Review of The Empire Strikes Back (1980) by Daryl K — 09 Jan 2016

Since its release, 'The Empire Strikes Back' has come to be regarded as one of cinema's prime examples of a sequel that improves in every way on its successful predecessor. This reputation is well-earned, as 'Empire' does raise all the narrative stakes as it fleshes out each character, and deepens the relationships between them.

Some of the performances in 'Star Wars' were serviceable at best; here, there's genuine, even unexpected emotion in almost every scene. New characters also make a memorable impact -- the choice to introduce a speech-impeded, green Muppet into the middle of this story could've been a disaster, but Yoda is now arguably one of the most beloved figures in all of sci-fi.

Even the universally admired visual FX and action sequences of the original film get an upgrade here in several exciting, now classic scenes. This is a film I can't find much fault with; it's kind of perfect in its own way.

Without 'Empire', I don't think Star Wars -- even with the monstrous splash it landed with back in '77 -- enjoys the same kind of long-lasting impact it's had over the years.