Review of The Empire Strikes Back (1980) by Johnathon W — 21 Nov 2017

Brilliant sequel that breaks all the rules of storytelling and yet manages to be the most complete film of the series. The entire cast advances nicely from the first film, with Hamill portraying Luke Skywalker as more experienced yet hot-headed warrior while Ford still gives Han Solo his scoundrel ways but you can see the hero peaking through more & more.

He also displays great chemistry with Fischer, who continues her take charge take on Princess Leia, making one of the best romances in movies. The best performance is the combination of Frank Oz & the brilliant puppetry of ILM to make Yoda, one of the great characters in film history.

Not once do you not believe Yoda isn't real and is instantly likable & engaging while being a fountain of wisdom. It is also noticeable how much more formidable Darth Vader is compared to the first film, where he was really just a scary henchman, to full on villain of the series.

He's revived as a character, for reasons revealed at the end in one of the great twists in movie history. Behind the camera, Irvin Kershner superbly directs Lucas's story, giving it a nice dark undertone (this is one of the few films the bad guys win) while still retaining the fun & adventure of the first film.

The action & special effects are second to known, brilliantly demonstrated in the Battle of Hoth (AT-AT's will never not be cool) to the light saber duel between Skywalker & Vader. What's most remarkable is that this is a film without a real beginning or ending (it really is Act II of a three act play), yet is still complete, making for not only my personal favorite film but simply one of the best films ever made.