Of all of the Star Wars films, Return of the Jedi is probably the most difficult to judge objectively. It is not really a complete film. The first forty minutes wrap up the rescue of Han subplot from the end of Empire, and then the film kicks into an extended third act that involves the destruction of the second Death Star. With the exception of Luke’s return to Dagobah, there really is not anything of interest in between. Still, Jedi has one of the most satisfying trilogy endings because of how it wraps everything up, even if some small details fall through the cracks.
The film starts out with the infiltration of Jabba the Hutt’s palace and the rescue of Han. It may go on for too long and have little to do with the main story, but it is great to watch all of our heroes work together to successfully execute a needlessly complicated plan. The design of Jabba’s palace is absolutely brilliant, and it feels as if every frame of film is bursting with detail and every exotic creature in the background has a story to tell. The only problem? Boba Fett’s disappointing death. We do get a great look at Luke’s fully-fledged Jedi powers, though, which offers a hint of what will come.
After a brief interlude on Dagobah, where Luke says goodbye to Yoda as he dies, the final hour and fifteen minutes or so pertain to the destruction of the second Death Star. This entire sequence is a mixed bag. The scene on the motor bikes is a technical marvel that is pulse-pounding. Watching Luke and Leia work together to take out the Imperial scouts is fantastic, but right afterwards the film grinds to a halt with the introduction of the Ewoks. It takes way too long to get through this sequence. Did we really need a ten minute scene of the Ewoks worshiping C-3PO? This is part of what makes Jedi’s climax frustrating: on one hand, you have the absolutely epic space battle, and on the other, you have a bunch of furry teddy bears take down “the Emperor’s best troops.” The stormtroopers look utterly incompetent against the Ewok “army.” The Ewok battle is a ton of fun to watch, but it completely undermines the intimidation factor of the Empire, and the process of leading up to the battle takes way too long.
The battle above Endor is almost flawless. The stakes are perfectly set at the beginning, and a few twists are thrown in to keep the audience on their toes (such as the revelation that the Death Star is fully operational). There’s something so satisfying about watching a star destroyer crash into the super star destroyer. If the fight between the Ewoks and the Stormtroopers is disappointing, the space battle makes up for it, and then some.
The real highlight, however, is the showdown between Vader, Luke, and the Emperor. This is what the trilogy has been building to, and the emotional stakes are palpable as the three face off. The entire sequence is wrought with tension, as the audience isn’t sure whether or not Luke will turn to the Dark Side. The fight choreography is stupendous, and the lighting works brilliantly. There’s a great shot of Luke with half of his face covered in darkness and half in the light, a fascinating visual metaphor for his internal struggle. The Emperor is also a terrifying villain, and the scene when he tortures Luke is tough to watch. When all hope is lost, Vader makes one of the most triumphant redemptions in cinematic history and turns on Sidious. His final actions before his death marks a powerful end to the character arc that ran throughout both the prequel and original trilogies.
Jedi ties up almost everything in a perfect bow. It is revealed that Leia is Luke’s sister, which makes a kiss between them in Empire all the more creepy, but the twist wraps up the Han-Luke-Leia love triangle. Vader is redeemed and the Death Star is destroyed, again. However, the film lacks any sort of risk. No major characters are killed off, except Vader, and everything works out perfectly in the end. When you compare Jedi to Empire, the film pales in comparison since Empire took so many risks with its narrative. Jedi is a great emotional finish, but the viewer can’t help but wonder what else could have been done by, say, killing off Han. This makes it the weakest of the original trilogy, but still a wonderfully satisfying film.
Star Wars ranking: 4/6
Final Ranking:
- The Empire Strikes Back
- A New Hope
- Revenge of the Sith
- Return of the Jedi
- Attack of the Clones
- The Phantom Menace
