'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' Review

 

Synopsis: Archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary artifact that can change the course of history.

Runtime: 142 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of violence and action, language, and smoking.)

Who should see it? Fans of Harrison Ford and Indiana Jones eager to see the final installment in the franchise.

Raiders of the Lost Ark debuted in movie theaters 42 years ago. From the creative minds of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, an iconic action hero was born. Regardless of your feelings towards Raiders, Temple of Doom, Last Crusade, or Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the character of Indiana Jones has endured and remains one of the most daring heroes to ever grace the silver screen. I'm not here to relitigate those films but think it's worth mentioning that I enjoy all four to varying degrees. Alongside Star Wars, the Indiana Jones series is another Lucasfilm franchise that meant a lot to me growing up. Needless to say, I was very excited when a fifth entry was announced. At the time, Spielberg was set to direct. It felt serendipitous that Spielberg and Harrison Ford would explore the aged archeologist in his twilight years. Though, it can certainly be argued that they'd done so already in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull... 

In the seven years since a fifth Indiana Jones movie was announced, several screenwriters came and went while Spielberg ultimately vacated the director's chair. Spielberg remained an executive producer on the project but wanted to pass the bullwhip off to another filmmaker for a fresh perspective. James Mangold was then brought on and had the unenviable task of stepping into the shoes of Steven Spielberg, not to mention bringing this beloved series to a close. To further complicate matters, Harrison Ford was 78 years old when the cameras started rolling and production found itself amidst a global pandemic. To say Dial of Destiny had a troubled production would be putting it mildly. 

Ford sustained a shoulder injury while rehearsing a fight scene, and was unable to film for three months, but Mangold persevered. Action scenes involving Indy were shot with a stunt double, and Ford's face was digitally imposed in post-production. Meanwhile, the production budget ballooned to nearly $300 M, making Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny one of the most expensive movies ever made. I preface my thoughts on Dial of Destiny with all of this because I think it's worth noting all the hurdles Mangold and his crew had to overcome. And I commend them for that. 

Unfortunately, I left the theater disappointed by Dial of Destiny. As I alluded to earlier, even the lesser Indiana Jones adventures benefited from simply having Steven Spielberg behind the camera. He's one of the greatest living filmmakers, so his direction tends to elevate even subpar scripts. I admire much of Mangold's work, and Ford v Ferrari actually gave me the confidence he'd be a natural fit for an Indiana Jones movie. Ford v Ferrari marries the sensibilities of old-school storytelling with contemporary filmmaking. With Indiana Jones, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg delivered thrilling action and adventure that harkened back to pulpy serials while pushing the boundaries of special effects. Spielberg's successor needed to follow suit if they hoped to recapture the spirt of the series.

Dial of Destiny underwhelmed me for many reasons, but the source of my disappointment can be traced back to a half-baked script and uninspired filmmaking. The ending of the film is functional, but the payoffs don't feel earned. The groundwork for a bonkers and mostly satisfying third act has been haphazardly lain. Mangold seems to be interested in the idea of Indiana Jones being past his prime, yet Indy's age is not actively an impediment to the action. It's occasionally brought up as a means of comic relief or a slight inconvenience, but Indy marches on. He rarely struggles as a result of pushing 80 years old, so the discussion around it fails to resonate as intended. He rides a horse through New York City and jumps between moving tuk-tuks in Morocco with youthful vigor. He sure doesn't seem 80!

For a series that's usually highly regarded for its craft, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a pale imitation of everything that came before it. James Mangold is no Steven Spielberg. Nobody is. But I've seen plenty of evidence throughout Mangold's filmography that he is a talented director capable of greatness. Indiana Jones is synonymous with thrilling adventure, yet the action is dull and woefully generic. The set pieces are frenetically edited, and lack visual clarity and a sense of geography, making it very difficult to follow along. Aside from featuring a rousing John Williams score and some familiar faces, Dial of Destiny is indistinguishable from other contemporary blockbusters. 

Donning the trademark fedora for his final adventure, Harrison Ford is actually one of the film's saving graces. Despite his age, there is no question of Ford's commitment to closing out this chapter of his career. Opposite Ford as Indy's god-daughter, Phoebe Waller-Bridge brings a sardonic wit to Helena Shaw that reminded me of her character from the Prime Video series Fleabag. Unfortunately, this feels woefully out-of-place and I found the character a tad obnoxious for the first two-thirds of the movie. Her one-liners felt far too modern seeing as Dial of Destiny was set in 1969. There's also not enough attention devoted to their relationship, so the eventual resolution of that storyline feels insincere.

