The disappointing mediocrity of ‘Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi’

From Disney+ and Lucasfilm Ltd.

Hello! I hope, whoever and wherever you are, you’re having a most beautiful day and that you’re staying sane inside amidst the chaos of COVID-19. For those who are still working, I hope you are safe and well. Before anything, I want to apologise for not posting on Tuesday as I had intended. I have a number of health issues that, though mostly managed, are prone to flares that effectively crash me. That was what happened to me on Monday, unfortunately, and Tuesday wasn’t much better. Thankfully, a day in bed helped immensely, and I’m back to my degree of normalcy again!

I have thought a lot over which is worse: a bad film, or a boring film. Ultimately, I would say that, at least, a bad movie can be memorable – Plan 9 From Outer Space is the first example that comes to mind, though it does depend on the degree of poor quality we’re witnessing. Episode II – Attack of the Clones is worse than a boring film, the blatant potential for an incredible middle instalment wholly discarded in favour of the movie we got. I say all of this because Episode VI – Return of the Jedi has me feeling a similar degree of disappointment to the Prequel Trilogy’s middle instalment, albeit for different reasons. Truth be told, I have struggled with what to put in this review because, despite one blissful exception, the Original Trilogy’s final instalment was dull, and if not for notes I had taken, I wouldn’t remember much of it at all.

For starters, I am so thankful the previous films have set up these characters to be as memorable as they are. Without a doubt, Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, Lando, and Darth Vader carried this movie, even as the dialogue and plot took a severe hit in quality. Han thankfully is not nearly so pushy than in The Empire Strikes Back, but that’s probably the only benefit these characters find throughout the movie. Only one figure shows any real growth, and that is Vader as he struggles with the dark side. He was easily my favourite character in this film, taking his place centre-stage with his son and the Emperor (who finally makes a face-to-face appearance for the first time since Episode III). I would argue the film is about him, about the return of Anakin Skywalker. This part of the film, his struggle and ultimate victory in becoming a Jedi once again made me really emotional. As has been made clear in my reviews of the Prequels, Anakin has been one of my favourite characters, his fall to the dark side absolutely breaking my heart. Darth Vader is quite nearly the sole reason I was able to enjoy any of Episode VI – him, and one other.

This scene made me tear up, I won’t lie. Taken from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi by Lucasfilm Ltd, cinematography by Alan Hume

I won’t lie, my other favourite character in this film was not a character at all, but the best hunk of junk in the galaxy – the Millennium Falcon! I don’t remember much about the space dogfight (even as I joyously called out, “It’s a trap!”). However, I do remember Lando piloting the Falcon through a conveniently giant (seriously, disturbingly enormous) passage through the Death Star to its main reactor.

My least favourite character in this film is by far Boba Fett. Honestly, I’m done complaining about what a bucket of “missed-potential” his character proved to be before dying perhaps the silliest death in the galaxy. Instead, I will say this: based on what we got in these movies, Boba Fett is by far the single most overrated character in any film I’ve ever seen. He’s menacing, sure, and he has a sob story with his dad and all, but other than playing a brief part in Episode V, he doesn’t do anything. Still, though I believe he doesn’t deserve much of the love that he gets from fans, if he makes people happy when watching these movies, then that’s great.

As for the world-building, I do want to turn to Endor here. I’ve heard the argument on more than one occasion that Endor should have been Kashyyyk, and the cuddly, kid-friendly Ewoks should have Wookies. While I can’t hate something that helped Warwick Davis rise to stardom, I do agree that Wookies would have made more sense thematically. Episodes IV and V had a particular mood that felt consistent, a fun space western that wasn’t afraid to leave its characters in dire straits. Return of the Jedi doesn’t match this, instead opting for a more starkly kid-friendly feature (I’m sure toy sales had nothing to do with it, not at all). The consequence of having the Ewoks is that we got a silly battle between them and the Empire’s forces. Beyond this, the return to Tatooine was okay. It took me a moment, though, to remember this is where the opening action piece occurred. In truth, the world-building doesn’t really go anywhere this time around, which is disappointing.

