The Empire Strikes Back has been hailed as one of the greatest sequels ever made. When I look on lists of the best movie sequels in the history of cinema, I always see: the Godfather Part II, the Empire Strikes Back and Toy Story 2. I've seen all three, and out of all them, I just might give the Empire Strikes Back the edge.
I can easily state that this is my favorite Star Wars film; I might as well go on to call it one of the best science-fiction motion pictures ever put on screen.
The film opens a few years after the events of a New Hope. After the defeat of the Rebellion Alliance at the Battle of Hoth, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and R2-D2 travel to the planet to Dagobah to find the old, wise Jedi Master Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz) to learn how to become a real Jedi. Meanwhile, Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), Chewbacca and C-3P0 evade Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones) and the evil Empire. When Vader succeeds in capturing them, Luke goes to the planet Bespin to rescue them, and instead only learns the truth to his own destiny.
The Empire Strikes Back is superior to, and at the very least equal to, a New Hope. The Empire Strikes Back is the most engaging, intriguing, mysterious, and thought provoking edition in the saga.
Out of all the six Star Wars films, the Empire Strikes Back contains the most memorable lines and quotes (“No, I am your father!” for instance), probably the best acting, the best script writing, and the best action set pieces. There are plenty of space creatures, blaster fights, a climatic lighstaber duel, an epic battle between opposing armies, a romantic subplot, a great musical score and space ships all around.
At the time of it's release in 1980, the Empire Strikes Back was a whopping box-office success, but received initially mixed reviews. Since then, it has rightfully gained esteem and is now considered by both fans and critics to be the best pic in the saga.
George Lucas, who imagined, wrote and directed the first film, imagined the story for the Empire Strikes Back but handed over direction to Irvin Kershner. By today's standards, neither are examplifying movie directors, and as a result I don't think that Kershner did any better then Lucas would have done.
I would like to talk about the characters a little. Luke Skywalker is the protagonist, and dreams of becoming a Jedi Knight just like his late father before him. He recieves a vision from his former late master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, who instructs him to seek out and receive training from Yoda. Han Solo is the smuggler who's good with a blaster pistol. Leia is the Princess of the planet Alderaan and is the love interest of Solo. Chewbacca is the ten-foot tall, loveable Wookie and faithful sidekick to Solo. The droid buddies, C-3P0 and R2-D2, are back and helping the heroes. Darth Vader returns as the primary, imposing antagonist. Vader is probably the most iconic character in the entire saga. He's at his best in the Empire Strikes Back because this time he's in charge (Grand Moff Tarkin was in charge in the previous film, and the Emperor is the real bad guy in the next film), and also because he's at his most daunting and imposing.
I have gone on to watch every Star Wars film multiple times. Out of all of them, this is the only one that I would go as far to call a masterpiece.
*****/5
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