Customer Reviews
The Thrilling Conclusion of the Original Trilogy 
2004-11-22
In this final epic conclusion to the original Star Wars trilogy, the final confrontation between young Jedi Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and his evil nemesis/father Darth Vader takes place as the rebel alliance struggles against the evil galactic empire and their new death star, which is even more powerful than the original.
The film opens with Lando (Billy Dee Williams), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Luke venturing to the hide-out of Jabba the Hutt to free Han Solo (Harrison Ford), who was captured by Boba Fett in episode V. After being freed from the carbonite by Leia, a battle breaks out among Jabba's forces and Luke, Leia, Lando, and Han. During the melee, Jabba is choked to death by a scantily-clad Leia while the others manage to fight off Jabba's thugs and escape.
After escaping from Jabba, Han, Leia, and Lando rendezvous with the rest of the rebel fleet while Luke goes back to Dagobah to complete his training with Yoda, but when he gets there an ailing Yoda tells him that he needs no more training, but still must face Darth Vader. Meanwhile, the others plan thier assault on the death star, with Lando leading the ship attack and Han leading the ground assault to de-activate the energy shield which is protecting the death star. The band must land on the forest moon of Endor to knock out the power generator which generates the energy field.
Luke joins up with Leia and Han, but he feels that he is endangering the mission with his presence, so he voluntarily surrenders so he can face Vader and the Emperor. Will Luke's surrender succeed? Will Han's group disable the energy field before Lando's ships arrive? Will Luke be turned to the dark side or will he find good in his father and turn him?
This is a fantastic movie. The special effects have gotten better as the series went on, and the stunning battle against the death star is one of the best sequences I've ever seen. I didn't care as much for the Endor part of the movie, but the flight of the speeders through the forest with the trees zipping by at very high speeds was fun to watch. The best part of the movie is the confrontation between Luke and Vader, with each trying to turn the other. I give this movie my highest recommendation. From the opening "Star Wars" flash to the end, it is loaded with action and adventure. Watch and see the climactic battle between good and evil occur as the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance.
Ooh, Princess, it hurts so good... 
2004-11-11
Carrie Fisher gets top billing as far as I'm concerned: this beautiful, brilliant, best-selling authoress and actress makes our day when, scantily clad, she strangles Jabba the Hut. That's special effects enough for me!
Return of the Jedi (1983) 2004-10-17
First things first, buy this film on laserdisc.
Skip the DVD box set.
The third of the original Star Wars trilogy, Return of the Jedi is a great closing to the series. The story comes down to a final climax in the battle between the Empire and the rebel alliance. The music score is awesome thanks to the expertice of John Williams and it really set the tone for many movies after it. The best part though was the story, an epic struggle between good and evil in a galaxy far, far away. This is one of my favorite movies of all time, I've seen it close to 200 times.
The original "Star Wars" trilogy comes to an end 2004-10-06
"Return of the Jedi" is the one film of the original "Star Wars" trilogy that was not improved by the tinkering of George Lucas. It has always been the most unsatisfying of the three films, partially because the expectations were unrealistically high (I still have my "Revenge of the Jedi" button), but also because it provides an uneasy mix of the best elements from its two predecessors. As much fun as the original "Star Wars" was (no, still will not use its new name), "The Empire Strikes" back was a much darker and richer film where things went from bad (the attack on the Rebel base on Hoth) to worse (Han Solo frozen, Luke Skywalker loses his hand and finds out who is his daddy). Given how bad things were going for our collective band of heroes, the levity in this films seems rather misplaced. This is heightened when Lucas adds the musical number to the early scene at Jabba the Hutt's pleasure palace. The idea might be to update the Cantina band sequences from the first film, but given that Han is a wall decoration it just does not work.
Usually the blame for "Return of the Jedi" is placed on the Ewoks, because cute teddy bears seems a giant step backwards by this point in the narrative. But I think the more substantial problems are with the rampant revisionism Lucas is doing with his story line. There are a pair of problems associated with the earlier movies. First, we have the declaration from Obi-Wan Kenobi that Darth Vader killed Luke's father. We then learn in "Empire" that Vader IS Luke's father and in "Jedi" the ghost of Obi-Wan comes up with a lame excuse that what he said was true from a certain point of perspective as if it was an election year in that galaxy far, far away. Second, we have the revelation that Princess Leia is Luke's sister. This would be the same Luke that Leia liplocked in "Empire." Leia professing her love for Han was enough to end the love triangle that existed at the beginning of that movie, but if you need another nail in that particular coffin this would certainly do it. But again I get the feeling that Lucas is revising as he goes along.
I always thought of "Return of the Jedi" as a 4.5 film, a notch belong the previous two, but was inclined to round up because of the final fight between Luke and Vader, as well as the way that relationship plays out in the end. But the new musical number skewing the film's tone even farther in the wrong direction negates that rationale so now I round down. The special effects are again an improvement, albeit not as much as from "Star Wars" to "Empire," and the attack on the new Death Star certainly shows how proficient Industrial Light and Magic had become. In terms of the performances both Luke (Mark Hamill) and Leia (Carrie Fisher) continue their arcs of maturation, but Han (Harrison Ford) is back to being a scamp.
In the publicity for the DVD versions of the original "Star Wars" movies Ford has commented about how he thought Han Solo should have been killed off in "Return of the Jedi." I think he was right on this score because given the depths of "Empire" things break rather well for our heroes in this one. The death of Yoda and Darth Vader are certainly steps in the right direction, but we were expecting Vader to die since the first film (albeit more directly by Luke's hand) and Yoda's death, while unexpected, was not exactly significant. It seemed that Lucas was setting up the death of Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) with Han's premonition about never seeing the Millenium Falcon again, but that did not pan out. Which is just as good since one of the best shots of the film is the Millenium Falcon escaping from the new Death Star, shooting out just ahead of all those flames.