Among the supporting cast, Indy has plenty of new allies and adversaries portrayed by Ethann Isidore, Toby Jones, Antonio Banderas, and Mads Mikkelsen among others. Isidore's Teddy serves as this film's Short Round analog, tagging along with Helena for the adventure. Mikkelsen's Dr. Voller quickly proves himself to be a formidable antagonist, while his henchmen played by Boyd Holbrook and Olivier Richters felt destined to face off against Indiana Jones. Jones and Banderas also feel at home as friends of Indy but have little to work with. Similarly, John Rhys-Davies returns as Sallah for a glorified cameo. If you've seen the trailers, his "Give them hell, Indiana Jones!" line makes up about a quarter of his screen time, so don't expect him to stick around for long when he shows up. 

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny desperately hopes to unearth your adoration for this franchise without fully understanding why audiences gravitated to this series in the first place. This franchise has endured for over 40 years due to its ingenuity. There's a creative spark with Indiana Jones that set it apart from everything else. Dial of Destiny sorely missed the Lucas & Spielberg touch, so it's the first Indiana Jones movie that feels like it was slapped together on an assembly line. I'm not sure this one belongs in a museum. 

Film Assessment: C

'Blade Runner 2049' Review

It's difficult to discuss Blade Runner 2049 without diving into spoilers. However, I have the luxury of publishing this review well after the theatrical release date, so I will indeed be including a spoiler discussion in this review. In order to preserve the plot for those who have yet to watch Blade Runner 2049, I'll indicate the beginning of the discussion with a clear spoiler warning. I'll be detailing specifics of the performances inside the spoiler section, because it's tricky to dance around that aspect of the film without simply saying "Ryan Gosling was really good" or something like that.

[This review was originally written in October 2017 and is now being published to coincide with the digital home media release. For an explanation of this, visit my Fall 2017 Important Update post.] 

Nominated For: Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.

When Blade Runner 2049 begins, it has been thirty years since the events of the 1982 sci-fi masterpiece Blade Runner. The older replicant models are still being hunted down and retired by the Blade Runner task force. While on assignment, the youthful Officer K stumbles across a long-buried secret that sets him on a path of self-discovery as he's forced to locate a long-retired runaway Blade Runner, Rick Deckard, for answers. 

Legacy sequels are a hot commodity in Hollywood right now. For those that don't know what a "legacy sequel" is, they're basically sequels that pick up several years after the last film in the context of the franchise with a new core cast of characters taking the torch from the previous protagonists (think Jurassic World, Creed, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Independence Day: Resurgence). Blade Runner 2049 easily falls into this category, although it stands apart from the aforementioned examples because it doesn't attempt to lay groundwork for future franchise entries.

Anytime it's announced a beloved film will be receiving a sequel, it's understandable that fans will have their fair share of skepticism. It's a tall order to release a sequel thirty five years after the original that's strong enough to stand toe-to-toe with the first, especially when that first film is Blade Runner. However, Denis Villeneuve, whom you may be familiar with for directing the fantastic films Sicario and Arrival, takes the reigns from Ridley Scott to solidify himself as one of the greatest working directors today. It's simply remarkable how Villeneuve was able to recapture the futuristic science-fiction noir's tone, style, and sensibilities without retracing any steps.

For those readers who have kept up with my blog for some time, you may recall me making a comment in my Arrival review that Denis Villeneuve had the potential to be the next Christopher Nolan... Well he's gone out and proven my point... Blade Runner 2049 cements Villeneuve as a master filmmaker. It'd be an understatement for me to say I anticipate buying a ticket for every film spanning his directorial career.

On a technical level, Blade Runner 2049 astounds from beginning-to-end with an exquisite aesthetic. Roger Deakins' sensational cinematography seamlessly integrates with the exuberant neon-flourecent lighting, peak production design, and extraordinary visual effects to bring audiences one of the most visually-arresting productions ever made. Deakins has been nominated for thirteen Oscars, but still doesn't have a single golden statuette on his mantle. However, I suspect Deakins will get his due next February because it seems absurd not to award someone at the top of his craft.

