Star Wars - Episode VI:
Return of the Jedi (1983)

Director: Richard Marquand
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher

Synopsis:
While Luke Skywalker and his companions work to free Han Solo from the gangster Jabba the Hutt, the Empire moves forward with the construction of a new Death Star.

Impressions:
Until the prequels came along, a lot of people considered this to be the weakest Star Wars film, but as a kid it was my favorite and even now that I'm older, that affection gives it a slight edge over Episode IV for me. Before we were blighted with Gungans, Ewoks were the Scrappies of the Star Wars universe, but I never minded them and still don't, but I can see how they represent a turn from the darker Episode V that wouldn't be as well received by older viewers.

One thing that strikes me about Episode VI is that everything feels like it's been kicked up a notch. The effects in Episode IV were revolutionary and Episode V didn't slouch at all in that department, but while Episode V's effects feel more like an extension of the progress made in the first film, I see the effects in this film as the next step. Just take the much denser space battle, the speeder chase and the Rancor fight as key examples. If you're not on board with all the CG of the Prequel Trilogy, this is the best it's been.

Enough about effects, though. Let's go to the real meat: the story and the characters. Running parallel plots can be tricky, but this is a good example of it working well. Portraying the grand battle with Luke on the Death Star, with Han and Leia down on Endor and Lando out in space keep things running smoothly while giving us a broad view of the action. It's very rewarding to see Luke coming into his own as a Jedi and his struggle for Vader's redemption. And let's give special props to Ian McDiarmid as the Emperor. One of the great cinematic villains. Also, while James Earl Jones has always been iconic as the voice of Darth Vader, he gets to perform more of the character's range here and I certainly need to give him all due credit somewhere in these reviews.

There is also the score that deserves proper praise. John Williams' work is reliably amazing and the music goes a long way to punctuate the most emotional scenes.

Lastly, a note on the Special Edition. Of the OT, this one that has it the worst. The "Jedi Rocks" musical number is atrocious and I really don't like the new ending. A) I like "Yub Nub". B) The OT is about the core cast that we've gotten close to. We're celebrating their victory. I don't care what's going on anywhere else in the galaxy. As always, aim for the theatrical cut if you can get it.

In conclusion, while some people will take issue with the Ewoks, I still give it my strongest recommendation.

Rating:
Treasure It