Of course in the end what matters here is the entire "Star Wars" trilogy, which is still going to be better than the new one, no matter what happens next year in "Revenge of the Sith." Notice that in the new trilogy Lucas continues to have problems making everything fit together (i.e., what happened to sweet little Anakin Skywalker between "The Phantom Menace" and "Attack of the Clones," and why does Padmé Amidala see anything in the brooding thug he has become?). What George Lucas accomplished the first time around was pretty impressive when you consider that at the end of the first "Star Wars" we thought we knew exactly what would happen. Darth Vader would beat Luke Skywalker in a light saber duel at the end of the second film and then Luke would kill Vader at the climax of the third. But then came the biggest pair of body blows in movie history when Vader and Luke fought in "Empire" and the grand finale was suddenly in doubt. There are certainly flaws to be found here, but there is also the grandeur of a first class space opera.
Episode VI-The Redemption of Anakin Skywalker 2004-10-05
In the movie Clerks,Randal and Dante discussed TESB and ROTJ, and Dante described Jedi as having "A bunch of Muppets".
Whether this is in reference to the creatures in Jabba's palace, or the Ewoks, ROTJ will be remembered as the one with the highest "cute" factor.
ROTJ is the most uneven SW movie as it teeters towards the darkness of TESB, and the high adventure of ANH.Overall, it's still an entertaining movie that closes the saga the best way possible.
Episode VI 2007-04-08
A great movie. I would highly reccommend this Star Wars.
(*Spoilers*)
First, they rescue Han from Jabba which takes up about fifteen or twenty minutes. Then, Leia is captured. Luke Skywalker, now a Jedi, comes to rescue her, but Jabba tries to feed him to the Rancor monster. Luke defeats the Rancor, but Jabba boards his Sail Barge and attempts to feed Luke, Han, and Chewbacca to the sarlaac monster. Lando Calrissian, in disguise, reveals him self and starts chopping down guards. R2-D2 shoots Luke his lightsaber. Boba Fett, seeing this, jumps to the desert skiff and attacks, but Han knocks him into the sarlaac. Unknown to viewers, but Boba actually does not die.
While all this is happening, Leia chokes Jabba with a chain. The group manages to escape and blow up the sail barge. But another thing unknown to viewers, Bib Fortuna, Jabba's aide, does not die. Well, Luke goes to Dagobah to finish his training with Yoda. Yoda dies of old age (900) but tells Luke that Leia is his sister. Luke meets the Rebels on the forest moon of Endor where Leia is lost and then found and then they meet the Ewoks. The Imperials attack and the Ewoks and Rebels fight back. They blow up the protective energy field around the Death Star II. Then a massive space battle erupts. Inside the Death Star II, Luke duels with Vader. The Emperor begins using Force lighting on the young Jedi, but Vader turns good again and kills the Emperor. Luke escapes and the Death Star II is blown up.
(*SPOILERS END HERE*)
I don't have anything else to say except that this is a great movie again.
I've owned it for years, and still listen to it often 2007-04-07
This soundtrack has everything on it a Star Wars fan could love. Good sound quality, and every song on it is enough to enable true fans to replay the entire movie in their heads.
Two words of caution:
First, it has the newer Ewok celebration song that was dubbed over the original when the film was redone by Lucas.
Second, at all costs, avoid track 14 from Disc One, "Jedi Rocks." This is an unbearably stupid song that somehow got included in this album rather than on the Holiday Special soundtrack.
THE BEST STAR WARS MOVIE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2005-10-07
This movie is a great conclusion to a great saga. I have seen all of the Star Wars movies, from the Phantom Menace to Attack Of The Clones to Revenge Of The Sith to A New Hope to The Empire Strikes Back, and now this golden piece of treasure, which is my favorite Star Wars movie ever. The fight scenes are just great, there are a lot more cool new and old characters, Darth Vader is better than ever, I love the funny quotes and interesting moments, and the ending is both sweet and happy. The others were great, but this is the very best. Do not wait another moment. See this movie. It is well worth any money you spend on it. Period. End of discussion. Done.
How can people like this? 
2005-09-04
As to be honest, i didnt watch the movie to the end. After the girl (whatever her name is) choked jabba the hutt I turned of the television. It left me thinking: what do all these fans see in this mess?
Its not a science fiction movie, it is more like a doll theatre. The dancing number and the whole jabba the hutt surroundings reminded me more of sesame street than science fiction. I know the translator robot is ment to be funny and R2 ment to be cute, but i just find them boring. However, the worst thing was the retarded animal called "chewbacca". Every time he started his ugly howl i just wanted to get into the tv screen and chop his head of with that kind of "cool" laser sword.
Star Wars may be of historical interest. I could compare it with plan 9 from outer space. Plan nine is better though, because that film is funny, this one is just irritating. That there are so many devoted fans out there amazes me.
Referring to the Soundtrack 2005-05-28
The reviews I've seen for this soundtrack are not even mentioning the CD that they are supposed to be reviewing, instead bitching about the movie itself.
The special edition of the Return of the Jedi has little change in the score. Most probably is improved sound quality. In Jedi, a new peice is found, Victory Celebration. This song replaces the awful 'Ewok Celebration' aka 'Yub Nub'. Victory Celebration sounds much more like an ending to one of the greatest movie (trilogy) ever made. It is still ethnic sounding, but sounds less like an Ewok festival and more like the closing music to Star Wars.