Speaking of sneaking suspicions, I'm guessing general audiences will say Blade Runner 2049 is "slow," "boring," and "too long," but I think that'll only be the case if you a) aren't a fan of the original Blade Runner or b) refuse to put your thinking cap on. Blade Runner 2049 isn't a popcorn movie. Don't expect to see copious scenes of mind-boggling action, or you'll probably be enormously underwhelmed. While I can agree that the two hour forty-three minute runtime seems lengthy, it didn't feel three hours long because I was absolutely engrossed in all the events unfolding onscreen.

Everything about Blade Runner 2049 is quite mesmerizing for that matter. The film escalates at a slow burn, but the developing story (which I'll touch on in a second) is totally transfixing. This is only enhanced by the spellbinding score accompanying said events. On that note, there's an interesting story behind this soundtrack. Villeneuve's frequent collaborator Jóhann Jóhannsson was first attached to compose the score, but wound up being entirely replaced by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch about a month before the film's release. Zimmer and Wallfisch were already on-board throughout the post-production process, but it alarmed me to see a composer depart the project considering how much I loved his Arrival compositions. It's needless to say I absolutely adored the end result though, because it was reminiscent of Vangelis' electric ambiance yet sounded entirely unique.

Like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Blade Runner 2049's marketing campaign was shrouded in mystery and offered no clues as to what the actual plot was. At press screenings, Warner Bros. and Villeneuve even issued a statement requesting critics to refrain from including revealing specific plot details in their reviews. I absolutely adore this approach, because oftentimes we as an audience know way too much about movies before we've even seen it because of some spoiler-inclusive marketing material and indifferent journalists. Anyways, if you want to get the most out of Blade Runner 2049, I would actually advise to watch Blade Runner beforehand to have a better understanding of everything that's going on. Although it's certainly possible for to glean from the surface level without watching it, you'll get a better grasp of the true significance if you've seen it.

**Spoiler Warning**

The screenplay whipped up by Hampton Fancher and Micheal Green offers an incredible expansion on the ideas Blade Runner often came across, taking things a step further in regards to the blurred lines that separate man and machine. This is mostly achieved through Officer K, who's almost immediately revealed to be a replicant. K clearly has a beating heart, soul, and conscience beneath his synthetic skin, mechanical motors, and proven programming as evidenced by his reluctance to hunt down the miraculous replicant child. The concept is further fleshed out by K's wishful thinking and inner desire to be special as K projects the idea that he is the child in-question due to his implanted memories.

I'll say that K's conviction totally tricked me into thinking I had predicted the "huge twist" at the center of Blade Runner 2049, but Fancher and Green threw a huge curve ball instead that took me completely off-guard by revealing that the child was actually Dr. Ana Stelline. I especially appreciate how the turn-of-events deepened K as the aspirant replicant who was disappointed to learn he's just a replicant. Instead of going to kill Deckard as commanded, K realizes his potential to help reunite the father and daughter, and his commitment to doing the right thing causes him to sacrifice his own life so he can make a difference for others. The selfless nature of K's actions in the face of crushing adversity and Ryan Gosling's subdued performance only made his arc more impactful. 

Another fascinating exploration of these ideas is rooted in the romance between K and his holographic Artificial Intelligence Joi. Since Joi is an intangible visual projection, the romance is strictly relegated to an intellectual level similar to the storyline spread throughout Spike Jonze's Her. However, Blade Runner 2049 examines the material with enough of a unique spin to differentiate itself because it asks viewers the existential question of how agonizing it would be to fall in love with consciousness you could see, but never truly touch. To me, that idea is an entire level above the Her dynamic and even the romance central to the original Blade Runner.

What truly sells the relationship though is how Ana De Armas and Ryan Gosling authenticate the complex connection between an artificial consciousness and an android lover who are just longing for a physical connection. De Armas projects so much depth to a seemingly shallow character and establish the pivotal love scene to be a beautiful moment. In regards to that scene, I'm sure someone will come out and say it's sexist and demeaning, but it's really not... I felt the moment meant so much more. Joi is restricted from being able to foster a physical intimacy with K, so she hires a surrogate pleasure replicant model to step in as a vessel so she can merge herself and achieve just that.

Then I couldn't possibly complete this review without bringing up Harrison Ford's return as Rick Deckard. He doesn't show up till about two hours into the film, but Ford leaves a lasting impression with every second onscreen. Much like his reprisal of Han Solo in The Force Awakens, he steps right back into the shoes of the character he left behind thirty-five years ago. He especially astounded me in one particular scene where he's forced to encounter a replicant resembling Rachel. The mere reaction from Ford in this moment positioned him as one of the film's stand-outs. 

