Return of the Jedi is the comfort-food conclusion to the original trilogy, and it earns its place in film history. The redemption arc alone is worth the watch—Luke's refusal to give in to hate and Vader's final choice model real moral courage that's honestly pretty rare in kids' media.
That said, let's be real: this is a 40-year-old movie with 40-year-old pacing. Kids raised on rapid-fire Marvel quips and TikTok editing may struggle with the long Tatooine rescue sequence and the Endor forest scenes. The special effects are charming in a retro way, but they're not going to wow anyone who just watched Guardians of the Galaxy.
The Leia gold bikini situation is uncomfortable by modern standards—it's addressed in-universe (she's enslaved, she kills Jabba), but it's still very much a product of 1983's approach to female characters. And some scenes are genuinely intense: the Rancor pit, the Emperor's cackling torture session, Vader's scarred face and death.
But if your kid can handle the slower pace and you're there to talk through the heavy moments? This is genuinely enriching. The themes of redemption, family, and choosing good over evil are timeless, and there's something special about watching a hero literally throw down his weapon and win through compassion instead of violence. Just maybe watch Empire first so they're invested in the characters.