Return of the Jedi

The first movie went to a desert planet straight out of a Western. The second went to a snowy trench battle, a swamp with a wise old hermit, and a majestic cloud city. And to cap all that off, Return of the Jedi went to a crime lord’s palace and a forest with a tribe of sticks and stones. It was the legendary trilogy’s third installment, and George Lucas somehow outdid himself yet again with his inspired eye for worldbuilding. John Williams’ musical score continues to be memorable, especially with more creative liberties to expand on the culture of this galaxy, with the tribal instruments of the Ewoks and a band whose tunes resemble 1980s funk. Yet even more amazing is how Lucasfilm pushed the envelope further in the visual effects department.

​The elaborate Jabba the Hutt puppet needed five puppeteers to bring this giant slug to life, which was still nothing compared to the Rancor sequence. Yet that’s just early on in the movie, from there, the showcase of stunts combined with ambitious visual effects includes the Sarlacc Pit battle, the speed biker chase, the Ewoks’ attack on the Stormtroopers, and the Rebellion’s flight into the unfinished second Death Star. Even the costumes are works of engineering mastery with the alien creatures in Jabba’s palace, which were made from costume materials that couldn’t have been afforded for the first Star Wars.

PG (LV)
Sci-fi/Fantasy
2 hr. 11 min.

Watch it for FUN.
Watch it to feel HAPPY and AFRAID.