In the antagonistic camp, Jared Leto's suitably strange as technical tycoon Niander Wallace and had substantially less screen time than I was expecting, but honestly gave a great performance. It's his underling android assistant Luv that truly terrifies though. Sylvia Hoeks latches onto the menacing demeanor with complete conviction, and I hope this role perks the eyes and ears of many casting directors so I can see her play another villain once more.

It was also nice to see familiar faces Robin Wright, Dave Bautista, David Dastmalchian, Barkad Abdi, Edward James Olmos, and Sean Young show up and provide strong supporting turns, regardless of screen time.

**End of spoilers**

Blade Runner 2049 is the scarce spectacular sequel that brilliantly builds upon the wonderful world and profound philosophical pondering of the original, while maintaining the first film's integral atmosphere and standing strong on its own merit. I know it's been said-to-death at this point, but there's no other way to articulate it, Blade Runner 2049 is a master work of science-fiction that won't be soon forgotten and will inspire entire generations of filmmakers to come.

Film Assessment: A+

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Blade Runner: The Final Cut'

I've decided for the time being I'm going to proceed with publishing my Throwback Thursday Reviews as scheduled, but I will still work on getting my delayed reviews out there. I've just found myself very busy lately and decided the best course of action would be to take it one step at a time and slowly catch up, because trying to write reviews for eight different films at once is overwhelming to say the least. For those wondering what's happened to my reviews for newer releases, just go read my Fall 2017 Important Update where I explain everything. I will assuage my reader's concerns though by letting them know I've completed writing reviews for It (2017), mother!, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and The LEGO Ninjago Movie. They're all currently sitting in draft and I plan on releasing each one when the respective film drops on Blu-ray (Again, I explain this in the aforementioned update). Anyways, this week I'm reviewing The Final Cut of Blade Runner as Blade Runner 2049 hits theaters tonight. For those who don't know, Blade Runner is infamously known for having five different versions of the film that have been released theatrically. I so happen to be reviewing The Final Cut because that version is the most easily obtainable, but perhaps later I'll dedicate time to watching and reviewing the alternative versions. This review will also include some slight spoilers to discuss a popular theory.

'Blade Runner: The Final Cut' Review 

Nominated For: Best Visual Effects and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration.

Blade Runner depicts a futuristic reality where replicants, synthetic beings with enhanced physical capabilities, are genetically engineered to be nearly indistinguishable from humans and sent to work in Earth's off-world colonies. After the Nexus-6 models (stronger, faster, supreme replicants) revolt, replicants are declared illegal on Earth and a special police task force known as "Blade Runners" are tasked with locating and retiring any replicants found on Earth. Once a group of ruthless and resourceful replicants hijack a ship and make their way to 2019 Los Angeles, the Blade Runners are forced to recall the accomplished operative Rick Deckard from retirement to help hunt the rogue replicants down. 

Blade Runner is a neo-noir science-fiction film directed by Ridley Scott that features a screenplay written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, based on the novel “Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?” by Philip K. Dick. Blade Runner has a particularly peculiar past as the film has risen to be regarded as a cult classic in spite of its initial intrepid reception and especially troubled production. There have been five major versions of the film, but it's the film's first release (the U.S. theatrical cut) that is widely regarded as the inferior incarnation due to studio meddling and unnecessary voice over narration. Even director Ridley Scott has adamantly voiced his displeasure with various versions of Blade Runner, and stands by The Final Cut as his definitive cut of the film.

Blade Runner was Ridley Scott's follow-up to Alien, and it's clear that he invested himself to fabricating a fictional world just as expansive and interesting as the one surrounding his horrific sci-fi classic. Scott's direction assists the film in maintaining the elements of a classic noir amidst a futuristic backdrop, holding everything together seamlessly. One area in which The Final Cut of Blade Runner truly triumphs though is in showing-rather-than-telling the audience everything that happens. There's thematic significance to practically every neon-infused frame, and the slightest details prove to be instrumental in analyzing the film. It's a slow burn, but I became even more entranced with the events every second I continued watching and I've only pondered it over more and more since completing my first viewing. Blade Runner is ultimately so fascinating because the screenplay contains endless ambiguity and poses questions about the essence and intricacies of life, similarly to many movies about artificial intelligence today. The fact that these ideas are relevant today is mind-boggling considering the film predicted a future two years out. 

