Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

An excellent sequel to Star Wars, this is easily the darkest and most serious out of all the Star Wars films, at least until Revenge of the Sith comes out. This movie benefits from the introduction of Yoda, a diminutive yet wise Jedi master who helps Luke prepare for his showdown with Darth Vader. It also introduces Lando Calrissian, Han's old gambling and smuggling buddy played very well by Billy Dee Williams. Empire is more character driven than the original and relies more on comic relief to help lighten the mood, but it doesn't go overboard with the humor. The story is more refined and the acting is better as well. Despite all of this I can't really say that I enjoyed Empire more than the original. The original Star Wars has a certain charm to it that none of the sequels (or prequels) have captured. I'd say that it is at least on par with the original though and is a fitting follow up in what is probably the greatest series of movies in the history of cinema.

So much amazing action and beautiful cinematography makes for such an enlightening experience! In The Empire Strikes Back you know who everyone is which is great plus Yoda is introduced! I love this movie the music is soothing, there's romance, more of Darth Vader, and introduces Emperor Palpatine what more can you ask for? A lot to relish and get excited about; it's such a classic gem.

Luke Skywalker goes in search of Jedi Master Yoda, to begin his Jedi training, meanwhile his friends and fellow band of rebels are pursued by The Empire's forces.

How on Earth was it possible to match, if not surpass Episode IV, it seems unfathomable, well that's exactly what they did with this remarkable movie, and whilst I personally rank the films on par with one another, I get why some favour this one. For me, the first came out of nowhere, whereas for this second one, expectations would have been incredibly high.

A superb storyline, breathtaking visuals, first class acting, and Yoda, what more could anyone possibly want or need from a movie, it's a bold claim, but I would genuinely say this is one of the greatest films of all time.

The sets are unbelievable, you can really tell that for those involved this was definitely a labour of love, everything was precise and on point.

It's worth a 10/10 for Yoda alone, I adore his and Luke's scenes together. The wonderful voice of Frank Oz adds a great deal, it really does help to make Yoda such an amazing, funny, smart and curious character.

Let's be honest, films don't get much better than this, it really is a masterpiece.

10/10.

This film changed the game forever. The people behind the scenes took an exciting science fiction adventure film with a happy tone where the heroes have a happy tone throughout and throwing that on its side. Throughout the film the rebels are in a constant rush and panic, pushing the viewers to the edge of their seat wondering if the heroes would make it to the end okay. This is done brilliantly by splitting up the heroes putting them in a worried state for one another. As well as that the rebels are all tested as they go through their own personal trails and try to find their way through. Even though this might put you on a constant worry for the characters the movie is paced perfectly with breathers and amazing storytelling by the characters to fill in anything we need answers for. That is just the story, the film also has gorgeous cinematography, going from the AT-ATs on Hoth, to the Imperial pursuit of the Falcon through the asteroid field, all the way down to the beautiful shots of the final battle in Cloud city. Even though we as viewers are worried for the rebels, the imagery is jaw dropping. The imagery is further enhanced by the most popular score of all time, John Williams delivers his best work ever as it has stuck with people their entire lives and is recognizable by even those who haven't seen the film. The film was released in 1980 and all of the set design and special effects still hold up to this day as they are just as convincing now as it was apon first watch for everyone in the past 38 years.

The Rebellion has struck an important blow to the power of the Empire by destroying it's Death Star, however the power of the Dark Side of the Force remains strong and continues to hunt the rebellion. While the Rebellion base on Hoth is under treat, Luke has gone to a distant swamp planet to receive further Jedi training from Master Yoda. However the power of the dark side should not be underestimated and many dark truths are revealed as the threat of the Empire looms large.

Following Star Wars was never going to be easy but this is actually better. Empire retains the same characters and the same sense of fun that the first had – the battle on Hoth is just one of THE moments of the series. However what gets added to that is a much darker strand. The Empire is not beaten by the destruction of one ship – it's power is barely dented in fact. This sees some startling revelations (I won't spoil it in case you've been living under a rock!) but also sees significant blows to the rebellion. In fact the ending of this film could not be more different from the end of Star Wars.

Like the recent episode two this follows two strands – the more pedestrian scenes with Luke and Yoda and the more action based scenes with Han and company. The scenes with Yoda add depth to the film and hint at the truth. Meanwhile the other half is a lot more action orientated and has comedy and good new characters such as Bobba Fett. The two work well together and come together well for a great finale. The addition of a dark strand to the film makes it all the better as it can be enjoyed as a story and not just a fun sci-fi film with good effects.

The characters are better here than the first. The strong characters from the first (Han, C3P0 et al) are all still good here. However we also get a much more interesting version of Luke as he continues his journey into becoming a full Jedi. Yoda is a good addition (despite sounding like Fozzie Bear!) and Darth Vader becomes a lot more than just a good villain – we learn his past, a revelation then, but a thing of common knowledge now.

Overall this is as good as Star Wars at it's heart, but the darker nature of the film makes it much better. Where the first one was a victorious uprising this is, as the title suggests, the time in history where the Empire strikes back against the uprising. All the music, characters and things that make Star Wars Star Wars are here and it's simply one of the best of the series to date.