How does Return of the Jedi hold up 40 years on?

Forty years after its initial release, the Star Wars saga’s original finale, Return of the Jedi, has been rereleased in select UK cinemas. But how does it hold up all these years on?

George Lowes
18th May 2023
Image from IMDb
Forty years after its initial release, the Star Wars saga’s original finale, Return of the Jedi, has been rereleased in select UK cinemas. But how does it hold up all these years on?

The film sees Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) reunite with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) following his capture at the end of 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back. Once back together, they and the Rebel Alliance mount a daring offensive to destroy the Galactic Empire’s new battle station, Death Star II. This leads to a thrilling final act in which Luke confronts Darth Vader (James Earl Jones and David Prowse) and The Emperor (Ian McDiarmid).

Until The Force Awakens kicked off the Star Wars sequel trilogy in 2015, Return of the Jedi was the saga’s grand finale, and in that respect, it ticks all the right boxes. Our dynamic trio each has moments to shine, all concluding character arcs that began in Star Wars (1977). The film is bursting with exciting action sequences, Luke’s climactic duel against Vader and the trio’s escape from Jabba the Hutt’s sail barge being among the highlights.

Ever since its release, the most controversial element of this movie has been the Ewoks – short, furry, tribal creatures encountered by the Rebels on Endor. Their inclusion draws out the second act, but I’m a fan of how they’re used later in the battle. George Lucas explained that he took inspiration from real-life historical conflicts when creating Star Wars. This is reflected clearly in Return of the Jedi, with the technologically superior Imperial forces defeated by the Rebels and Ewoks, drawing obvious parallels to the Vietnam War.

Another criticised aspect of Return of the Jedi is the appearance of a second Death Star. But, while it does feel a tad unoriginal, it’s used well here, allowing for an awesome space battle at the end (one of the best in the franchise, for my money). And, frankly, it does make sense for the Empire to build another one, especially given The Emperor’s secret plan revealed later in the movie. Plus, the station has been upgraded from its predecessor, mainly with a drastically shorter cooldown between firing, building tension in the film’s climax as Rebel ships are taken out left and right.

I saw Return of the Jedi at a showing brimming with fans of all ages. The atmosphere was electric and everyone had a blast. So, I’d have to say that despite its age, the film more than holds its own. Like others in the franchise, the film has its issues, but its good moments are some of the best in the entire saga.

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