Subject: REVIEW: STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI (SPECIAL EDITION) (1997)

From: [email-masked] (Christopher Null)
Date: 18 Mar 1997 17:00:50 GMT

STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI (SPECIAL EDITION)
                      A film review by Christopher Null
                       Copyright 1997 Christopher Null

     I'll skip the cute introduction.  Let me cut to the chase and tell
you what you want to know.

     Yes, the reissue is as good as the original.  Yes, it lives up to
the greatness of the rest of the series.  Yes, the enhancements are
top-notch and they really add to the enjoyment of the film.

     What's new?  Basically three things:  A new, surprisingly funny,
song-and-dance sequence in Jabba the Hutt's palace, preceding the Jedi
knight Luke Skywalker's arrival to save his friends.  Enhanced footage
of the creature inside the sand pit, where the heroes are forced to walk
the plank at Jabba's whim.  And a new, much more satisfying ending
sequence -- showing the celebrations of victory over the Empire on
different planets throughout the galaxy, instead of the little Ewok
party on Endor.

     What's the same?  Well, the guts of this epic finale from this
terrific trilogy.  The thrill of good finally conquering evil, seeing
the upright son converting his once-lost father -- the first feel-good
sci-fi movie series ever produced.  (Never mind the still-horrendous
blue-screen footage of Luke fighting the Rancor monster in Jabba's
palace.)

     People ask me what they should go see in the theaters right now,
and I always point them to the STAR WARS trilogy.  These films
absolutely deserve another viewing on the big screen, and I just can't
push you in that direction hard enough.

     Go see them all.  And may the force be with you.

RATING:  ****1/2

|------------------------------|
 \ ***** Perfection             \
  \ **** Good, memorable film    \
   \ *** Average, hits and misses \
    \ ** Sub-par on many levels    \
     \ * Unquestionably awful       \
      |------------------------------|

-Christopher Null  /  [email-masked]  /  Writer-Producer
-Visit the Movie Emporium at http://www.filmcritic.com
-and Null Set Productions at http://www.filmcritic.com/nullset.htm