Star Wars: Episode VI- Return of the Jedi (1983)

Star Wars: Episode VI- Return of the Jedi (1983)

After the first two Star Wars films became enormously popular with critics and audiences alike, the original trilogy closes out with 1983’s Star Wars: Episode VI- The Return of the Jedi. I remember watching the movie for the first time all excited considering I thought the first two films were perfect (and still pretty much do!). I was wondering how this film would conclude the story arcs especially after how dark The Empire Strikes Back was. With Han Solo frozen in carbonite and the reveal of Darth Vader’s lineage to Luke, I was very excited. Now I have seen this film many times since, but my thoughts remained the same. This is a very fun, satisfying conclusion to the original trilogy. While it does not reach the height of its predecessors, there are enough highlights to make this one memorable sci-fi adventure.

Just like in The Empire Strikes Back, creator George Lucas decided not to direct the movie. He teamed up with Lawrence Kasdan to write the screenplay, as well as executive-produced the movie. He also remained on set to assist his hand-picked director, Richard Marquand. Marquand worked very well with the actors, but this is Lucas’s movie. An interesting tidbit is that originally, Lucas wanted Steven Spielberg to direct. Due to some issues with the Director’s Guild, he was unable to. That is somewhat of a shame because the notion of Spielberg directing a Star Wars movie truly excites me.

This is Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) movie. After the events of the last film, he is messed up psychologically. He wanted that urge to face his father again. But with the Emperor himself now in the picture, there is a chance Luke may be lured to the Dark Side. This time around, the Empire is near completion of a second, more powerful Death Star. This would certainly end the Rebel Alliance. Frozen in carbonite, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is now the prisoner of Jabba the Hutt, and so eventually does Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). With the help of C-3PO and R2-D2, Luke goes on a rescue mission in the desert planet of Tatooine to rescue his friends. After this rescue, they join up with the Rebels to attack the Empire on the forest moon of Endor. There is a three-pronged attack with Luke, Han, and Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) in charge. Unfortunately, Luke ends up surrendering to the Stormtroopers and is taken to meet the Emperor (Ian McDiarmid)-which may spell doom for the entire galaxy.

The performances remain consistently great. At the beginning of the film’s production, it was not a given that Harrison Ford would return since he was not contracted for two sequels like the other actors were-which is why he was frozen in the previous film. But he was able to return, and Lucas was able to write him in the screenplay. I like how they dabbled with Luke and the Dark Side, and I really liked his quest to understand his father. Mark Hamill does an incredible job working these darker themes into Luke.

The puppetry and the visual effects need some mentioning. Out of all the original Star Wars features, this film uses the most visual effects. Even in today’s blockbuster filmmaking, these visuals do hold up well and are a feast for the eyes. These visuals go hand-in-hand with the thrilling action sequences we see in the last half of the movie. The Endor battle sequences are very well-made. I also liked the looks of these new characters/monsters that are introduced to us. I loved Roger Ebert’s description of Jabba the Hutt-a cross between a toad and the Cheshire Cat. Spot on, Mr. Ebert! Then there are the Ewoks, perhaps the most controversial of all Star Wars characters (outside of Jar Jar Binks). They are cute and cuddly, but do they serve a purpose other than throwing sticks and stones at the Imperial Troopers? These creatures, while a pleasure to look at, may be the weakest link of the movie. I also dug the look of one of the Alliance’s generals-Ackbar. Finally, although he does not have much screentime, it was nice to visit Dagobah and see Yoda again.

Just like how Star Wars cannot exist without lightsabers, I can argue that Star Wars cannot exist without the magnificent contributions of John Williams. His musical compositions are very important and they remain so in this movie. Just listen to his work during the Endor scenes-very powerful stuff!

Return of the Jedi may be no Empire Strikes Back, but it does stand on its own. It is a more fun, more adventure-like movie when compared to the last film. This movie still holds some darker themes, but Lucas was able instill a better sense of fun. Sure, those Ewoks may have been created for marketing and toy purposes, but we like cute creatures, right? The action scenes are very good as one would expect-just watch the final battle sequence. However, the rescue attempt from Jabba and Luke’s climatic duel with Darth Vader also make for strong cinema. After watching this entire trilogy, I was ready to join the celebration as seen in this movie at one point.

My Grade: A-