The Empire Strikes Back

For what my opinion is worth, The Empire Strikes Back is not only the best Star Wars film, but the greatest blockbuster to ever grace the silver screen. It's an amazing adventure from one side of the universe to the next, and expands on it's predecessor in almost every aspect. The characters have become more interesting, developing even more twists and turns than before. The visual effects are a true marvel, even by today's standards. Even the most simple of shots are visually interesting. The Empire Strikes Back is phenomenal because it combines superb drama with excellent adventure perfectly. Rather than rehashing old ideas, the production team decided to bring things to a whole new level, and set the bar for many other sequels to come. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll want to see it again and again. In other words, you're watching a perfect movie.

The Empire Strikes Back begis a few years after the destruction of the Death Star, with Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, Threepio, and Artoo hiding with the Rebellion on Hoth. The Sith Lord Darth Vader survived the attack, and desperately searches for Luke across the galaxy with the help of his Galactic Empire. They soon discover the Rebel's hiding place, and the Empire sets out to destroy them. Luke leads the Rogue Squadron in a battle against Imperial Walkers, while Leia, Solo, Chewie, and Threepio barely escape the clutches of Vader on the Millenium Falcon. After the Rebellion loses the fight, Luke heads to Dagobah with Artoo, to train to be a Jedi with a mysterious figure named Yoda. Meanwhile, the love affair between Han and Leia grows as they flee an Imperial Star Fleet by hiding in all places possible while the hyperdrive is down. In the midst of Luke's training with Yoda, the crew of the Falcon head to Cloud City on the planet Bespin, where they meet Han's old friend, Lando Calrissian. But all is not well, as the Empire invades, due to a tip from the bounty hunter Boba Fett. Han, Leia, Chewie, and the remnants of C-3P0 are taken prisoner, as Luke senses they're in trouble. He cuts short his Jedi training, much to Obi-Wan and Yoda's disliking. However, we soon learn that the others are being used as bait, in a trap set by Vader to lure Luke to him. Upon Luke's arrival in Cloud City, Han Solo is put in Carbonite, as he and Leia confess their love for one another. The Carbon Chamber is cleared, as Lando tries to help Leia and Chewie save Han from Boba Fett, who plans to bring him to Jabba the Hutt. Luke falls for the trap, and engages in a lightsaber duel with Darth Vader. Lando, Leia, and Chewie fail to rescue Han in time, and Luke is given the test of his life. After an agonizing battle, Vader swipes off Luke's hand, and reveals to Luke that he is his father. Unwilling to join him on the Dark Side, Luke falls down an enormous ventilation shaft, and onto a weather vane below Cloud City. Leia urges Lando to turn the Falcon around, and save Luke, despite being trailed by multiple Imperial Fighters. As they flee Bespin, Artoo reactivates the hypderdrive, and they successfully escape from the clutches of the Empire. In a Rebellion medical frigate, Luke's arm is repaired, as he, Leia, Threepio, and Artoo watch Lando and Chewie head to Tatooine in an attempt to save Han from Jabba the Hutt.

As some of you may have noticed, I limited the amount of writing about the scenes with Luke and the great Jedi Master Yoda, as done by the brilliant Frank Oz. These are without a doubt, the most intriguing and well-made scenes of the entire film. What's great about them is that there seems to be so little, but this is really a tour de force (no pun intended) of the film industry. Frank Oz does amazing work with Yoda, while puppeting the creature from below the set, barely being able to hear Mark Hammill or Irivn Kershner. Yet, this is arguably the best puppeteer work out of the whole saga, and perhaps even all of cinema. Frank Oz's Yoda puppet is well-written, and more importantly, well-performed, in spite of many obstacles. The puppet looks better than anything CGI can offer, twenty-seven years later and still going strong. However, the light shines on Mark Hammill, who does much better than he did in previous installments. Practically left alone for filming of all Dagobah scenes, other than working with an actor/puppeteer he can't see, and still gives the best performance of the saga. Mark Hammill really makes us believe Yoda is real, through his acting. Even in the most difficult of filming circumstances, he makes everything happening on Dagobah seem real. If there were any doubts about his acting abilities, I suggest those people watch his scenes on a loop. It's easily the best performance of his career. Storywise, these scenes are the strongest. We want Luke to succeed, we want him to do well. However, Luke really becomes the antagonist in these scenes. He's a very difficult person to get through, and evidently a terrible student. Due to his high ego gained in the tree years since the destruction of the Death Star, he figures he can do many things without the help of Yoda. From his impatience when first meeting Yoda, to his failure at the cave, to not being able to lift the X-Wing from the swamp, Luke continues to fall. And this is really the opposite of what we expect from the hero. But then again, the entire film is playing on what we expect. The worst things happen on the most majestic of planets, while attempts at doing the greater good happen on the darkest and dirtiest. The heroes fail, and the villians are victorious. While drawing from the "Trials" of mythology, where the hero usually faces his darkest journeys, Lucas, Kershner, Kasdan, and Brackett place them perfectly in the movie. Darker material doesn't always mean better, but The Empire Strikes Back makes it hard not to believe that it does.