Blade Runner is thirty five years old as of 2017, yet the effects hold up marvelously. Jordan Cronenwoeth's crisp cinematography perfectly captures the scenic design's neon florescent glow, and the unconventional editing choices made by Terry Rawlings and Marsha Nakashima grab the viewer's attention. Underneath all of the visually apparent accomplishments of Blade Runner, Vangelis' synthesized score sounds nothing short of spectacularly grandiose. The underlying electronic music pulsates like the plasma universally found in neon signs, a perfect parallel to the onscreen environment of this dystopian future. The technical techniques utilized in Blade Runner are timeless to say the least.

It's always strange to watch a film you've never seen when you've encountered numerous internet discussions about it over the years. In the case of Blade Runner, there was talk of unicorns and replicants. I didn't know what any of it meant at the time, but I kept it in mind when I watching the film so I could try and unravel the maddening mysteries. The one contentious debate that dictated my viewing most was keeping my eyes peeled for any clues suggesting Deckard was/wasn't a replicant. I watched Deckard like a hawk the entire time just to see where this idea originated, and for the record, I totally think Deckard's a replicant due to all the evidence stacked against him in The Final Cut. 

As Rick Deckard, Harrison Ford delivers a performance entirely independent of his other iconic roles. The warmth of Ford's beloved roguishly-charming personas is absent, and in its place is a grizzled, bitter hard-drinking ex-cop. I'm also of the belief that Deckard's colder characteristics and inherent empathy towards Rachael could count as additional evidence towards him being a replicant or just point towards him just being a tired, grumpy man with a thing for replicants. The idea could swing either way, but I'd like to think it lends credence to him being a replicant.

Sean Young's alluring replicant Rachael functions as the film's femme fatale, yet Rachael sets herself apart due to her inherent innocence. As Rachael's identity unravels, Young communicates subtle changes in personality and continually subverts the viewer's expectation for Rachael. You'd expect her to fall more in line with replicant behavior upon learning the truth about herself, but the character actually becomes more humane as the story unfolds. It's an effective twist on the audience's assumption that's well-founded in the screenplay and implemented incredibly thanks to Young.

Scattered throughout the cast, Edward James Olmos, M. Emmet Walsh, William Sanderson, and Joe Turkel are able to make their discrete mark as the enigmatic Eduardo Gaff, the hard-nosed Blade Runner boss Harry Bryant, the jittery J.F. Sebastian, and the insightful corporate head Eldon Tyrell. Olmos' Gaff leaves the largest impression because of the way his character factors into the proceedings with origami creations and dubious dialogue. When accounting for his words and actions, you'll see subtle suggestions that Deckard may be a replicant, so just keep that in mind if you're going to give Blade Runner a watch before seeing Blade Runner 2049.

However, it's Rutger Hauer's Roy Batty that runs away as the film's stand-out performance. Hauer lends such menace and conviction to Roy Batty that the replicant wound up being one of the most unnerving antagonists I've seen on film in quite some time. Batty's motivations are also entirely understandable, to the point that most audience members would probably behave the same way if they were in his shoes. Underneath Hauer, Daryl Hannah, Brion James, and Joanna Cassidy each imbue the respective replicants in Barry's entourage with a distinct disposition of being an adept acrobat, a foolhardy soldier, and a lethal temptress as Pris, Leon, and Zhora.

It may have taken me twenty years to finally sit down and watch it, but it's now abundantly clear why Blade Runner is held in such high regard. Thanks to a brilliant blend of classic film noir and sci-fi, dedicated direction, and timeless special effects, it's easy to see why Blade Runner is one of the most influential science-fiction films ever created. 

Film Assessment: A+

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi'

Well here it is, what will be my final Throwback Thursday Review for a Star Wars film and the final film in the Original Trilogy for my to review. Be forewarned there will be some spoilers in the review but nothing too big. It's so crazy to think that hours after publishing this review Star Wars: The Force Awakens will have been released for the public to see and I will not only have seen it but have a review for the film. If you would like to read all of my other Star Wars reviews, here are hyper links for my other reviews. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith, Star Wars: A New Hope, and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. So as of now I have no future plans to do anymore Throwback Thursday Reviews in 2015 but it's very possible I may do a Throwback Thursday Review on the 24th of a Christmas movie. I will continue reviewing any new films I see of course and have plans to review a few films that I have yet to see this year even though they aren't quite "new". So look forward to plenty of reviews for the next two weeks. Also look forward as I will make a few posts summarizing my thoughts of the films released this year (ie. Top 10, 5 most disappointing, and 5 films I wish I had seen, as well as the 10 films I'm most excited for next year).

