By James V. Ruocco
When last seen, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) managed to outfox the villainous Darth Vader (David Prowse), but still had to prove himself worthy of the Jedi's knightly code of honor. The Millennium Falcon's wise-cracking Han Solo (Harrison Ford) ended up frozen in carbonite at the desert palace of the evil monarch Jabba the Hut.
Meanwhile, Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) found herself torn between the two men, while Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), the newest member of the Rebel Alliance, vowed to rescue Solo from Jabba the Hut's evil clutches. That was three years ago in "The Empire Strikes Back, Episode 5," the middle trilogy of George Lucas' proposed nine-part series, scheduled to conclude December 31, 1999 and ring in the year 2000.
With the release of "Return of the Jedi," the plot lines raised in "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back" (two of the most successful films in box-office history) must now be resolved.
"Return of the Jedi" ends the conflict begun in "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope" between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. In Episode 6, Luke finally learns that Darth Vader, a former Jedi Knight lured to the dark side of the force, is actually his father. The Jedi Knight also discovers that Princess Leia is his sister.
As "Jedi" opens, C-3PO, R2-D2, Princess Leia, Lando Calrissian and Luke Skywalker have all journeyed separately to the desert-planet of Tatooine to rescue Han Solo. Forty minutes later, "Jedi" embarks on an all-new adventure against the dark forces of the mighty galactic empire.
And what an adventure it is!
To bring the third installment of the "Star Wars" saga to life, executive producer George Lucas has spent $32.5 million dollars. In addition to throwing nearly 1,000 special effects at the audience, Lucas and his creative team have developed a variety of new screen monsters (the sixteen-foot Rancor; the Sarlacc; Salacious Crumb, who nearly steals the film with his raucous laugh) plus an assortment of loveable furry creatures called Ewoks, a tribal group who inhabit the planet of Endor.
Everything is so impressive and technically perfect, "Return of the Jedi" immediately overwhelms. Up until now, the 1983 movie year, with three exceptions ("Tender Mercies," "War Games," "Local Hero"), has been one big mess. With people like George Lucas around, it's nice to see money invested wisely instead of wasted to produce overblown ego trips ("The Outsiders," "Flashdance") or just plain junk ("Spacehunter," "Still Smokin,' " " Waitress").
Here's a motion picture that you can take the whole family to and blast off, thanks to the filmmakers to "a galaxy far, far away." It's a journey you'll find exciting from beginning to end. When "Jedi" concludes on a tearful note (this is the last time you'll see Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia), you leave the theater sad and drained, knowing you invested your money wisely.
But director Richard Marquand, like "Blue Thunder's" John Badham, doesn't rely on the special effects to do the trick. Sure, they have their place (those space sleds speeding through the forest of Endor will surely leave you dizzy), but without an effective story, "Return of the Jedi" would be pointless. George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan have seen to it that "the force" remains in top form.
Near the end of the film, Marquand's sharp editing techniques heighten "Jedi's" climatic action: Luke Skywalker's final duel with Darth Vader and the Emperor; Lando Calrissian's Rebel Alliance attack; the destruction of the Death Star; the Ewok tribes battle with the Imperial Army's mechanical forces.
Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher( all three have not aged well) manage to have fun with their characters one last time. But it is Chewbacca, R2-D2, C-3PO, the droid "fluent in over six million forms of communication" and those scene-stealing Ewoks, you remember most. Don't forget that underneath those elaborate life-size outfits and machinery are human actors. They all deserve a round of applause, wouldn't you say?
(This review was originally published on June 9, 1983)
