‎Return of the Jedi (1983) directed by Richard Marquand • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

Return of the Jedi

1983 Directed by Richard Marquand

The Empire Falls...

As Rebel leaders map their strategy for an all-out attack on the Emperor's newer, bigger Death Star. Han Solo remains frozen in the cavernous desert fortress of Jabba the Hutt, the most loathsome outlaw in the universe, who is also keeping Princess Leia as a slave girl. Now a master of the Force, Luke Skywalker rescues his friends, but he cannot become a true Jedi Knight until he wages his own crucial battle against Darth Vader, who has sworn to win Luke over to the dark side of the Force.

Mark Hamill Harrison Ford Carrie Fisher Billy Dee Williams Anthony Daniels David Prowse Kenny Baker Peter Mayhew Frank Oz Ian McDiarmid James Earl Jones Sebastian Shaw Alec Guinness Warwick Davis Caroline Blakiston Michael Pennington Kenneth Colley Michael Carter Denis Lawson Tim Rose Dermot Crowley Jeremy Bulloch Femi Taylor Annie Arbogast Claire Davenport Jack Purvis Mike Edmonds Jane Busby Malcolm Dixon Show All…

135 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Todd Gaines ★★★½ 56

Luke has severe daddy issues. Han is frozen with nowhere to go. Leia is more mature. Chewie is still the motherfucker. Yoda is old as fuck. Lando is as smooth as a 6-pack of Colt 45. The droids are still droiding along. Vader still breathes heavy. All of these characters play a pivotal role in the final chapter of the only Star Wars trilogy that matters unless JJ & Disney don't fuck shit up and Episode 7 is the motherfucker. SPACESHIP! Shrek's uncle. R2's stubbornness. Fuck you 1998 Godzilla! Jabba the Hutt is the real king beast. 3PO's linguistic skills. Groovy jazzy funky house band. Boba's lighting-quick reflexes. Defrost Han. Concubine Leia. Wookie hug. Gladiator games. Plank walk. Green lightsabers are…
Review by brat pitt ★★★★½ 1

the moment when leia strangles jabba is literally the birth of feminism
Review by SilentDawn ★★★★★ 19

Viewed Despecialized Edition

Fuck it, this deserves five stars. While The Empire Strikes Back was the equivalent of an open wound, Return of the Jedi is reminiscent of an eulogy or a half-remembered memory. Our beloved characters settle their problems and everything comes together, culminating in an operatic and masterful conclusion to the STAR WARS trilogy.

The opening sequence at Jabba's palace is STAR WARS in miniature, utilizing real sets, striking puppets, grimy atmosphere, crazy creatures, and epic action into an opening half-hour that is absolutely riveting. The iconic moments are endless, with every scene on Endor being on another scale of awesomeness, particularly with the Speeder-Bike chase. And yet, the film never loses the emotional connection between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. It's simply a beautiful ode to the enduring bonds of father/son relationships, and by the end, I'm always in a state of bittersweet weeping.

"Luke.... help me take this mask off"

Must. Stop. Crying.
Review by DirkH ★★★★★ 11

Part of Dastardly Difficult December: film nr.50

This review is for the super duper latest special edition Blu-ray thing

Dear Mr. Lucas,

Stop treating your Star Wars franchise like it's a scab that needs to be picked at.

You are painting a moustache on the Mona Lisa.

Stop it.

Please.

Yours sincerely,

Me.
Review by Naughty aka Juli Norwood ★★★★ 22

I feel like I'm about to discover what Frankenstein's monster felt like once the villagers lit their torches and gave chase! I absolutely, positively hated and vehemently despised the Ewoks! There I said it! And I'm not the only one who feels this way! Season 5 Episode 13 of LOST Hurley reveals his own displeasure with the Ewok's when he says "Let's face it, the the Ewoks suck dude!" And I my fellow dudes and dudettes heartily concur!

What in the Sam Hell were they thinking! To think of the tremendous expense that went to providing spectacular special effects that would send the jaws of audience members to the floor and then they have the audacity to cut corners and…
Review by Demi Adejuyigbe ★★★½ 10

hahaha wow okay the first-time-excitement viewing glasses were OFF this time

It’s been really interesting to go back and watch the original trilogy after falling in love with The Last Jedi. This one is definitely not the one i like the most anymore, and I can absolutely see why people don’t like it. BUT!

good
• has the best story
• has the best fights! luke v. vader in this one is outstanding. maybe the best moment in the entire series as far as i’m concerned. and the jabba’s palace battle? fuck yeah
• the romance between leia/han in this one is the best
• honestly, the way han is just sort of relegated to less action and being the…

Recent reviews

Review by adelino ★★

Em minha concepção é o filme mais fraco da trilogia original, é básico e as vezes erra nisso, no mais o plot entre Luke e Darth Vader salva o filme. Mas com exceção do que tange o plot "Luke-Darth", é o mais esquecível dentre os três.
Review by shaxvanduivel ★★★½

Now, this is the weakest point of the original trilogy. It stayed under the shadow of well-produced ''The Empire Strikes Back''. Maybe because of the precessor's success. we all think like that. Still a wonderful film.
Review by Bill Bryant ★★★★

Another recent revisit in the despecialized format on Blu-ray.

Being a late bloomer as far as most things fantasy or sci-fi goes (since neither of my parents had any real interest in either genre), it's no real surprise to me that this was the first film in the series that I actually saw in a theater when it first came out. Thus, my nostalgia for it makes me overlook a lot of the things that others have grown to hate, like the Ewoks and whatnot, and if this film were JUST the opening sequence and the big rescue from the sail barge/Sarlacc Pit, I'd honestly be cool with that, because that stuff really captured my imagination at the time.

Recommended, obviously.
Review by The Horror Maniac ★★★½

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

My favorite from the original trilogy, Return Of The Jedi is a favorite but undoubtedly isn’t a perfect film. For one, Boba Fet dies like a little bitch, two, incest eewwwwwww. I used to watch this film everyday after school and I enjoyed it so much, now my interest in Star Wars has depleted. I love the original films but my love was long lost. Return Of The Jedi is my favorite Star Wars film to date, but that was probably because Luke’s lightsaber was green. Otherwise, a decent film that I could watch daily.
Review by Kathleen Siegmund ★★★★½

Forever frustrated with how Leia is treated in this film in regards to Vader and Luke.
Review by ARealHumanBean ★★★

Return of the Jedi remains one of the most divisive entries in the Star Wars saga. As the conclusion to the original trilogy, a lot was left weighing on its shoulders especially after the groundbreaking twist in The Empire Strikes Back. And although it definitely grew in popularity and acclaim over time, it was mostly due to nostalgia and riding on the greatness of its predecessors. Jedi is where many of Lucas’ pitfalls started to rear their ugly head. The Ewoks were a bizarre inclusion to the series and the final battle is hampered by these unintimidating cartoon like bears managing to overpower an army of stormtroopers. Then there is the underwhelming twist surrounding Leia being Luke’s long lost twin…
Review by cait ★★★★

i was late to work because of how late i stayed up thinking about this movie
Review by Craig White

Special edition with reworked special effects.
Review by Jout92 ★★★★½

I liked it. Ewoks don't bother me.