The Empire Strikes Back

Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Director: Irvin Kershner
Genre: Science Fiction
Year: 1980
Rating: 5 / 5

Reviewed by Guest Scribe Julio

For those of you who do not know me, I am currently a law student who is studying to be an attorney. Everyone knows that lawyers cannot resist a good argument, and everyone also knows that the greatest argument in the history of film is the disagreement over which is better, Star Wars or The Empire Strikes Back. With that in mind, I herein take on the monumental task of attempting to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that The Empire Strikes Back is a better film than its predecessor.

Exhibit A: The superior character development in Empire. In the first film, director George Lucas had just over two hours to introduce the audience to the people who populate his far, far away galaxy. In the second film, the audience really gets to know just who these characters are. Think of each of the main characters in the trilogy: Solo is at his "scoundrel-ly" best in this film. Threepio and Artoo have their funniest moments here. Leia becomes more than just the pretty face she is in the first film. And Vader goes from being just a bad guy in a cool-looking mask to the ultimate embodiment of pure evil.

Exhibit B: The special effects. Certainly, the effects in Star Wars were innovative for their day. In the first film, Lucas opened the door to an entirely new style of visual effects. In Empire, he blew those doors off.

Exhibit C: Better action. Consider Star Wars - A great film, obviously, but it certainly has its slow moments, most notably the droids' early struggles in Tatooine. The action in Empire, by contrast, is nearly non-stop. With the exception of the final battle of Yavin, Star Wars has nothing to compare to the epic and seemingly hopeless struggle on Hoth, the death-defying flight through the asteroid field, or the final confrontation between Vader and Luke, which would probably get my vote as the best sword fight in film history.

Exhibit D: The interplay between Han and Leia. Some of Lucas’s best dialogue is between Han and Leia:

•  "Who’s scruffy looking?"
•  "Captain, being held by you isn’t quite enough to get me excited."
   "Sorry, sweetheart, I haven’t got time for anything else."
•  "I’d just as soon kiss a wookie!"

...just to name a few examples. The relationship gives the film a sense of fun and playfulness that the first movie sometimes lacks.

Exhibit E: The new characters. The mystical teacher Yoda. The shifty, slick Lando. The ultimate bad-ass Boba Fett. These characters help the audience forget about the absence of two of the better actors in the trilogy: Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin) and Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi), who receives significantly less film time.

And finally, Exhibit F: The surprise ending: Vader telling Luke that he is his father is one of the greatest moments in the history of film. Not only did it shock the viewer, it also set the stage for the ultimate climax to the trilogy in Return of the Jedi. With that, I rest my case.

Cast:

Certification: Rated PG for violence.
Running Time: 124 minutes.

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