'Star Wars Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi' Review

Nominated For: Best Art Direction, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing and Best Original Score.
Won: Special Achievement Award (For Visual Effects).

Star Wars Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi is the third and final film in the Original Trilogy, originally just entitled Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi, and takes place sixth chronologically in the saga. Return Of The Jedi is probably the most controversial of the Original Trilogy, although not nearly as controversial as the Prequel Trilogy. What can be agreed upon however is that Return Of The Jedi is pure fun.

Richard Marquand directs and ensures to bring the best of all that is beloved in the franchise to the forefront. Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas return to pen the story and once again craft another masterful tale. John Williams once again scores the film with more epic harmonious music that shall stand the test of time and still remains among the best film scores of all time.

The performances and characterization on display are once again incredible. Mark Hamill returns to the role of Luke Skywalker bringing a new vibrato to the character, now that Luke is a trained Jedi Knight. From the moment Luke arrives you can just tell how much Luke has grown as a character since the beginning of it all and it's very satisfying to see Luke finally become one of the Jedi Knights of legend.

Harrison Ford returns and wears the role of Han Solo like a glove, given his familiarity with the lovable scoundrel. Carrie Fisher is back as a bit of a more level headed Leia, who's not quite as chirpy and sarcastic but more of a leader in her own right showing her fierce and assertive independence. Although Leia's given quite a bit of growth in this film she's somewhat relegated to a smaller role, giving more spotlight to Luke.

Billy Dee Williams is once again the smooth Lando Calrissian and is given much more to do this time around. C3PO, R2D2, and Chewbacca all return with each having plenty of great moments onscreen.

Meanwhile for the antagonists, this film introduces us to Vader's superior, the Emperor, in person for the first time. Ian McDiarmid is phenomenal as the sick twisted leader of the Galactic Empire.

At the Emperor's feet, James Earl Jones once again breathes life to Vader through his commanding baritone voice that certainly adds to the villain's vindictive nature. However, Darth Vader is shown to possess humanity that balances out with his malevolent nature adding more complex layers to the character.

The story begins with Darth Vader's arrival to supervise the construction of a second Death Star. He informs the imperial officer that the Emperor shall arrive soon so they must get back on the construction schedule planned out.

The film then transitions to Tatooine where we see our favorite droid duo head into Jabba's palace. We are introduced to Jabba The Hutt, the most vile, slimy space slug in the galaxy. It was interesting to finally see this crime lord that's been discussed throughout the films and his foul appearance certainly lived up to the horrid descriptions. The two are accompanied with a message from Luke pleading for Jabba to release Han Solo. They are followed by the rest of the gang each arriving one wave after another in their attempt to rescue Captain Solo. Now this all sets the stage for Luke Skywalker's arrival.

Luke arrives cloaked in a black robes and we see his newfound strength with the power of the force as he force chokes two Gamorrean guards and then uses Jedi mind tricks on Jabba's servant, Bib Fortuna. He then forces him to bring him to Jabba and threatens the space slug to his unsavory face. After some brief events I won't discuss in too much detail, Jabba declares for Luke, Han, and Chewy to all be taken to the Sarlacc Pit to be sacrificed to be digested for over a thousand years.

Then begins the one of the most suspenseful moments in Star Wars. John William's score begins a series of brief vamps and Luke is taken to the plank over the Sarlacc Pit. R2D2 makes his way to the top of Jabba's sail barge as Luke threatens Jabba one final time. He then proceeds to jump grabbing the edge of the plank and launching himself back onto the skiff, R2 then shoots Luke's lightsaber from his dome and Luke catches it igniting the emerald blade proceeding to cut down Jabba's minions. The audience now knows that Luke has crafted himself a new lightsaber. This was the first time in the franchise that audiences had ever seen a green lightsaber, and I think the color lended itself quite well for the weapon.

