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Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983) Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy, Dee Williams Director: Richard Marquand Rating: PG Category: Sci-Fi

ALSO! Be sure to read through our review of the "Star Wars Trilogy" DVD, and then check out where it ranked on our list of the Best 15 Film Sequels.

The grand finale of George Lucas' epic "Star Wars" trilogy, "Return of the Jedi," may not be the best-received of the three films, but it wraps up the magical tale of farm-boy-turned-hero Luke Skywalker with the same classic storytelling as its two predecessors. Along with equally captivating special effects and a heavy dose of stylish lightsaber slicing and dicing, "Return of the Jedi" is still a solid combination of everything you love about the movies.

Since the events of the previous film, the evil Republic forces are still wreaking havoc in the universe with the construction of a second Death Star. On the other side of the Force, our beloved heroes pick up the pieces and regroup with a new plan to destroy the Republic for good, but Han Solo (Harrison Ford), still frozen in carbonite, is on display at Jabba the Hutt's bounty-hunter hangout and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) has become enslaved after a failed rescue mission. The ill-fated lovers seem destined to rot away until Luke (Mark Hamill) knocks down the door and shows off his newly acquired Jedi skills alongside Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), who has joined in on the secret coup d'�tat to regain his "good guy" status. After saving his friends from the slimy tongue of Jabba the Hutt, Luke and gang head for the planet of Endor where they plan to destroy the Death Star's protective force field before Darth Vader can spoil their plans.

Lucas has been criticized by many fans and critics for suddenly gearing the series more toward kids the third time around -- probably due to the addition of the teddy-bear like Ewoks that roam around the second half of the film -- but this will still continue to be my favorite installment of the trilogy simply because it capitalizes on every successful element from the past two films and makes room for more memorable moments. "Return of the Jedi" establishes the final confrontation between good and evil, but it is more about family than you would like to believe. Luke and Leia discover that they are really twin siblings (making the kiss in "A New Hope" a bit uncomfortable) and Vader (Anakin Skywalker before becoming part machine) shows human emotion for the first time in the entire trilogy, but it is also the bonds that the characters have formed throughout their journey that make it even easier to enjoy the final film. "A New Hope" raised the bar for future generations. "The Empire Strikes Back" proved to fans and critics that it could only get better. "Return of the Jedi" closes the doors to an experience that moviegoers most likely will never find in theaters again.