I've got mixed feelings about "Return of the Jedi." It's like chocolate covered grasshoppers or the delicacy of escargot. They look and taste good, but upon further examination, one is disgusted at what they just ate - but a good taste is left in the mouth.
A quick comparison to "Jedi"'s prequils: "Star Wars" had evil characters such as Greedo, Sandpeople and Jawas. "Empire" possesses the most evil bounty hunter in the galaxy: Boba Fett. In comparison, "Jedi" gives Ewoks, the most pathetic beings since those Kurds who were killed by parachuted U.N. relief boxes. There's something missing in "Jedi."
On the other hand, "Jedi" also offers some very cool touches.
Luke Skywalker finally becomes a Jedi. The character development in this in incredible.
Luke in "Star Wars:" "Uuuncle Ooowen!! You said I could go to Nokashi Station to pick up power converters!!"
Luke in Jedi, thumbing his nose at the Emperor of the Galactic Empire: "You've failed, Your Highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me."
While his light saber duel isn't quite so cool as the fight on Bespin in "Empire," Luke finally, after three movies, realizes his dream of being a Jedi Knight.
But I don't like Ewoks. This is a civil war, full of stinky bounty hunters, imposing star destroyers, rebellious heroics, and the scariest emperor since Napoleon. This film tries to fit in cutesy, teddy-bear aborigines. And how, I ask you, do these furballs manage to take out an entire legion of Imperial Stormtroopers - evil men of death who have had training in the arts of death by laser? It doesn't work.
Those little, furry munchkins give us possibly the worst defect of the three films, all at the hands of George Lucas. Then they go and spoil my favorite character.
Han Solo is not effective in this film. The most dashing character in the first film, Han becomes an outlet for bad comedy relief. There's no point in rescuing him from the clutches of Jabba - after "The Empire Strikes Back," Han Solo is useless. But I do give him credit: he spent his between-movie time frozen in carbonite while listening to Jabba chuckle, "Ho-ho-ho," like a demented Santa Claus.
Despite its terrible flaws, however, "Jedi" has some really cool elements to make it worthwhile. The legendary Jabba the Hut is creepy enough to live up to his reputation as a "vile gangster." The final star-battle is perhaps the finest mass-destruction of TIE-fighters in the Star Wars Trilogy. The Emperor is truly sinister: he looks like a version of Obi-Wan Kenobi who did too many drugs as a child. Han Solo finally gets Princess Leia. And "Jedi" is as full of action as "Star Wars" movies come.
"Return of the Jedi" is an important piece of the "Star Wars" puzzle. It's too bad they had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to come up this epic story's finale.
When you leave the theater, that taste in your mouth isn't bad popcorn. And your Coke is just fine. Trust me.