (Bashki's Lord Of The Rings) as C- 3PO, Kenny Baker(Flash Gordon) as R2-D2 Denis Lawson(Bitter Cherry) as Wedge Antilles, Dermot Crowley(Giro Ciy) as General Madine , Caroline Blakiston(Les Miserables) as Mon Mothma, Tim Rose(Just William) & Erik Bauersfield as Admiral Ackbar, Michael Pennington(Cymbeline) as Moff Jerjerrod ,Kenneth Colley (Firefox) as Admiral Piett ,Frank Oz(The Muppet Movie) as Yoda, , David Prowse(Doctor Who) & James Earl Jones(Conan The Barbarian) as Darth Vader ,Ian McDiarmid(A Performance Of Macbeth) as Emporer Palpatine/Darth Sidious and Sir Alec Guinness(The Bridge On The River Kwai) as Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi,. As the final chapter of my favorite movie trilogy, Return of the Jedi delivers a high-octane action adventure that ranks right alongside The Return of the King and The Last Crusade as one of Hollywood's premier trillogy closers. It is a deeply satisfying, rock-solid finale that opens with the chilling imagery of Vader's shuttle arriving at the incomplete Death Star II.What cements the film's greatness is how it handles Luke Skywalker's destiny. Watching him step into his role as a fully realized Jedi Knight to face the ultimate psychological trap laid by the Emperor and Darth Vader is pure storytelling magic. The final throne room confrontation features an extraordinary emotional conflict and a lightsaber duel that easily rivals the legendary Bespin clash for the best in the trilogy. Simultaneously, the film unleashes the absolute pinnacle of space combat, with a redeemed Lando Calrissian and Admiral Ackbar leading a breathtaking, high-stakes final assault on the Imperial **** all its triumphs, the film does stumble over several narrative hurdles. Luke’s multi-phase plan at Jabba’s palace makes very little tactical sense on rewatch. Furthermore, Han and Leia operate as a simplified strike team whose main narrative purpose is to finally declare their love. Finally, the Ewoks winning the ground war creates a bizarre tonal disconnect. If you told a hardened rebel leader like Luthen Rael that the ultimate downfall of the Empire’s war machine would come down to stone-age forest dwellers, he wouldn't believe you. Yet, when the Millennium Falcon flies into that superstructure and Luke saves his father's soul, the film's flaws completely melt away under the weight of its brilliant ending.]] Fantastic Cinematography by Alan Hume(Eye Of The Needle), Production Design By Norman Reynolds(Phase IV) ,Amazing Writing By Lawrence Kasdan(The Big Chill) ,Direction By Richard Marquand(The Legacy), Fantastic Costume design from Aggie Guerard Rodgers(American Graffiti) & Nilos Rodis-Jamero and Amazing Score from John Williams(Indiana Jones and The Raiders Of The Lost Ark) The Underrated Star Wars Gem of a Legendary Trilogy Closer 8/10