1980 Directed by Irvin Kershner
The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.
Mark Hamill Harrison Ford Carrie Fisher Billy Dee Williams Anthony Daniels David Prowse Kenny Baker Peter Mayhew Frank Oz James Earl Jones Kathryn Mullen Wendy Froud Jeremy Bulloch Jason Wingreen Temuera Morrison Clive Revill Marjorie Eaton Ian McDiarmid Alec Guinness John Hollis Jack Purvis Des Webb Julian Glover Kenneth Colley John Ratzenberger Michael Sheard Michael Culver John Dicks Milton Johns Show All…
Obi-Wan went to the other side. Luke is now a man. Leia is still a princess. Han is as cocky as ever. Chewie is still cool as fuck. The droids are still the droids. They all return along with a few new friends to battle that evil fucker Darth Vader in the motherfucker of all sequels. High-tech binoculars. Chewie's temper. Han's jacket. Leia's eyes. Even more obvious sexual tension. Hungry Wampa. A warm and stinky stank blanket. Fuckin' Zev. Wookie laugh. A Deliverance moment. Wookie hug. Luke's maturity. Hoth is intense as fuck. Snow war! Imperial Walkers. Dak ain't no Goose. Wedge is the motherfucker. 3PO's courage. Fuck the odds! SPACESHIP! R2's persistence. Master fuckin' Yoda. Droid cock-block. Voices from…
Viewed Despecialized Edition
The Empire Strikes Back takes the incredible foundation of the original classic and digs into its problems, insecurities, and emotional dilemmas that were left in the shadows previously. It's the equivalent of peering into an open wound, with every beloved character dealing with issues and trials that are both fascinating and startlingly introspective. It only helps that every scene is perfectly composed, wonderfully acted, amazingly scored, eerily shot, and mindbogglingly awesome. I get chills just thinking about Darth Vader waiting for Luke up on that platform, enshrouded in mystique and menace, ready to smother the light from Luke's soul.
The Empire Strikes Back is my favorite STAR WARS film and one of the finest works ever made. Fucking Shakespearean in its themes and scope, this mystical masterpiece enthralls again and again. It'll never age.
My all time favorite film. It doesn't get any better than this.
What I really paid attention to this time around was the pacing. It is astonishing how perfect The Empire Strikes Back flows, every single scene is exciting and memorable. I never really thought about it, but the Rebellion doesn't even leave Hoth until roughly 40 minutes into the film, which clocks in with a total running time of just over two hours. Think about how much iconic greatness is jammed into those remaining 80 minutes, yet it never feels rushed, nothing is glossed over.
I can't imagine ever been more entertained than I am during Episode V. It was the greatest achievement in the world when I was a child, and over 20 years later nothing has changed.
Most boys become men once they cut the apron strings and leave their mother's behind them and forge ahead to make their own mark in life!
Luke on the other hand had to lose more than just his pride in a lightsaber battle and uncover a truth that was so unbearable that his own untimely death looked warm and inviting!
Pain, betrayal and moral decrepitude the catalyst's of change and evolution are in the air! As our love affair with our hero's continues, they have their mettle tested over and over yet once again!
This sequel is the most introspective amongst the entire series and in my not so humble opinion the most genuine due to its refreshing approach to…
Laugh it up, fuzzball!
P.S. I love the grandiose and formally intricate visuals of the prequels, and even think the post-Lucas films are each visually appealing in their own way. But this remains the best-looking Star Wars film, a perfect balance of the stylized and the tactile. That lighting is something else.
It can be difficult to do a followup to "Star Wars", but this franchise came back with a film so action-packed, so captivating, and so satisfying that in a way it managed to be superior to its original film. What else is there to say? I guess all there is to say is that this is how you solidify a franchise, not just with great start, but a followup that improves upon the foundation left by its predecessor and "The Empire Strikes Back" is the perfect example of just that.
Commentary Track with George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Ben Burrt, Dennis Muren, & Carrie Fisher
An unforgettable movie that topped the original in every way. Everything in this movie is enriched, from the character development to the lore and worldbuilding. This is an engrossing movie that I have continued to love ever since I was a Star Wars-obsessed kid.
Guys...What can I say about Empire that hasn't already been said by countless fans, critics and film professors around the world? This is the movie that turned Star Wars from what was at the time little more than a soap opera in space into one of the greatest sagas in all of fiction. Its characters are diverse and well developed, its storytelling is magical, its effects are groundbreaking, its world-building is perfection, its allegories to classical literature and world mythology are brilliant. It is to science fantasy (And American cinema in general) what The Odyssey was to literature.
Empire does an excellent job maintaining a dark, suspenseful tone throughout its run-time; from Luke's narrow escape from the cave of the…
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