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Return of the Jedi is the middlest Star Wars movie.
- Thread starter Robin
- Start date
You're right, though. Return of the Jedi is somewhere at a middle of my personal SW ranking. There were some highlights like Jabba Palace, IanMcDiarmid's Emperor role, resolution of a story between Luke and Vader, but there were too many scenes that weren't that interesting to me.
Revenge of the Sith is a different case. While it was a flawed movie, thanks to excellent novelisation by Matthew Stover that filled and explained most of the plotholes it actually became in my first Top 5 of SW movies.
Revenge of the Sith is a different case. While it was a flawed movie, thanks to excellent novelisation by Matthew Stover that filled and explained most of the plotholes it actually became in my first Top 5 of SW movies.
Agreed. Corny (but admittedly fun) beginning, boring middle, but AMAZING third act and series closer.
That's the worst justification ever, RotS is good because of a supplemental novel?
As I've learned more about the filming of these movies and rewatched them over time, RotJ absolutely is just "there" for me. A lot about it feels saccharine. Han/Luke/Leia don't have any tension like they did in the first two films, lots of loose ends were wrapped up in ways I just don't care for ("from a certain point of view" c'mon now) or just straight up.... well... the sibling thing. I don't care for Jabba's palace anymore. It was there to bring Han back after they knew Ford would do one more movie. I don't even care much for Luke's RotJ characterization anymore. He does a lot of "do as I say or I will use my great power against you". I'd even argue he's as confident as he is because they actually had a plan for most of these escapades, and when things stray it bites him in the ass (realizing he shouldn't have just jumped into that Endor mission). After ANH and ESB it feels like a different style of movie. It's somehow more of a simple fun popcorn flick than the previous films.
Having said that, there are definitely parts that work - namely the last act and particularly the Throne Room stuff. Some shots got me. Can't knock Williams' score.
George Lucas actually directed this one, in case anybody didn't know. The person credited as director basically just did what he was told. George was so ready to wrap this up and be done with Star Wars and I think it shows. He was also going for that sweet, sweet merchandise money and I think it shows too. Think these videos explain it (should be the last one or two).
Having said that, there are definitely parts that work - namely the last act and particularly the Throne Room stuff. Some shots got me. Can't knock Williams' score.
George Lucas actually directed this one, in case anybody didn't know. The person credited as director basically just did what he was told. George was so ready to wrap this up and be done with Star Wars and I think it shows. He was also going for that sweet, sweet merchandise money and I think it shows too. Think these videos explain it (should be the last one or two).
It was released before the movie and was based on a plot of Lucas script, so yes, it did worked for me.
I presume you're one of those "hardcore" Star Wars fans who got nothing to do beside pesting people who liked movies you didn't, do you? Good for you.
Endor is the only part of Return of the Jedi I did not think was fantastic.
Second Best Star Wars film for me.
Luke the Jedi showing up. The Green Saber!
The attack on the Death star!??! Amazing space battle.
Luke vs Vader, still the best saber fight in Star Wars. Nothing tops that score.
Second Best Star Wars film for me.
Luke the Jedi showing up. The Green Saber!
The attack on the Death star!??! Amazing space battle.
Luke vs Vader, still the best saber fight in Star Wars. Nothing tops that score.
The climax is the best part of the film by far. All the rebels uniting in the biggest space battle ever, Darth provoking Luke by threatening his family, Luke tossing away the saber and Darth throwing Palps down the shaft...
So good.
So good.
Final space battle and lightsaber throne room fight still one of my favorite things in the whole saga. I never got the Ewok hate either, at least they played an active role in the plot and it's always nice seeing a different species+culture onscreen
Completely carried by the jedi plotline, did not care about anything else going on, much like The Last Jedi.
It was a great ending though, hard to ask for something that solid.
It was a great ending though, hard to ask for something that solid.
No I just don't see how you can say a film is good because of extra info you gained from a separate novel.
It had some really iconic moments but I would agree with putting it in the middle. Right below it would be Solo, Rogue One and the first two prequel films.
Wat? I don't think that's what Rian Johnson was trying to say in the slightest with it, nor do I think that is the vast majority's read of that plotline. I've never even heard someone try to make that argument. The entire "space chase" is nonsense with a million logic holes just by nature of how we've been shown space and spaceships in the star wars universe work.
Also, Poe cracking "who's on first" jokes is never going to be good.
While the Ewoks were a bit silly, i think the finale (space battle, ground battle, throne room) is absolutely amazing.
Sorta-one-upping the trench run; taking down a Super Star Destroyer; seeing Nebulon B frigates and B-Wings. That space battle is just amazeballs.
Sorta-one-upping the trench run; taking down a Super Star Destroyer; seeing Nebulon B frigates and B-Wings. That space battle is just amazeballs.
Return of the Jedi has a feel-good ending. But it takes time to get there. And it's really weird for the first several minutes.
And it's weird for many of the later minutes.
And it's weird for many of the later minutes.
Rogue One is the worst Star Wars movie. Jedi has its pitfalls but it's still the original end of the series and it has some great moments all the same.
Rogue One is a nothing movie.
Rogue One is a nothing movie.
It filled some gaps, explained characters motivations, gave a better context to all events while it was still retelling exactly the same story. When I've rewatched RoTS after reading that particlular novel, I've got a better grasp at what Lucas was trying to do, but ultimately failed. But it's only my opinion, you don't need to be an asshole if you don't agree.
