Coasting Not Soaring To A Finish

Rating: Null/10 (12 May 1999)

I'm not one of those critics of ROTJ who hates the movie, but I do think it's quite obvious that when you watch the three movies together it's clear that the entire storyline that was established so wonderfully in Star Wars, is just coasting to a finish here instead of soaring to a powerful climax.
I have always been convinced that what elevates "Star Wars" above either of the two sequels is the fact that it was the only one of the three films where Lucas seemed to be equally concerned about story development as he was about FX. The trend toward FX over story starts to intrude in Empire, but in ROTJ it really sticks out like a sore thumb. Lucas it seems spent more time concerned about showing a more elaborate cantina scene in Jabba's palace than he was about pacing a coherent and credible storyline. Luke and Leia brother and sister? Boy, does that make you go back and look at the original in a somewhat uncomfortable light. This was something that required more explanation and a bit more depth. And don't even make me comment on the Ewoks, the single most idiotic concept of the entire Trilogy. The manner in which they so easily beat a trained Imperial Army is enough to make you want to start rooting for the other side!
The acting is also not up to snuff this time. Ford is just coasting along, and Ian McDiarmid as the Emperor demonstrates how overly cartoonish the proceedings are getting. All one has to do is compare McDiarmid's caricature performance with Peter Cushing's cool, restrained villainy as Moff Tarkin in Star Wars to realize what was missing this time out. *That's* what the Emperor should have been like.
Of course, Carrie Fisher in that metal bikini is always enough to compensate for any of the film's shortcomings in the final analysis. :) Jedi in the end works, but it's not an improvement over it's origins. It's just coasted in because of the past glories that preceded it.