Solid conclusion to the ultimate Sci-Fi trilogy (with a couple of missteps)

Rating: 6/10 (1 June 2006)

The conclusion to the original STAR WARS trilogy remains a great deal of fun, even if it lacks the breathtaking, genre-defining enthusiasm of the first picture and the searing, mature nature of the second. For the second time in a role, George Lucas returns as the film's screenwriter and producer, but turns the directorial duties over to another film-maker - this time Englishman Richard Marquand (who's most notable film up to that date had been 1978's lackluster THE LEGACY). While he lacks the thunderous cliffhanger charm and the somber literate quality that Lucas and Irvin Kershner respectively brought to the previous installments, Marquand proves to be quite proficient in the director's chair. Although the film doesn't re-imagine (or even revitalize) the genre the way the previous films did, it still proves to be a great space opera with plenty of highly memorable scenes and set pieces.
The opening sequences of the film are exhilarating, with Leia's attempted rescue of Han and Luke's battle against an imposing rock-like monster both emerging as perfectly executed scenes of action and suspense. The film also contains the typically impressive array of special effects, including a taunt forest chase scene on airborne spacecrafts that expertly merges stop motion effects, miniature models, and green screen footage into one seamless sequence of adrenaline-pumping action. All of the regular cast members return (in one form or another), and all of the respective actors display an ever-increasing confidence in their characterizations (which is the third such go-around for most of them). The film's storyline also retains some of EMPIRE'S adult-oriented pathos, especially in the Emperor's repeated attempts to draw Luke towards the dark side.
Unfortunately, the film also contains many portions that seem to be trying much too hard to play out to the children in the audience, especially the woefully-misplaced cuteness of the cuddly Ewoks and even in Darth Vader's overly sentimental last-minute "change of heart" (which, in addition to being too schmaltzy, stretches credibility far too much). I was also disappointed by the off-handed treatment given to the characters that were introduced with great importance in EMPIRE; Yoda and Boba Fett are quickly killed off with an almost casual indifference, and Lando Calrissian is sidelined early and nearly forgotten about until the end of the film. Worse still is the fact the climax of the film basically rehashes the climaxes of the previous films, and with less success. This is easily the biggest problem in the film (and could have easily been fixed with a little more creative writing), but the film recovers and ends with a pleasing coda that brings the trilogy to a satisfying close.
Even with it's flaws, RETURN OF THE JEDI remains a great sci-fi adventure that will most surely be enjoyed by fans of the genre. Although I'm convinced that it could have been even better, it's shortcomings are only apparent when compared to the pristine quality of the previous two films and it is a terrific ride when taken on it's own terms. Try to avoid the 2004 though, which adds an obnoxious musical number to the opening sequence, inserts some poorly-done CGI in several other scenes, and unforgivably replaces Sebastian Shaw with Hayden Christensen in the finale - a disastrous move that zaps nearly every ounce of poignancy out of the aforementioned coda sequence. I know that Lucas tampered with the other two films as well, but the most obtrusive changes occur here, so track down a copy of 1983 original if at all possible.