The Empire Strikes Back




Luke, I am your father.

After the stunning success of Star Wars, George Lucas gave the helm to someone else. He also opted for a darker trip this time around with our characters. Given all the things that could have gone wrong, this movie turned out to be exactly the opposite.

Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and the rebels have established a new secret base. But they aren't there long before the Imperials, led by Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones) discover them. Han Solo (Harrison Ford) flees with Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) while Luke follows a vision to train with the Jedi master Yoda (Frank Oz). Meanwhile, Darth Vader hunts for Han and Leia, who are part of his plan of luring Luke into his clutches. This leads to one of the best climaxes of all time.

Sequels are almost always bad, but this is a definite exception. Empire takes all the good things from the original and steps them up a notch. The biggest plus is the pacing, which is brilliant. Luke's training and the Falcon's adventures make for good places to move back and forth between.

First and foremost among the things improved on are the characters. Everyone gets more depth. Luke has become more mature, but is hardly perfect. Vader is a hundred times more menacing, and Han and Leia get the spotlight as their misadventure turns to romance. It is one of the most memorable affairs of cinema, putting the new episodes to shame. You can't help but root for Han, and sympathize with Leia. All the while Luke is conveniently forgotten while he's playing in bogs with that green midget.

Basically, everything is built upon in good ways. Both the Imperials and the Rebels, and the conflict itself is more serious, giving the whole movie what the first slightly lacked: maturity. There is a sense of this mixed perfectly with a blend of adventure and wonder as you learn more about our heroes, the force and the amazing world they're set in.

Bottom line, this is a classic science fiction blockbuster. They don't make them like they used to, and this movie is proof of that. This is entertainment cinema at its finest. The execution is excellent, acting superb, effects incredible considering, and the story is what Star Wars is all about.



-The Gnome