Decent Story; Loved the Characters and Special Effects.

Rating: 7/10 (11 June 2006)

WARNING: MANY SPOILERS AHEAD!
After "The Empire Strikes Back," this is my favorite Star Wars movie. None of the prequels can compare to this gem, arguably the weakest of the original Star Wars movies. The plot's okay: the heroes rescue Han Solo from the evil Jabba the Hutt, then go on to destroy the Death Star's deflector shield on the wooded planet of Endor, simultaneous with an attack on the Imperial ships orbiting the planet. Luke Skywalker must confront his father, attempting to bring him back to the Light Side while also dealing with the Evil Emperor, who covets young Skywalker's power and wants to train him to be a Sith Lord, like his father. All in all, the movie ties up loose ends nicely, although any viewers may think the heroes have incredible advantages that couldn't possibly work. Lighten up, it's a science fiction fantasy adventure! Good wins, case closed.
I enjoyed the sets, filming locations, and characters much more than the story. One of my favorite scenes is when the heroes are in Jabba the Hutt's castle, surrounded by an odd assortment of life forms and monsters. Jabba himself has become an indelible science fiction icon, though not as much as Darth Vader. I personally loved the PUPPETS and stop motion effects MUCH, MUCH more than the computer generated imagery in the prequels. The monster Luke has to face in Jabba's pit is beautifully ugly, and is a stop motion masterpiece worthy of Ray Harryhausen's accolades (this creature---or something very similar to it---would be reincarnated as a threat to Beldar in "Coneheads"). I also liked the much hated Ewoks. Yes, they're cuddly teddy bears, yuk! But I liked George Lucas's attempts to bring primitive hunter-gatherer cultures into the sci-fi mix and include them as heroes. The sets were fantastic, like Jabba's creepy castle and the Ewok village high in the trees. Lucas chose lovely settings for this movie, from the sand dunes east of California's Imperial Valley and Anza Borrego Desert, to the redwood forests of northern California. It's a way of translating our real world into that of fantasy.
Oh yes, the guys will watch for Princess Leia in that metal bikini while she's a captive of Jabba. Today, I'll bet Carrie Fisher is more remembered as Leia wearing that then for the spiral buns and white robe of the original film.