Now comes a very unfortunate anticlimactic end to a very beloved character. Boba Fett is taken out when Han accidentally ruptures Fett's jetpack. Fett is then trust forward into the Sarlacc Pit to his unfortunate end. It was a shame to see one of the galaxy's greatest bounty hunters be so easily disposed and is probably my biggest problems with the film, although that certainly doesn't detract from it too much. After tons of action the group escapes blowing up Jabba's sail barge upon their exit. This was such a great introduction for the film, hence why I've discussed it in such great details, allowing for some great action in the Dune Sea as they must fight Jabba's subservient scum.

Now the group splits off once again and we follow Luke as he goes to Dagobah one last time. Yoda reappears briefly at this point to provide more wise words to Luke and a huge revelation telling Luke there is another Skywalker before his death. This then propels Luke's story arc when Kenobi's force ghost appears confirming that Vader is his father and telling Luke the truth about Anakin Skywalker as well as informing Luke that Leia is his twin sister.

Luke then reunites wth his Rebel friends and they're off on a mission to take out a shield generator on the forest moon of Endor protecting the new Death Star. On the moon there's a great speeder chase scene which allows for some entertaining action. Then a series of events lead to the inevitable final confrontation between Luke and Vader. Then comes one of the greatest climactic battles in the entire saga as there is a battle on three fronts.

There's first the fight on the forrest moon of Endor and a huge space battle going on overhead in an entertaining assault on the Death Star that both have a few shocking twists.

Meanwhile, while all of this is going on Luke has surrendered himself to Vader and the two have an interesting conversation. Vader presents Luke to the Emperor with the intention of turning Luke to the dark side. The Emperor then begins to taunt Luke poking at the fact that all of his Rebel friends will be defeated. Luke is enraged by this and uses the force to seize his lightsaber and he attempts to strike down the Emperor. However Darth Vader blocks the blade from reaching his master with his own lightsaber. Then one of the greatest duels in Star Wars ensues.

What makes this duel so fantastic is the powerful engaging emotional layer of the greater conflict between Luke and his inner self. Luke is conflicted between whether or not he should stay in the light or join the dark side and this is conveyed brilliantly in a few shots where half of his face is shadowed, symbolizing the choice Luke must make. I think that was a great overarching theme throughout the duel. It was also interesting to see Luke momentarily give in to the darkness as he is enraged by some of Vader's comments poking that maybe Luke's sister would turn to the dark side.

He then loses it and starts swinging his saber ferociously and the duel intensifies. He subdues Vader and chops off Vader's hand and the Emperor asks him to kill Vader Luke refuses and flings his lightsaber away leaving himself vulnerable to the Emperor's force lightning.

Vader watches as Luke writhes in pain from the Emperor's power and is then presented with a choice to go back to the light side and save his son or remain in the dark side and watch his son perish. Vader then proceeds to grab his master and throw him over the side to his inevitable death.

However, in doing this, his suit is disabled by the Emperor's force lightning and so Vader asks Luke to remove his mask so he may see his son with his own eyes. After the removal of the helmet Anakin soon dies and Luke takes his body with him back to the first moon of Endor and has a ceremonial funeral pyre for his father. I always thought it was so interesting and sad to see that Luke was the only one in attendance at the funeral since the rest of the Rebels aren't quite fond of Vader.

Now for the controversy, some complain that the inclusion of the Ewoks, small teddy bear like creatures native to the forest moon of Endor, make the film too child friendly and fail to service the narrative. I've never been bothered by their inclusion as they're not an annoyance and don't hinder the plot. I must agree that they certainly weren't "necessary," but they are clearly present as an appeal to children.

Another chief complaint is the construction of a second Death Star, but once again I was never bothered by this because it makes logical sense to me that the Emperor was very determined to have a space station capable of destroying planets to help keep the galaxy in line.

Now to sum all of that up, I can say that when I was younger, this was my favorite Star Wars film and I've always debated between Return Of The Jedi and Empire Strikes Back as to which is my favorite in the franchise. I think Return Of The Jedi is the more "fun" film and Empire Strikes Back is the better made film overall (similarly to how I feel about my comparison between Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy as to which is the better Marvel film). So I can say this is a very close second in my ranking of the Star Wars Saga.

Overall, Return Of The Jedi is a great film that is a satisfying resolution to the Original Trilogy. If you haven't seen the film or even if you have, I highly recommend watching (or rewatching) it as well as the rest of the Original Trilogy, especially for those planning to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Film Assessment: A+