rating:
(out of
4 stars)United States; 1980
Directed by Irvin Kershner; produced by Gary Kurtz; story by George Lucas; screenplay by Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan
Starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, Frank Oz, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, James Earl Jones (voice)
Below you will find a temporary review for this film. The real (better, more complete) review will be online very soon.
I belong to the group of people who think 'The Empire Strikes Back' is even
better than 'Star Wars'. There are a couple of reasons for that. Where 'Star
Wars' has great special effects 'The Empire Strikes Back' feels as a
non-stop chain of the most amazing special effects. Every shot contains
something beautiful, every detail looks great. It starts with the Imperial
Walkers and the planet Hoth, then we have some space battles, we see a city
in the clouds, the mysterious look of the Dagobah-system, etc.
Again we have some classic things here. This is the movie that introduces
Yoda, with E.T. the most famous alien creature in the movies. The characters
feel more developed. Especially Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) feels more like
an adult. The scenes between Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Solo (Harrison Ford)
are even better than in the first movie and especially Ford shows us again
why is such a great star. Alec Guinness as Ben 'Obi-Wan' Kenobi and James
Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader (and David Prowse as his body) are as
in the first movie perfect. There is one new main character called Lando
(Billy Dee Williams). He was the owner of Solo's spaceship, the famous
Millennium Falcon, before he lost it to Solo with a game.
'The Empire Strikes Back' is also known for a revealed secret. Even most
people who haven't even seen the movie know what secret I mean and that
alone says a lot about the 'Star Wars'-trilogy. The movie gives some hints
for another secret revealed in 'Return of the Jedi'. The introducing of
Yoda, the great Jedi-master, Skywalkers learning about the Force and the
secrets revealed give the movie a much darker atmosphere which takes the
soap opera element from the first movie away. For most parts I guess,
because the story is told in exactly the same way as we saw it in 'Star
Wars' and therefor some soap opera elements are still there.
That is definitely not a bad thing. You liked the characters from the first
movie and here you will like them even more. The scenes between Leia and
Solo are so obvious but handled in such a special way it feels completely
different. Skywalker, the young hero who wants to be a Jedi and becomes an
adult, would be annoying in every other movie but here he is great in a
strange way.
With 'Episode I' and 'Episode II' now made and with more knowledge about the
complete story from this movie there is again much fun in watching specific
little things. We learn in 'The Empire Strikes Back' things we already
understand if you have seen the new movies, but still we are amazed, almost
shocked by things. The news Darth Vader brings us near the end is the best
example.
I have seen this movie again and again and always you find new things in
corners of the screen. It gets never boring and after 'Episode III' is
released and the puzzle is complete I can probably watch it again, and
again. Even if you don't like the new 'Star Wars'-trilogy (like myself) you
just have to admire the complete story. It feels like one of those stories
that will be told forever, a philosophy. For some people even a religion.