It's 1980. For three years, you've been eagerly anticipating the sequel to Star Wars, a film that almost immediately becomes a fixture of pop culture. In this pre-internet age, all you can rely on are interviews given by George Lucas and discussions with other fans in basements, comic book stores, school grounds etc.
And then, The Empire Strikes Back comes out. I don't think it's exaggeration to say that without this movie, Star Wars wouldn't be what it is. Sure, the first movie is a masterpiece and transfixed audiences immediately. But THIS is what I think of when I think of Star Wars. The world George Lucas introduced us to in 1977 feels far larger, lusher, and more lived in this time around.
Whereas the first was undoubtedly a low budget, yet ambitious movie, this one feels BIG from the opening moments of the film. The costumes are better. The set design is better. The effects are better. The performances are better. The writing is better. Everything feels so much more elevated. It's also an objectively better shot movie; while the first has iconic moments, it doesn't have a ton of awe inspiring shots or imagery. This one? I think the final battle with Luke and Vader - especially in the beginning - is one of the most visually striking moments put to film.
The set design feels elevated as well; Hoth, Dagobah, and Cloud City show us so much more of the galaxy of Star Wars than the first one did. I also feel like the performances are way more confident; Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher have electric chemistry and their romance is so well done (also, note to the guys: all women like good men who can be scoundrels sometimes, it's not that hard). Mark Hamill gives a far more nuanced and complex performance this time around as Luke; you see so much more of his flaws as a human being, especially when contrasted with Yoda (whose first appearance is still his best).
And then, there's Darth Vader. Thematically, he almost feels like the main character. Vader was cool in the first one. In this one though, he feels like a character from myth. The way everyone looks at him with fear, the screen presence he carries, the power he wields. Darth Vader BECAME one of cinema's greatest villains because of this movie. And let's be real, the twist this movie provides (I don't want some kid who's never seen this movie to have it ruined via internet review - as irrational as it is) is probably the gold standard in cinema. Right? The single most iconic twist in film history.
If you couldn't tell, this is my favourite Star Wars film (not a radical opinion, obviously). To me, it encapsulates everything great about Star Wars and is truly one of the greatest sequels of all time. There's a reason why every great sequel is compared to The Empire Strikes Back. It expands upon the first, improves upon it, and leaves us wanting more. It's a perfect movie.
And then, The Empire Strikes Back comes out. I don't think it's exaggeration to say that without this movie, Star Wars wouldn't be what it is. Sure, the first movie is a masterpiece and transfixed audiences immediately. But THIS is what I think of when I think of Star Wars. The world George Lucas introduced us to in 1977 feels far larger, lusher, and more lived in this time around.
Whereas the first was undoubtedly a low budget, yet ambitious movie, this one feels BIG from the opening moments of the film. The costumes are better. The set design is better. The effects are better. The performances are better. The writing is better. Everything feels so much more elevated. It's also an objectively better shot movie; while the first has iconic moments, it doesn't have a ton of awe inspiring shots or imagery. This one? I think the final battle with Luke and Vader - especially in the beginning - is one of the most visually striking moments put to film.
The set design feels elevated as well; Hoth, Dagobah, and Cloud City show us so much more of the galaxy of Star Wars than the first one did. I also feel like the performances are way more confident; Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher have electric chemistry and their romance is so well done (also, note to the guys: all women like good men who can be scoundrels sometimes, it's not that hard). Mark Hamill gives a far more nuanced and complex performance this time around as Luke; you see so much more of his flaws as a human being, especially when contrasted with Yoda (whose first appearance is still his best).
And then, there's Darth Vader. Thematically, he almost feels like the main character. Vader was cool in the first one. In this one though, he feels like a character from myth. The way everyone looks at him with fear, the screen presence he carries, the power he wields. Darth Vader BECAME one of cinema's greatest villains because of this movie. And let's be real, the twist this movie provides (I don't want some kid who's never seen this movie to have it ruined via internet review - as irrational as it is) is probably the gold standard in cinema. Right? The single most iconic twist in film history.
If you couldn't tell, this is my favourite Star Wars film (not a radical opinion, obviously). To me, it encapsulates everything great about Star Wars and is truly one of the greatest sequels of all time. There's a reason why every great sequel is compared to The Empire Strikes Back. It expands upon the first, improves upon it, and leaves us wanting more. It's a perfect movie.