Aside from Luke and Yoda, many of the other characters are illustrated with more dimensions. The love story between Han and Leia is heightened, as they are given plenty of time to do so while Luke is training. Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher also give their best performances of the trilogy, while both at or near the peak of their careers. It's also refreshing to see the female lead not fall for the hero, but for the wise-ass scoundrel instead. Ford and Fisher have great chemistry together, and it is entertaining to watch their story unfold as well. It's always debatable on who has the best lines in the film, but I have to settle on Solo. From "You could use a good kiss!" to "I know," there's not a word that leaves his mouth that isn't smart writing. But then again, the best character deserves the best lines. Darth Vader's scenes are also phenomenal, and there isn't a dull moment to be had with him. I could watch Vader choke his crew for hours, as long as he delivers great one-liners everytime. Though Vader is considered the greatest villian of all-time by many, which is definately understandable, but there are times at the very end when we feel sorry for him. As Vader watches the Millenium Falcon blast off into hyperspace, losing his son along the way, we're not feeling triumphant at all. Vader is a man who has nothing, and is but a pawn of the Emperor. Though he plans to rule the galaxy with cruel intentions, he also wants to be with his son while it happens. He's a man who lost everything, and has become so lost that his own son would rather die than be with him. That's a shit life. However, Vader is extraordinary in the scenes on Bespin, specifically the duel. This is the stuff great villians are made of. The other great new character aside from Yoda, is Lando Calrissian. Billy Dee Williams brings a lot of life to his character, despite the feeling I have that he was going to replace Han Solo had Harrison Ford not agreed to do Jedi. Lando's a man with problems, just trying to make his way around like everyone else. Though he betrays our heroes, he still tried to redeem himself, and is an admirable asset to the Star Wars gang. And then there's Threepio, Artoo, and Chewie. Need I say more?

George Lucas once said that the Star Wars series is silent, and that John Williams provides the dialogue. A bold statement, especially when speaking of his work in this chapter. "The Imperial March" has become one of the defining aspects of the series, but I feel there are much better tracks to be heard. "The Asteroid Field" is an explosive composition, which presents a feeling of excitement perfectly and fits well within the context of the film. "Lando's Palace," along with nearly every track attatched to the scenes on Hoth, are brilliant. You'll want to listen to them over and over again. If you're a Star Wars fan or not, one must agree that the music is mesmerizing, especially the ones heard here. Additionally, the visual effects are an improvement over those seen in Star Wars, on par with Return of the Jedi, and even over the visuals used in the prequels. Hoth is a lot of fun, and they visual effects artists really amazed me with the Snow Speeder using the tow cable to bring down an AT-AT. This brings me to the locations and sets, which blend in great with the rest of the film. They're so attractive, and great to look at, but they don't distract the viewer enough from what's happening in the scene. They fit in perfectly, capturing the perfect feeling for moments in the film. The creative team did excellent as well, bringing to life some bizarre and interesting creatures and aliens. The wampa, tauntauns, mynocks, and the space slug leave lasting impressions in the head, amongst many other things the film has to offer. Irvin Kershner excellently put a character piece in blockbuster wrapping, with help from a great story from George Lucas, and the writer Lawrence Kasdan and the late Leigh Brackett. The Empire Strikes Back will always be one of my favorites, for combining so many elements together. I enjoyed it as a toddler, and I enjoy it now, so many years later. It has always been a huge movie in my life, and I hope it always will be. It recieves a lot of well-deserved praise, and I hope it remains that way. Oh, and I almost made it through this write-up without saying, "No, I am your father."