Awesome action, but not quite the overall quality of before

Rating: 8/10 (5 August 2000)

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi has always been criticized for not matching the quality of Star Wars (1977) and The Empire Strikes Back (1980). While this is true, hardly anything matches the quality of those films. Jedi comes far closer than most, only failing through an over-simplified plot, some lacklustre acting from Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford (dumbing Han Solo down to a cartoon character, for some reason) and a slow midsection. Oh, and those bloody Ewoks. The teddy bear people are okay for five minutes or so, but far too much time is spent on them when there's much more interesting things going on.
Luckily, we get to see much more of the cacklingly evil Emperor and Darth Vader, and Luke becomes a kick-ass Jedi to be reckoned with. The sets, costumes and special effects are superb, as always, and the score is stunning, especially during the Luke versus Vader clash at the climax.
ROTJ may not be as good as the previous two Star Wars episodes, but it does have the most action of any of the films. More action than most films, as a matter of fact, and it's fantastic stuff. There's a big battle at the start, several fights and the classic deadly speedbike chase in the middle, and the mother of all battles at the climax - as there should be, this is the finale of the entire six-part Star Wars saga. The Millenium Falcon's attempt to blow up the Death Star is thrilling, as is the final lightsaber duel between Luke and Vader.
With lightsabres clashing, laser beams everywhere, spaceships whizzing all over the screen and planets exploding, this is a fittingly spectacular end to a superb series. If only the beginning, The Phantom Menace, was this good.