A fine end to a thrilling trilogy

Rating: 9/10 (27 May 2005)

Though not quite up to the standards of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi is a satisfying end for the Star Wars saga. This one doesn't seem to have quite the same pace as the first two. It kind of meanders about with little bursts of energy here and there before it comes to its thrilling grand finale.
When last we left our heroes and villains Darth Vader had just told Luke Skywalker he was his father and Han Solo had been frozen in carbonite to be taken away by bounty hunter Boba Fett to Jabba the Hutt. Here, Luke will deal with Han first, Vader later. We begin on Luke's old home planet of Tatooine where we learn Han is being held, still frozen, as a captive of the giant slug-like creature Jabba. Princess Leia, Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, R2-D2 and C-3PO will all be involved in a mission to free Han. Suffice to say things don't go quite according to plan and among other indignities Leia ends up wearing a skimpy bikini and chained to the monstrous Jabba as his slave girl. Soon Luke arrives and we see his powers with the Force have grown but not to the extent that he can avoid finding himself in quite a predicament himself. We end up spending quite a bit of time on Tatooine, perhaps a bit too much as the film struggles to really get going. Finally (and inevitably as otherwise we'd have a really short movie) our heroes manage to free themselves from Jabba's clutches and we can move on to what will be the central theme of the movie. Luke Skywalker's attempt to redeem his father, Anakin Skywalker, and turn him from the evil he has become, Darth Vader, back to the good man he once was will be the main focus from here on in.
Before he can confront Vader, Luke returns to Dagobah to finish his Jedi training with master Yoda. Here he learns his training is in fact complete. All that stands in the way of his being a Jedi Knight is to confront (and presumably defeat) Vader. After the stunning revelation in the last film in which we learned Vader was Luke's father another branch of the Skywalker family tree is revealed here. Not quite as stunning but something that certainly will change the perspective of some of the key characters when they learn the truth and also change how the audience perceives them.
Travelling with Han, Leia and a rebel party to the forest moon of Endor, Luke will be part of a mission designed to bring about the destruction of a new Death Star the Empire is constructing. Those on the moon will be responsible for bringing the battle station's shield down so the rebel fleet can attack and destroy the Death Star. If the mission fails it will be the end of the rebellion and there will be no hope of freedom in the galaxy.
Unfortunately as we move towards the film's climax we get bogged down on Endor as our heroes encounter a band of Ewoks, tiny primitive bear-like creatures. While they certainly may appeal to kids (and therefore sell a bunch of toys) the Ewoks have no place in this story. They do not bring the requisite level of seriousness required considering all the serious things which are occurring around them. There it seems only for comic relief the Ewoks are in fact not funny. Instead they are incredibly annoying and the film slows to a crawl as we learn more than we could ever want to know about them and their way of life.
Eventually, sensing his father's presence, Luke leaves the rest of the rebels (and their new furry friends) to confront Darth Vader and try to turn him away from the Dark Side of the Force. Vader may seem to waver a bit but he is convinced it is too late for him. Vader will bring his son before the Emperor, briefly glimpsed in the last film and now played wonderfully by Ian McDiarmid. The Emperor, determined to turn Luke to the Dark Side, is pure evil personified. Soon, Luke will be faced with a choice. He must turn to the Dark Side or be destroyed.
Meanwhile, back on the moon of Endor, Han, Leia and company are running into their own problems. If they don't get the Death Star's shield down the rebel fleet will face certain annihilation. It all builds to a thrilling conclusion as we cut back and forth from the efforts of the rebels and Ewoks on Endor to the confrontation between Luke, Vader and the Emperor on the Death Star to the rebel fleet's attack on the battle station. The ending certainly does not disappoint. It is dramatic, emotional and ultimately thrilling. The Star Wars saga ends with a bang.
Return of the Jedi does have its problems, most notably a slow pace and the presence of the insufferable Ewoks. The performances of the actors aren't quite up to their prior standards. Harrison Ford at times seems to be going through the motions as Han Solo although that may have something to do with the fact he's acting with a bunch of little furballs. Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia seems strangely emotionless, especially when faced with some rather startling news. Mark Hamill does do well to capture the earnestness of a son who never stops believing there is good in his father despite all evidence to the contrary. McDiarmid is terrific and even in voice only James Earl Jones gives a terrific performance as Darth Vader. Of course, the visuals and special effects are typically dazzling. After the majesty of the first two films, Return of the Jedi may be seen as a slight disappointment. But all in all it is a worthy conclusion for a grand, sweeping, epic saga unlike any other we have ever seen.