Return of the Jedi is a film much debated among Star Wars fans: most hate it, but some love it. As a kid, I really enjoyed this movie. Now, I still enjoy the movie, although it could have been much better. An interview with George Lucas during the making of Return of the Jedi has him boasting that this movie has twice as many special effects as the original Star Wars. If only it had twice as much of a story.

After rescuing Han Solo from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt, the Rebels plan for the destruction of the second Death Star. That’s basically the whole plot. There are some cool scenes between Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and the Emperor, but the plot is really that simple.

While the special effects are incredible, especially the speeder sequence on Endor, the acting seems to have taken a turn for the worse. Harrison Ford really isn’t trying as Han Solo, Carrie Fisher seems distant from the whole movie, and Billy Dee Williams tries his best to inject enthusiasm into a weak script. Only Mark Hamill substantially improves upon his performance from the past two films.

I give Star Wars- Episode VI: Return of the Jedi **1/2 out of ****.