Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi

Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi – After a daring rescue of Han Solo from the clutches of the evil gangster, Jabba the Hut, Luke must complete his Jedi training with Yoda. Yet a new Death Star is looming over the fragile Rebile Alliance. Leia, Han and Chewbacca formulate a plan to destroy it and the evil Galactic Empire. But will the rebellion be defeated as Darth Vader and the Emperor plot to turn Luke to the Dark Side of the Force?

Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983) – Director: Richard Marquand

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1748174

Rating: U

Running Length: 131 mins

Starring: Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford

Genre: Science Fiction, Action/Adventure

REVIEW: STAR WARS: EPISODE VI – RETURN OF THE JEDI

The third original Star Wars movie, ‘Return of the Jedi’, brings back Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Darth Vader for the last time. Having discovered that Darth Vader is his father in ‘Empire Strikes Back’, Luke desperately wants to bring him back to the Light Side. Yet, under pressure from Emperor Palpatine, Vader is conversely attempting to corrupt Luke over to the Dark Side.

After beloved character Solo (Harrison Ford) was frozen in carbonite (He knows!) in ‘Empire Strikes Back’, Luke (Hamill), Leia (Fisher) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) mount a daring rescue: cue Leia’s iconic gold bikini. Vader and Palpatine along with the new Death Star are as threatening as ever, although Vader now struggles to maintain his evil convictions due to his growing love for his son. They may be a controversial addition but the Ewoks, as living tribal teddy bears, are a fun new ally for the protagonists as they battle the Empire at the end of the movie.

Arguably Return Of The Jedi suffers from the pressure of having to close off the original trilogy and much of the good stuff is a little copy pasted from A New Hope. But, taking off the nostalgia glasses, Return of The Jedi learns the lessons of preceding installment, Empire Strikes Back, by infusing some mixed morality in Luke and Vader’s relationship. The final Act, which switches between three sets of action, is a great feat of editing to keep us on our toes and when victory is won, it feels earned.

A Disney Princess to truly inspire little girls, Princess Leia proves herself to be just as capable as the men in her life who treat her no differently to each other. Although ‘Return of the Jedi’ may have some flaws, it is a great, swashbuckling end to an iconic series that would spark further movies and the imaginations of children and adults for generations to come.

CONTENT: IS ‘STAR WARS: EPISODE VI – RETURN OF THE JEDI’ SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN?

Droids are being tortured as our main characters walk through the darkened room. One is held upside down as red hot plates are pushed against its feet. It whimpers and cries out but nothing is done to help it. Another droid is held upright, one of its arms is ripped off and its metal face is disfigured.

At a party female slave dressed in an outfit that barely covers her and has a chain around her neck. She dances for the amusement of guests who leer over her. Jabba the Hut holds her chain and drags her towards him as she struggles. A trapdoor opens which she falls into, the camera cuts away back to the party but the girl’s screams are heard as she is killed by an unseen monster.

Leia is pulled to Jabba and she is repulsed as he licks her cheek. She is seen shortly after as a slave with a chain around her neck wearing a very revealing gold bikini.

The monster, called a Rancor, that killed the slave girl earlier is shown onscreen when Luke falls into the pit with one of Jabba’s men. It is huge. The Rancor picks up the other man, puts his whole upper body into it’s mouth and bites down around his waist. The camera cuts before anything graphic is shown. Luke fights it off and kills it which results in a moment with the rancor’s keeper being upset and sobbing over it’s body.

Jabba attempts to execute Luke, Han and Chewbacca by having them thrown into the mouth of a hug desert creature called a Sarlacc. It’s entire body is buried beneath a pit of sand and only it’s gaping mouth is visible above, waiting for prey to fall in. It is explained that anything that falls in is digested slowly, over thousands of years. During the ensuing fight, several unknown characters fall in. One established character falls just out of reach of the mouth and struggles to escape, an ally helps to pull him to safety. One established bad guy character does fall in to the pit, which makes a ‘burp’ sound.

A evil character is strangled to death by a chain. It thrashes and it’s tongue spasms before it slumps forward directly into shot, dead.

The characters come across a race of small, bear-like creatures called Ewoks who look cute but are ready to kill and eat them. C3P0 can communicate with them and tells Han that the party of good guys are to be the main course in their banquet.

Darth Vader attempts to bring Luke over to the dark side but when Luke rejects him, he is threatened by being told ‘The Emperor will make you feel the full power of the force’.

R2D2 is shot and electricity surges through him which causes him to short circuit and ‘die’ although he is revived later.

The Emperor tortures Luke by shooting streams of electricity at him from his fingers. Luke screams in pain as lightning ripples across his body and face.

CAN I SEE A CLIP?

VERDICT: IS ‘STAR WARS: EPISODE VI – RETURN OF THE JEDI’ FOR KIDS?

Fun and exciting for the initial ending of the original Star Wars’ movies, ‘Return of the Jedi brings lots to enjoy. We feel the content in this movie is mild enough to be suitable for all ages.

• Violence: 1/5 (the droids being tortured may be a little upsetting for young kids)
• Emotional Distress: 0/5
• Fear Factor: 1/5 (Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine are threatening)
• Sexual Content: 0/5
• Bad Language: 0/5
• Dialogue: 0/5
• Other Notes: Deals with themes of rebellion, appealing to the good within someone, love, courage and fighting a stronger foe.

Words by Laura Record