A great tale of redemption

Rating: Null/10 (4 June 2002)

I just finished watching this with my 6-year-old last night. When I asked her what she thought of it, she said it was the story of how Darth Vader became good again. I had never before realized just how right she was. If one views the whole saga as the story arc of Anakin Skywalker, the title makes a lot more sense. The pivotal moment of the series becomes when Darth Vader throws the Emperor down the shaft, as Anakin Skywalker redeems himself and returns (albeit posthumously) as a Jedi.
One of the few flaws I found in this film was the Ewoks, but even that can be excused when viewed against the story arc of Palpatine (the Emperor). A terrific villain, we see how in the first two (presumably three) episodes how Palpatine is able to manipulate persons and events to his liking. That the Ewoks provide the means of defeating his Empire shows how, in the words of another great saga, "small hands do great works because they must." I can almost hear Master Yoda saying "This is the hour of the Ewok-folk, when they arise from their quiet forests to shake the towers and counsels of the Wise."
The only other flaw I found was the chemistry between Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher from the Empire Strikes Back seemed to have been replaced with poor dialogue and too much a transformation of Han Solo into a wise-cracking boob. I would have much preferred the confident air he projected in Episode V.