Return of the Jedi: Special Edition

Director: Richard Marquand
Screenplay: George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan
Story: George Lucas
Starring: Mark Hammil, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Frank Oz, David Prowse
John's Review

Return of the Jedi: SE is not what I would call a wonderful movie. It's not a bad movie but it's really not on par with Star Wars or The Empire Strike Back. I don't know if it's because everyone seemed really bored when they were filming this movie or because it just reeked of campiness, no it was probably all of those plus, dare I say, Ewoks.

The story is thus, (read the rest of this paragraph only if you've lived under a rock for the past 14 years); We join our heroes as they have journeyed to Luke's home planet of Tatooine, there of course to rescue their friend from the clutches of the 'Vile gangster, Jabba the Hutt.' After an action packed and oft times humorous rescue and escape we join our heroes back with the rest of the Rebel Alliance, where they plan their attack on the 'Evil Galatic Empire's' second Death Star. We then go to the forest moon of Endor and battles ensue, followed by brilliant special effects laden space battles. All the while Luke has confronted his father and the Emporer.

I love Star Wars. I think a large majority of this country (perhaps even world) loves or at least likes Star Wars. This was my least favorite of the trilogy. Don't get me wrong I still loved it, but as far as the SE goes, they didn't DO enough. Meaning an added (all cheese) scene in Jabba's palace, the Sarlacc and three cgi cities at the end, don't a special edition make. You can really tell the ILM rushed this job. The matte lines are still readily visible around the ships as they fly through the Death Star. Yes the sound is nice and they cleaned the picture up, most notably the scene in which Leia is on Jabba's sail barge and being forced to listen to Jabba at close range is well done (this scene is obvious to anyone who has ever seen any of the video releases of Jedi).

Still, Jedi was my least favorite of the three. One of the reasons was the story line. Now, George loves to throw inuendo and symbolism all over a movie. Which is very evident in the first two movies, the problem here is there really is none. Now of course, Star Wars had one story line, fine. Empire, two, still, fine. Return fragments us into three, which are fine, but they get started too late, end up seeming rushed and convoluted. Anyway, it's still a damn fine feature film.

I still recommend this movie to anyone who is a Star Wars fan, and for anyone who has kids that have never seen it on the big screen. If you get a chance, and have no life (much like myself), go see all three in a row, you'll enjoy it!! Oh and by the way, look for the tennis shoe flying around ever so briefly as a Rebel alliance ship during the space battle!!

Grade: B+

Werner's Review

The end of the trilogy is by far the least satisfying of the 3 films. It attempts to do and resolve too much for one film (which is saying a lot considering the movie is over 2 hours long.) Also, the film panders to children too much by introducing those damn Ewoks.

The Plot: The third installment picks up exactly where Empire leaves off. We start off with a daring resuce of Han Solo from the vile Jabba the Hut. This rescue involves all of our major characters as they get captured by Jabba only to turn the tables on him in the deserts of the planet Tattoine. The movie then spends a brief period of time between Luke, his Jedi master Yoda, and the spirit of his old mentor Obi Wan Kenobi. It is here where Luke confronts Obi Wan about the fact that Darth Vader is really Luke's father. We get an explanation about how Darth Vader came about (though the explanation is vague thereby leaving room for the first 3 movies in the franchise) as well as an interesting revelation that there is one other child in the Skywalker clan.

The movie then starts to get convoluted. We find out that the Empire is building another Death Star and that the Rebel Alliance is going to launch an all out assault on it (lead by Lando Calrissian). For the assault to work, a Rebel advanced team will have to land on the moon of Endor in order to destroy the facility that is providing a shield around the new Death Star as it is being constructed (this force being lead by Han, Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, and the Droids). It is here where the movie begins to fragment itself as we not only have these two storylines going on but we also have Luke eventually leaving everyone behind on the moon in order to face off against Darth Vader and the Empereor.

All 3 storyline then proceed simultaneously (with the help of those damn Ewoks) at the end of the movie. Of course, we all know that good will triumph over evil so the shield generator does get destroyed by Han and company, the Rebel fleet destroys the new Death Star, and Luke manages to turn his father back toward the good side of the force in order to defeat the Empereor.

The Good:

Seeing all of the action of this movie on the big screen was the real thrill for me. For all that happens in this movie (especially at the end), a big movie screen is really the only way to do this movie justice.

The special effects are still very impressive, mainly the space battle at the end, and hold up very well considering this movie is over 10 years old.

A nice new ending John Williams song that replaces the stupid Ewok "Nubb Nubb" song that was in the original.

The Bad:

Those damn, cute, child pandering Ewoks almost ruin the movie for me. After the near dark atmosphere of Empire to have to suffer though seeing walking, talking teddy bears save the day is enough to make me want to vomit. I understand why they are there ($$$$$$), I just wish they weren't

These Special Edition movies seem to be offering less and less as they go on. The film quality in this one is not that enhanced and the "new scenes" really don't add much to the movie at all. (Note: the big new scene is at the end with a shot of the city of Coruscant which I have been told will play a key role in the upcoming new movies.)

The end is still too cluttered for my taste. You are forced to have to watch 3 different story lines go on at once. To add to that, 2 of the story lines involve a lot of action that I would love to watch in their entirety instead of having the movie shift us around from scene to scene. It is here where the movie feels too rushed for its own good and it takes away some from what the movie could have been if they had slowed things down somewhat at the end.

Overall:

A nice (if somewhat rushed) conclusion to the trilogy. Now onto Episodes I, II, and III.

Grade: B+
 
 

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