Return of the Jedi (1983)

Return of the Jedi, now better known as Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, raises a number of significant questions: What is the nature of our true identity? How important are genetics in determining whether we become good or evil? Can there be good in evil people? Can we overcome or control our evil impulses? The film doesn’t necessarily resolve all of these issues, but it does provide a satisfying closure to the initial Star Wars trilogy of films. The word “return” in the title is an apt one. The plot returns to Luke Skywalker’s home planet of Tatooine, as Luke (Mark Hamill), Leia (Carrie Fisher), Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2—with some assistance from Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams, seriously underused here)—attempt to rescue Han Solo (still encased in carbonite almost a year since the events in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back) from the possession of Jabba the Hut. Luke then returns to Dagobah to complete his training with Jedi master Yoda, only to discover that Yoda feels he has nothing more to teach him and, therefore, no reason to continue existing. Before he expires, Yoda does confirm that Darth Vader was formerly Anakin Skywalker, Luke’s father, before he succumbed to the Dark Side of the Force (and that Luke has a sibling). Finally, the film also returns to the Death Star—well, not quite. It’s a better, more powerful, yet allegedly unfinished Death Star that the Rebels again have to destroy, but the basics of how to demolish this new weapon are very similar to those in the initial Star Wars. Hamill gets more of a focus in this film, particularly in its emphasis on the father-son dynamic between Luke and Darth Vader, and he uses it to demonstrate a greater solemnity in his acting style. He grew quite a lot as an actor over these three science fiction/fantasy films. Harrison Ford’s Han Solo isn’t as much of a central character here, but he manages to get a couple of memorable lines and a couple of solid action sequences. It’s really Fisher as Leia who gets more opportunities to be an action hero in this third film. The princess disguises herself as a bounty hunter in order to infiltrate Jabba’s palace, an exciting start to the film’s action. However, the fanboys (and viewers of the TV series Friends) will no doubt only or primarily recall her appearance in the gold bikini she’s forced to wear as Jabba’s prisoner. It’s quite sexist to objectify the main female character for such an extended period of time in the film; she could have been depicted as the strong, powerful Rebel leader that she is without resorting to skimpy costumes. You also can’t review this film without mentioning the Ewoks, the cuddly teddy bears on the moon of Endor who help the Rebels defeat the Empire. They are proficient at fighting, but I doubt many people who viewed the film upon its initial release walked out of the theater remembering how fierce the Ewoks were as warriors. The greatest tension of the entire initial trilogy is perhaps the sequence involving attempts by Vader and the Emperor (an oily Ian McDiarmid) to convert Luke to the Dark Side. The resolution of that struggle is perhaps even more satisfying than the demolition of the new Death Star, given that we’d seen something similar happen just six years earlier in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. Honestly, for my part, had the Star Wars films ended with this one, I think it would have been more satisfying that having creator George Lucas develop an underwhelming prequel trilogy and then having J.J. Abrams “revive” the franchise by “revisiting” some of the best parts of the original film. Of course, I’m not the head of a film production company that sees numerous opportunities to make money, so perhaps my judgment in that regard is lacking.

Oscar Win: Special Achievement Award for Visual Effects

Other Oscar Nominations: Best Art Direction, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Original Score