Star Wars Episode VI

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

7.5 out of 10

Running time: 2:15

MPAA rating: PG (Mild sci-fi violence.)

Peruvian rating: Apta para Todos

Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Alec Guinness, Frank Oz, Sebastian Shaw, voice of James Earl Jones.
Director: Richard Marquand
Script: Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas, based on a story by George Lucas
Photography: Alan Hume
Score: John Williams
Distributor: Twentieth-Century Fox

Note: This review was written a couple of years ago, and might need a couple of re-writes.

In some cases, the best is save for the last. It happened that way in, for example, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, although in most cases this rule doesn't apply. The Godfather Part 3 and The Matrix Revolutions would be perfect examples. Sadly, Return of the Jedi would be one too. Most of the good things that made The Empire Strikes Back so good aren't present in this movie and, although it isn't the best of all the Star Wars movies, it doesn't mean it is completely bad. In fact, it's good.

As the rebels prepare to attack the Emperor's awesome new Death Star, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) remains imprisoned by the loathsome outlaw Jabba the Hutt, who has also captured Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) rescues his friends, but he will not be a true Jedi Knight until he defeats Darth Vader, (voice of James Earl Jones) who has sworn to win him over to the Dark Side of the Force. With old favorites like Chewbacca, (Peter Mayhew) Yoda, (Frank Oz) R2-D2, (Kenny Baker) C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), plus the small but stalwart teddy bear-like Ewoks.

The mistake made by writers George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan is definitely the creation of the Ewoks. These teddy-bear like creatures bring up too much cuteness to a movie that could have been somehow light but not childish, if you know what I mean. The war between the Ewoks and the Empire is ridiculous considering the power the Empire is supposed to have, and, just like in cases similar to this one, these bears are cute for the small children and annoying to the adults.

Another mistake is the lack of darkness and profundity. All the darkness, character development and many other interesting features that The Empire Strikes Back are missing in Return of the Jedi, which makes the movie looks somehow too light and almost crossing the border of childishness. Another thing I didn't like was that originality is something else Lawrence and George were seeming to lack, for this movie, specially the ending, is too similar to Episode IV.

But all this doesn't mean the movie is bad. In fact, it has some very good points. For example, there's the chemistry between the three main leads of the movie, which is terrific. It may be mainly because the three actors have already made two movies before this one and they are used to each other. Also, there's the special effects, which are really amazing compared to those in Episodes IV and V. The final space battle has much, much more ships that the Death Star Attack in Episode IV, and the lightsabres in this movie are much better choreographed and exciting.

All in all, this is definitely the weakest of the Star Wars movies of the classic trilogy, mainly because of the lack of originality and darkness, and because of the too cute Ewoks. All this doesn't mean that the movie is bad, in fact, it's good, but it's not as good as the two previous installments.