Denber.WBST
Jun 13 1983, 1:34 pm
Newsgroups: net.movies.sw
VLSI Review: OK
Discrete Review: I started off not liking it, but changed my mind about half way through once I got used to the nauseatingly cute Ewoks (they had "New Star Wars Toys" spelled out all over them) and something else I'm surprised I only saw mentioned once so far.
I thought that RotJ was very heavy on gratuitous violence compared to both its predecessors. It bothered me that the audience would laugh every time a Stormtrooper smashed into a tree on his motorcycle. It ended up reminding me of nothing more than a live-action Road Runner cartoon. This casual attitude toward death was reinforced when all the good guys ended up coming back as holograms anyway. Kicked the bucket? Not to worry - you just get a bit translucent, that's all. Sort of takes away something in the dramatic impact department, though.
The plot: And now for something completely different. (The Larch). Did we really need to see *another* Death Star blow up? ("It blowed up good", "Yeah, it blowed up *real* good"). Is the plot of this series being recycled mod 2 or what?
Worst muppet: the blue elephant - gimme a break.
Worst scene: the mushy stuff with Han & Leia on Endor. Also, the strangulation of Pizza the Hutt was just not convincing. That chain didn't cut into Jabba's neck (such as it was) at all.
Best part: when Luke slices off DV's hand, sees the machinery, and then flexes his own mechanical hand wondering if the Emp is right about his "destiny".
Best joke: when Han is hot-wiring the back door and says "I think I got it", and another set of doors closes. Thank goodness at least the Millenium Falcon worked this time.
Although I thought the final confrontation with the Emperor was the best scene in the movie, I agree with the comments that it was a rather hokey way for him to go, down the hatch that is. I don't understand why he didn't just turn his high-voltage arcing on Darth Vader when he lifted him up. He just stood there frozen, uselessly zapping the ceiling on his way to be dumped. But it was great the way all the excess blue stuff came splashing back up the well after he hit bottom. Boy he sure had a lot of it stored up!
RotJ had its moments, but I think my thirst for SW movies has now been quenched.
- Michel
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