STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)

Country: U.S.A.

Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Fantasy / Sci-Fi

Director: Irvin Kershner

Cast: Mark Hamill / Harrison Ford / Carrie Fisher

Plot

In hiding from the vengeful Empire, Luke Skywalker continues his Jedi training, this time under Master Yoda.  Meanwhile, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Chewbacca try to outrun the Empire’s fleet in the Millennium Falcon.

What I Liked

It’s pretty easy to understand why cinephiles and Star Wars fanatics usually consider “Empire” to be the best of the “Star Wars” franchise.  From an entertainment perspective, when compared with the original, it’s got more of everything.  More stars, more war, more budget, more “far, far away” worlds, and more characters.  It’s also got more depth of emotion.  The cinematography is more striking.  The characters, having already been introduced to us, are also allowed to develop slightly beyond the bounds of one-dimensional stereotypes.  There is also the famous twist of the truth about Luke’s father, which adds an extra dimension to the overall arc of the entire “Star Wars” mythology, elevating the scope of the series from lovable space opera to Sophocles in space.  That the film ends on the down-note of this big reveal was also something that set it apart from most action/adventure fare and effectively set up the sequel, not to mention set up the pattern for most successful film trilogies to follow.

What I Didn’t Like

When I was a kid, “Empire” was my least favorite of the three films out at the time.  This was because it was, taken as a whole, the least action-packed of the three.  Luke’s training and the period meeting Lando in Cloud City are both pretty tame.  As an adult, I can look past the lull in action and enjoy other facets of these scenes.

On an entirely different note, this movie makes me hate Chewbacca.  The whiny wookie makes that terrible sound way too much.

Most Memorable Scene

As with the first film, nearly every moment of this film is about as iconic as it gets.  Certainly the “I am your father” moment has endured the most in popular culture.  However, watching the movie this time, what struck me the most was the moments just prior to this, when Luke and Vader square off for the first time.  It’s not necessarily the fight itself that impresses, but the set design, lighting, and cinematography.  Gorgeous, suspenseful, and moody, the scene is the most visually stunning aspect of a movie that has plenty of amazing stuff to look at.

My Rating: 5 out of 5