Summary
The epic conclusion to the original Star Wars trilogy…
My Thoughts
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…
“Return of the Jedi” is the final film installment of the original Star Wars trilogy; another Star Wars film wouldn't be made until 1999 with “The Phantom Menace”, so at the time there wasn't even a thought that there would be more, so the stakes in this conclusive entry had to be bigger than ever before. This is the final confrontation between Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker and his father Darth Vader, who has been turned to the dark side of force by his master the Emperor. Not only do we see good vs evil in an epic lightsaber duel, but also our friends Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewie and the droids play a huge part in saving the galaxy once and for all. While “Return of the Jedi” sees Lucas and company expanding once again on the Star Wars lore with great success, making battles even more intense and larger in scale, giving the audience a slew of new characters to digest to boot, it still doesn't quite reach the magnetic heights of “Empire”. That being said “Jedi” is still a more than worthy entry of the Star Wars saga, and still like “Empire”, no other Star Wars film outside this trilogy can hold a light to the epic and wholly satisfying conclusion of these original entrees.
After I finished watching Jedi for probably my zillionth time, I was overcome by a blanket of sadness, like a clear sky quickly washed away by dark clouds, not due to some hiccup in the script or any sort of disappointment regarding this film; I felt sad because none of the other films outside this trilogy were/are able to capture the same feeling of magic and immersion that these ones have. I wanted to immediately put on “A New Hope” and watch these three superior science fiction films again, each time I find myself reengaged with the characters, rooting for Han and Leia's dysfunctional relationship, on the edge of my seat during the final epic duel between good and evil. The sense of imagination in these early films is unmatched, they changed how audiences view movies as a spectacle, an event and brought in a whole new wave of copycats and lookalikes that still to this day cannot capture what Star Wars did back in the late 70s and early 80s. For those that share in my sadness if the other lesser trilogies, at least we had these three pieces of pure movie magic, and even with Lucas's continued medalling with future editions, such as that bizarre singing number at Jaba's Palace, they still hold true to the same vision that he once had, even if this one's story isn't quite as riveting as Empire.
George Lucas obviously loved world building and exploring new planets, creating environments both hostile and forgiving, like the Forrest planet of Endor, bringing familiar struggles to unfamiliar settings. The film starts on the familiar planet of Tattooine, the home of Luke Skywalker, except things are much different this time around, Luke is forced to go back to save Han Solo, who had been frozen in carbonite by Darth Vader, given to the bounty hunter Boba Fett who then brings his prize to the gangster Jaba the Hutt, another essential and quintessential Star Wars character, one who has been spoofed and referenced for many years, such as the Mel Brooks comedy, “Spaceballs”. While “Empire Strikes Back” is easily the darkest of the films, Jedi still dabbles in that grey spot, but never pushing further than it needs to, such as the Rancor pit, or the fact that Leia becomes a sex slave to the large worm essentially, which is pretty dark I'd say. Jaba is a greedy and arrogant mob boss who lavishes himself with said slaves and food, not caring about a single thing other than himself. He's a great and memorable villain, and he's only in the first exciting act, which we see Luke save Han and Leia from the grips of the Hutts and the empire, through his knowledge of the force and newfound skills of the lightsaber. This opening act sets the stakes ultra high, and for the most part the rest of the film matches the pace, only slowing down for our characters to catch their breath, and provide some much needed comic relief.
Like “The Empire Strikes Back”, “Jedi” uses its larger budget in the best ways possible, as I stated in the “Empire” review, CGI wasn't really a thing back then, so special effects had to be practical, and the miniatures in Jedi are even better than that of its predecessor. During the final duel between Luke and Vader, a massive scale dog fight is taking place in the stars, the rebels fighting for their very survival against another death star and an onslaught of empire troops. The sequence is beautiful, and exciting, a white knuckle blowout of lasers and explosions, all done without the help of Adobe. Lando Clarissian (Billy Dee Williams) flies the millenium falcon into the newly operational second death star and guides his party of ships through the mechanics and into the core where they blast it and make a mad dash to get out before the whole thing erupts into a beautiful array of fiery sparks, the rebel survivors cheering for their lives. It's these moments that feel so real with so much at stake, even the divisive Ewoks (either you love them or hate them) and their battle for Endor is refreshing and fun, full of action and excitement, it all feels epic without trying to, and that's another reason why these films are so special. It's pure escapism that never takes itself too seriously, but enough to elicit an emotional response for these characters who we want nothing more than to spend as much time as possible with them.
George Lucas let director Richard Marquand take the helm for this final installment, and while Marquand doesn't have a lot of credits in the film world, he and Lucas together created a near perfect conclusion to his saga, tying together plot pieces from the first two films and concluding them in satisfying ways, such as the bond between father and son at the end, after Vader overthrows the emperor to save his son. Luke finally realizes his quest and duty to the force and brings Vader back into the light, it's a touching albeit cheesy ending, but it works as a catharsis for our characters. Or the final moments of Yoda, which is both impactful and emotional, and an end of a legendary Jedi warrior. Lucas blends the drama and action perfectly, even if some of the climaxes don't quite reach the dazzling heights of Empire, the death star plot feels far too similar to A New Hope, but Jedi still is able to hold its own as the final triumphant ending to this stellar trilogy.
Overall Return of the Jedi is a wonderful and satisfying closing to the epic original trilogy. George Lucas set out to make something great, and he far exceeded any expectation that anyone had, giving the world a new galaxy to explore, bringing in a new age of movies, and movie watchers. Giving us characters like Yoda, and Chewbacca and plenty more that have not only stood the test of time, but have transcended it. Star Wars is an every day phrase now, and it's hard to find someone who hasn't at least heard of it, and the force. Blending real life morals (I'm not getting into the theological side of Star Wars) with outer-world settings, with sweeping action and emotion Return of the Jedi provides exactly what this third installment needed, closure. If the other trilogies hadn't happened, these three films would be among the elites of all trilogies. I wish the other sequel films could have captured the same magic as even just Jedi here (but alas at least we still have these to watch again and again), which still holds true as an epic ending to an epic trilogy.
I give The Return of the Jedi 4.5 stars out of 5
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