Star Wars-Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi

     How do you end one of the best trilogies ever put on film? Here's an example.

"Return of the Jedi", the final chapter in the Star Wars saga, is just a hair below the previous two, but just barely. It is basically a film that ties up all the loose ends (like the last chapter of a really good book). The film succeeds on pretty much all the levels it tries to; it is easily the most entertaining out of all the films.

The film picks up where "Empire" left off- Han Solo is still frozen in carbonite, Luke is still training to become a Jedi Knight, and the Empire is building a new Death Star to crush the Rebellion once and for all. These stories play out like a series of three serials with little bits tieing them together. The first part is the rescue of Han from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt, a giant disgusting slug of a gangster. That opening sequence right there is thrilling than most sci-fi climaxs could even hope to be.

We then get the Rebels gearing up to stop the new Death Star from becoming operational. To get to the actual target, they must destroy the shield generator on the planet below- Endor. The sabatogours, headed by Luke, Liea and Han, travel to Endor, only for things to go wrong and they must take cover with the planets' natives, the Ewoks (who are like walking teddy bears with spears). This section of the film is where many questions are answered (is Vader really Luke's father?), and what little character development is left to be told is told.

The final part of the movie is the final battle. We get Luke's final standoff against Vader (which remains one of the best science fiction scenes ever filmed), Han and Liea's final stab at destroying that shield generator, plus the Rebellion's final assault against the Empire, led by Lando Calrissian.

The movie comes together perfectly- its only (minor) flaw is that it feels a little TOO much like a series of episodes, rather than just one chapter. Anyway, the movie is still awsome.

As a Star Wars movie, Return of the Jedi is just a little below the previous two. But as a sci-fi flick, its one of the best of its kind.

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