Update: TheStarWarsGutTest

Disc Six: Return of the Jedi
October 31, 2011

INITIAL GUT REACTION: When I first saw this film many, many years ago I don't remember not liking it as much as I did this time. Very much like the "Godfather" series, this film is the weakest of the original three, but I still maintain the "The Godfather" series and the original "Star Wars" series are the best trilogy's ever made, even with the last film in each. To me this film is really a moment film. What I mean there are moments that are good, but as a whole film it falls flat for me.



STAR WARS MYTHOLOGY: This film is even more awkward than the first three films with mythology. I believe George Lucas thought this was going to be the end of the series so he had to try to tie up so much stuff and it was not believable in any way.



CHARACTERS: Han and Leia were stars in 4 and 5, but in this film I found myself not really caring that much about them or their relationship. Han's jealousy with Luke felt forced. Luke felt out of place in the film all throughout and the once mighty Darth Vader was reduced to really being just an errand boy which I hated then and hate today. Oh and Lando... why was he even invited to this party?



ACTORS: Harrison Ford over acted in this one and I don't know if it was what he was asked to do or not, but I through me off most of the film. Mark Hamill tried to play Luke as if he had the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders and it didn't feel right from the word go. The Ewoks were a miss as well.



THE LOOK OF THE FILM: This film was made in 1983... six years after the original and special effects were changing at a rapid pace and you can see that in this film. Lucas got his hands on some new toys and used them more than he needed too. Example, way too many ships involved in all of the battle scenes. And then as usual later he added more stuff that again bothered me from the word go. Need an example of that, the transition after the Death Star blew up back to the land of the Ewoks, the extra shots from around the galaxy of people celebrating... not needed at all!



THE DISC ITSELF: Nothing too fancy with this one, just the film and then audio commentary.



THINGS I LIKED: I have to be honest there were not a lot. If I had to pick one... maybe the cycle chase sequence in the forest.



ALL IN ALL: This was a clunker from the word go. Lucas shows how uncomfortable he is with relationships in this film with the whole Luke, Leia, Han thing. It was awkward to watch. I feel he also had a hard time trying to decide if this was going to be a dark film, a kid film or a fantasy film because he tried to mix them all together and it just didn't work. In the last film like Melissa Gorga John Williams score was, "On Display, on display," and in this film I felt it was MIA. Lucas was trying to put everything into a bow and tie all three films together, but missed. Part of why he clearly missed in my estimation is because he really didn't think out and evolve from earlier decisions that were made in episodes 4 and 5. It kind of hurt to watch the film this time.

OVERALL ALL GRADE: D+ or C-