I don't know if it's because I was so young and the last movie consequentially stick with me the most... but it just has. Infiltrating Jabba's and all scenes involved, Yoda dying, the speeder chase (god bless Endor Leia), Luke surrendering to Vader as his father now, up to their tense final bout & Vader's redemption. All of that has held great significance to my SW nostalgia, and say what you will about the Ewoks but the little runts knew how to celebrate with an incredibly joyful ending.
Rogue One has a great (largely redone) climax to a movie that utterly fails to make you give a fuck about everyone involved.
Completely agree with this. I don't understand the people who honestly think Yub Nub is better apart from that's how it originally was and being purists... People don't want to admit the special editions did do a few things right (that being one of them). A lot of these people are the very same who complain about the Ewoks and how it makes ROTJ worse than the others to begin with.
Victory Celebration is another great Williams composition.
It´s a very schizophrenic movie, the final act contains some of the best scenes from the whole Saga but other scenes are Prequel-Level bad.
Also, while i dont have a Problem with the Ewoks per se, the Empire loosing against some guerilla-Carebears makes them look really incompetent in a way i never really enjoyed.
Also, while i dont have a Problem with the Ewoks per se, the Empire loosing against some guerilla-Carebears makes them look really incompetent in a way i never really enjoyed.
The Vader/Luke/Emperor scenes are the best things in any Star Wars trilogy, period, yes even rising above Empire.
Though the film has undeniable creep of Lucas' worst inclinations coming in with the Jabba opening that drags on way too long and the Ewoks which would foreshadow the downfall of the prequels.
Though the film has undeniable creep of Lucas' worst inclinations coming in with the Jabba opening that drags on way too long and the Ewoks which would foreshadow the downfall of the prequels.
The finale was the best thing to come out of all of these movies. I literally can't remember anything else in it though except Jabba's section where Boba Fett gets eaten by the sand monster.
He doesn't have it when he drags Vader, but he does have it at the YubNub section:
I hear all the music and sound effects in my head watching this gif. Best scene in all of star wars.
I can hear the track playing
GOAT lightsaber fight, GOAT space battle, GOAT Star Wars
as a kid it was my favorite one, probably because of the Jabba's palace stuff - reminded me of dark crystal an labyrinth. all three movies are of my personal 80s childhood trilogy.
as an adult i thought it was kind of a lame ending barring the throne scene. like, relatively lame, not bad. in context of the ST i guess i can't hold it on the pedestal of being The Epic Final Battle anymore so maybe in that sense it's better in retrospect
as an adult i thought it was kind of a lame ending barring the throne scene. like, relatively lame, not bad. in context of the ST i guess i can't hold it on the pedestal of being The Epic Final Battle anymore so maybe in that sense it's better in retrospect
I will say this, if it were not for the 3rd act....Return of the Jedi would be no better than The Phantom Menace. They spent a 3rd of the movie rescuing a guy that was so crucial to the rebel cause that none of the actual Rebel alliance assisted in the rescue outside of the main characters. Then the second third they spent on promoting merchandise....err....I mean on the Ewoks. Oh and a Death Star. Been there....done that. The Emperor was uninteresting because I di not know jack shit about him (sound familiar). I was honestly getting sleepy even as a kid when I saw it. The third act was all kinds of good. Probably the best space battle and the second best saber fight with just incredible music. But yeah, it ranks fifth for me now.
ESB
ROTS
TLJ
ANH
ROTJ
the rest of them are all rather mediocre or bad. Honestly that's not a bad hit rate out of 8 films (I'm not even gonna talk about rogue one or solo, both shit films that never should have been made).
ROTS
TLJ
ANH
ROTJ
the rest of them are all rather mediocre or bad. Honestly that's not a bad hit rate out of 8 films (I'm not even gonna talk about rogue one or solo, both shit films that never should have been made).
I'm sorry guys but it was bad. Among its many issues: Death Star 2 is just... lame, Illogical and disconnected 1st act on Tatooine, the Endor scenes are snooze-inducing and blandly-shot, Han Solo is wasted, and I still think the Luke-Leia sibling plot twist falls flat. It's the throne room scenes and space battle that save it and that people remember fondly.
It's dragged, kicking and screaming, into greatness by the third act which is as probably as meaningful, emotional, cohesive and satisfying as anything else Star Wars has had put to film prior or since. It's fucking fantastic.
I can take or leave the first two acts depending on my mood - they're not great but do a lot to communicate that these key players don't value victory over the demise of their friends, which is a pretty Star Wars-y thing to do.
I can take or leave the first two acts depending on my mood - they're not great but do a lot to communicate that these key players don't value victory over the demise of their friends, which is a pretty Star Wars-y thing to do.
I'd even go as far as to say it's a mediocre Star Wars all-around, especially continuing the amazing Empire Strikes back, but the last segment really hits it out of the park with the emotional, satisfying ending to a great saga. Until Disney took over.
it's a good scene but wow, i forgot how bad the saber fighting techniques were
RotJ has the highest highs and the lowest lows of the Original Trilogy. It's still lightyears ahead of the prequels.
Definitely the weakest of the OT to me, but certainly better than the prequels.
Episode V > IV > VII > VIII > VI > III > I > II
Episode V > IV > VII > VIII > VI > III > I > II
This is an incredibly useful observation when people are discussing the rankings of the individual films.
