A celebration of all things "Star Wars"

Rating: 8/10 (18 October 2008)

"Return of the Jedi" loves the Star Wars franchise so much, it even decided to bring the Death Star back for a second go-around. That's how much Episode VI is truly a smörgåsbord of all things Star Wars. We get new spaceships in the rebel fleet, a slew of new and bizarre creature/characters, better special effects and the climax of our hero, Luke Skywalker, on his journey toward his destiny.
In the third installment, a new-look demi-jedi Luke and the crew save Han from Jabba the Hutt and then offer their services to the rebellion's plan to stop the construction of the second Death Star. All this time, Luke is aware he will have to confront Darth Vader, his father.
Luke's maturity reaches an apex in "Jedi" that we got a sense of at the end of "The Empire Strikes Back." Only this time, he's not only confident, but got the skills to prove it. He becomes the true hero of the series, taking that cool guy spotlight away from Han Solo entirely. This is a film about him above all else and the way it unfolds does his story justice. The idea that we are to identify and transform as Luke does in the trilogy unfolds beautifully in the final showdown with Darth Vader and the Emperor.
Visually, "Jedi" blows away the previous two films. The space scenes in particular are much more stunning. Other than that, there's not much of a difference. "Jedi" prides itself on continuing to add to and expand the Star Wars universe as well as your imagination.
Whether "Jedi" is the best Star Wars film is simply a matter of which part of the saga resonates most with you. A lot of it will depend on your opinion of Ewoks, the fuzzy midget bear creatures that inhabit the moon of Endor. If you find them cute and entertaining, "Jedi" is probably your favorite of the saga. If you find them annoying and just a bunch of small, furry jokes for characters, "Empire" is probably your favorite film.
A lot of it is also about what aspect of Star Wars lore appeals to you. If you're more into the Han and Leia subplot, "Empire" is better. If you're about the evolution of Luke and are riveted by his confrontation with the Dark Side, "Jedi" is about as good as it gets. Either way, you can't really complain with "Jedi" because it offers a lot to be entertained by.