A questionable decision, though they are certainly adorable. Taken from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi by Lucasfilm Ltd, cinematography by Alan Hume

Speaking of action set pieces, I’ve already touched upon the Millennium Falcon destroying the new Death Star, which I enjoyed. The opening act was okay but not as exciting as I would have liked it to be. The battle of Luke versus the Emperor and Darth Vader is the saving plot piece of this film, a result of Darth Vader’s turmoil within it. The fight choreography between Luke and Vader is actually quite decent, though still not on the same level as the Prequels – it certainly stands out as the best duel in the Original Trilogy, in part because of the sheer emotion that’s driven into it. And… well, if there was anything else, any other battles or action, I’ve already forgotten.

I would like to touch upon my biggest problem with this movie here: the plot. Not as exciting, not as emotional... I wanted to bawl at the sight of Yoda, the great boss that was Yoda dying early on. Except I didn’t. His death suffers from the same thing of which the movie suffers: the entire film’s plot is kickstarted by things that happen seemingly between films, things we don’t see. We don’t see spies getting codes that allow the Republic to infiltrate the Empire and destroy the Death Star, though apparently, it was quite dramatic. I can forgive them not showing Luke’s becoming a Jedi Knight. However, Yoda’s 180 on Luke having completed his training after all is jarring, Never mind that for all three Prequels and beyond, it’s pretty clear that Jedi need years, if not decades of training to become Jedi. Yoda just dies because plot and seemingly expects me to feel the emotion that’s not there with which to begin. And the plot bomb that is Leia being Luke’s sister comes out of nowhere, and honestly, I think Han’s face when Leia reveals her relationship with her broski about sums it up.

I imagine Han here is thinking back to that kiss. Taken from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi by Lucasfilm Ltd, cinematography by Alan Hume

The point I’m trying to make is this: key plot points and story-beats are just handed to the heroes. We don’t see the getting-to, merely the reward. And that is what bothers me most here; beyond Vader, everything here is unearned. Leia could have overseen the mission with the spies. Yoda could have played more of a part and have more than one scene before he kicks the bucket. As for the Luke/Leia plot bomb, this was a decision that should have been determined from day one or not at all. There are too many plot-holes that open up as a result of this decision that makes the entire thing far too problematic. That being said, Leia must have the force, because how else could she remember Padmé?

A quick side-note, here: I actually contemplated what it would be like to rewrite the saga with everything in mind. I say this because the one thing I wanted most of all in this movie was for Padmé to be referenced more than once. How amazing would it have been if Luke had brought Padmé into this, for her final lines proclaiming there’s still good in Anakin to come back around? Indeed, I dream of a version of Star Wars where Obi-Wan gives more love to Qui-Gon, where he’s not such a terrible fibber trying to get around his dishonesty with ‘what I said was true, from a certain point of view’. Like, come on, dude. Genuinely, Obi-Wan was far better in the Prequels. But how emotional would the Vader/Luke battle have been if they knew what we knew now?

This was great, but all the possibilities! Taken from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi by Lucasfilm Ltd, cinematography by Alan Hume

Also, I’ve said it five times, and I’ll say it yet again. John Williams is fantastic. Is this score his best in the saga? Nope. Though I have added the music during the Vader/Luke duel to my playlists – I really liked that one.

To summarise, I had a lot of issues with this film. The biggest is that it’s so mediocre. It’s boring, and the only reason I can look upon Return of the Jedi at all with fondness is because of Darth Vader and the Falcon. The Emperor is okay but better in the Prequels, the dialogue is less The Empire Strikes Back and more Attack of the Clones (genuinely, go listen to the scene between Leia and Han after she is told about being a Skywalker), and the plot is troubling, to be kind. If it weren’t for the goodwill established in previous films, this would have been on par with my least-favourite Star Wars film. For worst of all, this movie failed to be fun, and isn’t that what Star Wars is all about? I should be able to put on one of these movies and enjoy myself, and if I can’t do that, if I can’t feel emotional more of the way through, it’s failed as a Star Wars film. Thank goodness for the climax. And with that…

1. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

2. Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

3. Episode I: The Phantom Menace

4. Episode IV: A New Hope

5. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

6. Episode II: Attack of the Clones

So there we go! I was terribly let down by this film, but what about you? Did you enjoy it? Hate it? Somewhere in between? Let me know in the comments!

But that’s all from me today. I post (temporarily) on Tuesdays and Fridays! All the same, thank you for reading, and I hope you have a most beautiful day!

— Charis.