Even Keanu Reeves Didn’t Have Many Good Things to Say About George Lucas’ Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

Return of the Jedi failed to impress Keanu Reeves, while also understanding the subjectivity of films in general.

Keanu Reeves and Return of the Jedi

SUMMARY

  • The original Star Wars trilogy is undoubtedly the best of the franchise.
  • However, Return of the Jedi was the weakest of the three films.
  • Keanu Reeves was also disappointed with the film, despite big expectations.
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Keanu Reeves has been entertaining audiences since the 90s with groundbreaking action films that have redefined the genre. Films like Point Break, The Matrix, and the John Wick franchises have become milestones in the genre. Additionally, Reeves is a fan of cinema in general and Star Wars has been a seminal franchise for the actor like many during the time of the original trilogy.

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Keanu Reeves in Point Break | 20th Century Studios
Keanu Reeves in Point Break | 20th Century Studios

Most Star Wars fans will agree that the first two films in the original trilogy were the peak of the franchise and Return of the Jedi fell short of reaching the heights of the previous two films. Reeves was also let down by the film as he had huge expectations from it but it didn’t deliver in the way that he hoped.

Return of the Jedi Disappointed Keanu Reeves As It Failed to Meet His Expectations

Keanu Reeves was not a fan of Return of the jedi | Lucasfilm
Keanu Reeves was not a fan of Return of the Jedi | Lucasfilm

The original trilogy by George Lucas is without a doubt, the greatest era of the Star Wars franchise. A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back were groundbreaking films that changed the landscape of sci-fi films and what could be done with great visual effects. The sprawling narrative and relatable characters have made the two films some of the best of all time.

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While the reputation of the original trilogy has been nothing but great, many will agree that Return of the Jedi was the weakest among the three. The relatively contrived storyline between the main trio (Han, Leia, and Luke), the inferior special effects and the poor action sequences with the Ewoks were some of the underwhelming aspects of the film.

John Wick star Keanu Reeves seems to be a big fan of the franchise and he was let down by the third film in the trilogy. In an interview with The Guardian, Reeves stated how he had so many expectations about the film going in. He was clearly underwhelmed with it but later on, he reflected on what the filmmakers were going for.

The actor reasoned his dissatisfaction with the film with the fact that his expectations were different from what the creators were going for. Reeves said,

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I went in, like, ‘Wow, I wonder, are they gonna do this, and will they do that…? And then I was, like, ‘Oh no. Oh no.’ Um, so I totally get it. I know that experience as a filmgoer. But I just try to let films be, y’know? I try to think about what the creators were going for. It’s their work of art, man. I try to come to their art and meet it wherever it is.

While Reeves might not have loved Return of the Jedi, he understood what the film was going for, which didn’t necessarily work for him. Nevertheless, the film is still good compared to films of the prequel trilogy and is still watched by fans to this day.

Keanu Reeves Believes He and Sandra Bullock Would Love to Reunite For Speed 3

Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in Speed | 20th Century Studios
Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in Speed | 20th Century Studios

Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock worked together in the 1994 action film Speed. The beloved film is considered one of the best films in their careers with their chemistry adored by fans. Bullock returned for a sequel that unfortunately was a total misfire. However, in a recent interview, Bullock and Reeves expressed their desire to reunite for a third film.

During a joint interview on the 50 MPH podcast, Reeves knows that fans are desperate to see them together on-screen again and he would love to reunite with Bullock before their eyes close. The actor further revealed that he and Bullock would knock it out of the park if they did Speed 3. Reeves said,

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It does feel like there is a siren call to it like there’s something that wasn’t done. I would love to work with you again before our eyes close. I mean, you know — we’d freakin’ knock it out of the park.

Speed was a big critical and commercial hit back in 1994, grossing $350 million against a budget of $30 million (via Box Office Mojo). The two actors reunited for 2006’s The Lake House, which was not as acclaimed as their first collaboration. A third reunion with Speed 3 would be perfect and it remains to be seen whether this much-awaited reunion happens in the near future.

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Written by Rahul Thokchom

Articles Published: 1067

Rahul Thokchom is a content writer at Fandomwire who is passionate about covering the world of pop culture and entertainment. He has a Masters Degree in English that contributes to the richness and creativity in his works.