'Tell your sister, you were right'

Rating: 9/10 (28 February 2017)

Trying to live up to two of the greatest films ever put to screen is an impossible feat. Trying to conclude the trilogy and live up to everyone's expectations is impossible as well. I think the real reason people view this film as bad is because of just how perfect the previous two were and this couldn't live up to them. By no means is this a bad film, hell it's spectacular, but when compared to the original and The Empire Strikes Back, Richard Marquand's ending film, to a phenomenal trilogy, is perhaps the most fun and most interesting film of the entire franchise.
Starting off in possibly one of the greatest places in the entire series, the introduction of our characters in Jabba's palace is pure Star Wars; with it's techno music, cool catchers, and intense interactions. I really actually love the first half hour of this film, it had everything I wanted, like the return of all these characters and their story, the brilliant action, and the awesome Jabba. Everything after the first few minutes is an up and down roller coaster from epic scenes to less than disappointing moments.
The real power of Return of the Jedi comes from the characters. Mark Hamill brings a more darker root to Luke and he plays him perfectly. I really love just seeing him on screen and doing Jedi things, really brings out the inner nerd in me. Carrie Fisher brings in another great performance as Princess Leia, in perhaps her most emotional and compelling performance yet. Harrison Ford I feel just always gets better; in the original he's so cocky, in Empire Strikes Back he's just cool and amazing, and here he continues this and becomes the best thing that the series has ever brought us. His chemistry with, not only Leia, but Luke as well really feels real and brings them together once more and it's just fantastic to see.
The arc between Luke and Darth Vader really brings the film down from it's campy vibe and shows real emotion and a more "darker" approach to them. It really feels like two films leading up to it and the lay off is so worth it. The confrontation between Luke, Vader, and The Emperor are some of the best scenes throughout the trilogy and I just love seeing it in screen. The really impact the film, and the galaxy for that matter, in a great way and truly shows the saga coming to an "end." It's really raw and shows the true emotion that they bring. I always see people hate on the Emoks and I just don't get it. Sure some of the things they do are kinda dumb but overall they don't really affect the film as a whole to me, and they are somewhat likable sometimes.
The film really feels grand. It's not as deep as The Empire Strikes Back, but it just feels fantastic. The epic set pieces bring the film up a level and the action doesn't let up. There isn't really a dull moment in the film and that's special when viewing these films. From the space battles to the Endor ground fight, it's build up and it unfolds perfectly. Every moment I keep falling in love with. The Endor battle especially is really fun to watch, because despite some weird choices Marquand really understood how to use special effects to his advantage and allowed the film to have a real feel to it. The speeder bike scenes always bring a smile to my face, and the Ewoks throwing rocks makes me laugh, so you can say the action is plenty enjoyable.
There really wasn't anyway that this could've lived up to the previous two films, but Return of the Jedi is still an enriching and emotional film with great set pieces and fantastic action. The combination of many layers of filmmaking and the ability to conclude a fantastic trilogy, really make Richard Marquand and underrated director. This is my least favorite of the original trilogy, there's no denying that, and while the film showcased some great scenes, Jabba's Palace, final saber fight, and the Han/Leia moments, Richard Marquands epic and truly mesmerizing fun conclusion to a spectacular trilogy, Return of the Jedi gets a lot of flak, and while it's somewhat child-like, the film oozes with beauty and action.