Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi Movie Review

Released: May 25th 1983

Length: 131 Minutes

Certificate: U

Director: Richard Marquand

Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Peter Mayhew, Alec Guinness, Frank Oz, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Ian McDiarmid.

Having reached a high peak in popularity, the Star Wars saga had become one of the biggest cinematic hits of all time with two exceptional films under its belt. After The Empire Strikes Back, audiences were left salivating for the final entry in the original trilogy. Released in 1983, Return of the Jedi proved to be another great entry in the saga, even if it is a slight step down from Episodes IV and V.

Return of the Jedi begins around a year after Episode V; Han Solo has fallen into the clutches of the crime boss Jabba the Hutt, and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) and Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) all team up to rescue him. While this is going on, the Empire is in the process of constructing a new death star, with the Emperor (Ian McDiarmid) himself arriving to oversee the operation of the new battle station alongside his apprentice Darth Vader. A final confrontation is coming, and our heroes must pull everything together, not to mention enlist the assistance of a few unexpected allies to finally liberate the galaxy. Unlike the previous episode which was always moving forward, Episode VI is much more irregular in its pacing; there’s plenty of action for sure, but there are also many more moments where things slow down for more quiet and intimate character interactions. It’s the calm before the storm for our three heroes, a fitting pace before the final act arrives, where some of the most extravagant and important action takes place. A theme of darkness also seeps into the Episode’s final scenes, particularly with the Emperor’s entrance into the proceedings. Overall, Return of the Jedi delivers a satisfying ending, delivering both powerful emotions and stirring set piece moments where it counts.

Episode VI marks the end (At least until The Force Awakens) of the character arcs that fans became so invested in over the course of six years and some characters receive more attention than others. Luke, whose personal story is at the centre of the film, shows a substantial distance from who he was before; he’s no longer a simple farm boy, nor is he an over-confident padawan who interrupted his training. Instead he’s a strong-willed warrior, one who even seems ruthless in some places. Luke appears ready for a second confrontation with Vader, but there is also an unpredictable dynamic that lingers over his character; which side of the force will he swing towards? That is the main question the audience is forced to ponder. Han and Leia’s relationship remains on a relatively straightforward course, but when the revelations surrounding Luke are eventually revealed, Carrie Fisher injects much more emotion into her role than in previous films. Lando, Chewbacca, and Wedge maintain the likeability and charisma they had before, the stories of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) and Yoda (Frank Oz) both come full circle and the newer characters, such as Admiral Ackbar (Timothy M. Rose) and Mon Mothma (Caroline Blakiston) convey a surprising amount of authority despite their relatively slim time on screen. The villains also reach the pinnacle of their character arcs; Darth Vader, supposedly the most evil being in the galaxy starts to show subtle yet poignant hints of humanity within him. That’s because he has been almost supplanted by an enemy far greater than himself. Ian Mcdiarmid is every bit as excellent as he was in the prequels; the unnerving ways he moves, speaks and toys with Luke, he’s practically the dark side incarnate and almost demonic in his appearance.

Episode VI ends up being a mixture of old and new with its special effects. After a brief foray back to the deserts of Tatooine, the main on-location spot this time is the forest of Endor, which is brilliantly captured with the Redwood National Park. The creature effects are also the best yet with a welcome throwback to the original cantina scene through the weird and wacky creatures in Jabba’s palace; the frightful rancor still looks massive even to this day and Jabba himself, along with the Sarlaac pit are both suitably ugly and repulsive things in both appearance and noise. Not so impressive however, are the silly little Ewoks. They were the first aspect of Star Wars that were geared almost entirely to children, something that would eventually be taken to its most ridiculous level in Episode I sixteen years later. The film does get quite creative with the battle they partake in, but nevertheless it does put the brake on the tension a bit when you see a platoon of armoured soldiers get bested by a primitive tribe of teddy bears. But where the combat on the surface of Endor falters, the other sequences are fantastic in their execution. The space battle around the second death star is a fierce and desperate battle between ships, frigates and the massive space station. And then we have the final duel between Luke and Darth Vader, which is quite possibly my favourite moment of the entire series so far. It’s such a powerful scene, with the psychological battle that the protagonist is caught up in, the way he throws himself at his father with full force, and the incredibly emotive score. It signifies more than any other scene that this is where it ends for the original trilogy and we anxiously await the final outcome. This is a case where the story and stakes succeed in driving the action and the final film in the original trilogy is all the better for it.

Return of the Jedi is a superb conclusion to a trilogy that has enthralled thousands for decades. It sits just beneath the films that came before because of a few goofy and underhanded moments, but when the film reaches its ultimate climax, the result is some of the most memorable and suspenseful moments in the whole franchise. With luck, it should be a worthwhile springboard for what is soon to come.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars