Postponing the opening of "Return of the Jedi" a week may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but it was probably a calculated error. Not only did it allow two mediocre movies to debut at the top of the box-office heap (Howard Stern's "Private Parts" and Tim Allen's "Jungle 2 Jungle," respectively), but it may have slowed down the "Star Wars" impetus altogether.
For one weekend, anyway.
But let's not forget that prior to the current "Special Edition" re-issues, "Return of the Jedi" was the second-most-popular entry in the "Star Wars" series, with "The Empire Strikes Back" trailing behind.
There seems to be little question that history will repeat itself, with "Jedi" climbing over "Empire" once more, and giving a jump-start to "Star Wars" madness again this weekend.
While it's taken for granted that "Jedi" will easily outdistance "Private Parts," "Jungle 2 Jungle" and all other contenders, what is more speculative is how what "Jedi" will do for "Star Wars" and "Empire." It's possible that those films will also get a boost, especially with the entire trilogy playing in some multiplexes (locally at Cineplex Odeon's Midvalley and South Towne Center Cinemas, Carmike's Cottonwood Mall Theaters, the Gateway Cinemas, the Reel Theaters and the Century Theaters).
As with the first two films, it's a thrill just to see "Jedi" on the big screen again. And though there is a new, elaborate, if brief musical number in the lair of Jabba the Hutt, most of George Lucas' additions this time remain weird creatures in the background and increased numbers of ships in space.
There is also, however, a significant change in the ending — arguably the most spectacular and satisfying alteration in the "Special Editions" — as the Ewoks' joyful party is backed by a new song, and we get to see wide overhead shots of thousands of people around the galaxy (specifically on Tatooine, Cloud City and Coruscant, the Imperial headquarters planet) celebrating the fall of the Empire.
Great stuff.
As for the film itself, however, it is still a bit problematic in places. I've always had trouble with Darth Vader's deathbed repentance, the idea that he is saved and sent to the same afterlife existence as Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi simply because there is "some good" lurking under that largely mechanized exterior — despite his having killed or engineered the killings of thousands of people.
For some reason, there is an odd emphasis on sophomoric gags, silly slapstick and childish humor — why have one creature burp for a punchline when you can have two? — as Ewoks and Muppets run amok. And there are a couple of surprisingly weak special-effects scenes, process shots in the background that look too much like process shots.
But there's also a lot of thrilling material, of course — the confrontations in Jabba's lair, the battle on Jabba's sail barge above the sand dunes, the chases on speeders through the forests on the Moon of Endor and the climactic battle with the storm troopers as Han and Leia attempt to lower the Death Star's protective shields.
All in all, a terrific wrapup to a terrific series.
But still, in my estimation, not the best of the three.
"Return of the Jedi" is rated PG for violence and a couple of skimpy outfits — Leia's cast-iron bikini and the lightweight costume worn by Jabba's green-skinned dancing girl.