A long time ago in a galaxy we call our own, an anxious 12-year-old me sat in my bedroom floor. In front of me a mass of Kenner Star Wars toys lay spread out like a Thanksgiving feast. My imaginary battlefield was littered with action figures by the dozens, a Tie-Fighter, an X-Wing, an Imperial walker, an AT-ST, even a Tauntaun for good measure. Yet another battle between the Rebel Alliance and the evil Galactic Empire was about to break out on our tan and beige carpet.

That may sound like a suspiciously vivid memory, but it’s really not. That was a routine event in my room. I was (and in many regards still am) a massive Star Wars fan. And I would play for hours, reliving George Lucas’ stories with my toys and making up plenty of new adventures of my own. Back then I had Star Wars toys galore, Star Wars storybooks, Star Wars blasters, a Star Wars lightsaber, Star Wars pajamas, Star Wars posters, etc. etc. etc. You name it.

And it was all because of the movies. I’ve watched the three original films more than any other movie in my life. And I remember the experience of seeing each of them for the first time. In the early summer of 1983, all I could think about was “Return of the Jedi”, the final film in Lucas’ original three. You couldn’t gauge my excitement for it. It was off the charts. And the movie didn’t disappoint. Even better, it’s still just as good today and even a little weightier considering all of the Star Wars storytelling we’ve had since it was first released.

That was 40 years ago and to celebrate its anniversary, Disney is bringing “Return of the Jedi” back to theaters. This essential third film saw Richard Marquand direct from a script written by Lawrence Kasdan and franchise mastermind George Lucas. The story picks up directly after the events of “The Empire Strikes Back” and kicks off with a terrific opening that is Star Wars in a nutshell. We get a classic location, our favorite heroes, alien creatures galore, a slimy new villain, and a daring rescue. It was an energetic welcome back into the galaxy far far away.

From there the movie begins setting the table for its big conclusion. We learn that the evil Emperor (Ian McDiarmid) and Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones) are nearing completion of a new planet-killing Death Star. It sits under construction in orbit over the forest moon of Endor. The Rebels hatch a daring plan to destroy the Death Star similarly to how they did in the original movie. But to get a shot at the space station they’ll need to lower its protective shield which is powered by a heavily guarded generator on Endor’s surface.

Enter our heroes. Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), accompanied by droids C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker), lead a team to Endor to destroy the shield generator. In the meantime, Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), piloting the Millennium Falcon, lead the Rebel assault on the Death Star. The movie ends with an epic three-pronged finish as one team battles on Endor, another in space above, and Luke on the Death Star finally confronting Darth Vader.

While there is an argument to be made that the Endor scenes bog down with the introduction of a furry primitive tribe called Ewoks, I love both the story’s steady buildup and its fulfilling payoff. The back-and-forths between the three big climactic clashes is pure exhilaration for any fan, and the story’s ultimate finish is thrilling while also packing a strong emotional punch. And again, that punch has only been amplified by the wealth of Star Wars storytelling that has come since – storytelling that has made Anakin Skywalker (aka Darth Vader) the centerpiece of the saga.

Joining the fun space opera story and the great assortment of characters are the visual effects which were truly cutting edge for its time. Some may not have aged particularly well (something highlighted most in the various high-definition editions that have released over the years). Also, some of Lucas’ digital tinkering doesn’t help. But you can’t dismiss the amazing vision of Lucas and the work from Industrial Light and Magic who bring that vision to life.

Without fail “Return of the Jedi” ignites a near childlike enthusiasm inside of me every time I watch it. You can chip away at some aspects of the storytelling, and it’s certainly not a sequel that holds up as stand-alone movie. But at that point Star Wars had firmly defined itself as a trilogy, and this film offered a near perfect conclusion. Over time fans have spent countless hours examining and dissecting it while creators are still building upon it and expanding it. The influence of “Jedi” (and the original Star Wars trilogy as a whole) has gone well beyond the first three films and still entertains legions of fans today. It did me all those years ago. And it still does today.

VERDICT – 5 STARS