Okay yes I've been terrible at posting this month, work has been so hectic because of the christmas season but i'm not about to stop my Star Wars reviews just as we're getting to the good bit! Often dubbed as the greatest Star Wars film of all time, The Empire Strikes Back perfectly elevates the saga and is the main reason the trilogy are considered so legendary in todays society. A New Hope served as a good introduction to the characters within this universe, but The Empire Strikes back manages to develop them despite the main characters spending the majority of the film apart. A New Hope had to introduce us to different locations around the galaxy, which can seem choppy in parts. The Empire Strikes back takes place in only three different locations, this simplicity worked so much better as there is more focus on the storyline and character development.
Audiences get to watch far better action scenes in the second instalment, a personal favourite of mine being the Battle of Hoth purely for the stop-motion fanatic inside me. There are more threats in this movie than the previous film meaning it's more gripping to watch for audiences.
As I mentioned previously the character development in the movie really steals the show. Leia of course killed it as a bad ass in the first movie but we get to see far more of her in The Empire Strikes Back. Audiences get to see her take charge of the rebellion, we get more interactions between her and Han and their love/hate relationship. They have such chemistry that you rarely find in science fiction movies, it makes it feel far more real to audiences. Of course now it's more obvious given the recent outing of Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford's off-screen relationship but that seems to have helped their on-screen connection all the better.
Arguably the biggest fan favourite in the entire franchise, Yoda has his first ever appearance in this movie. Not only is he a major factor throughout the movie, but he gives audiences the best understanding of the force than any other movie. Whilst on Dagobah, Yoda mentions to Luke that strength doesn't come from physically since, but from one's understanding of how the force works in manipulating nature around you to bend its will. The best example of this is when Luke is trying the lift the X-Wing from the swamp, and Yoda who is much smaller and weaker than Luke physically, manages to lift it effortlessly. With Frank Oz's use of puppeteering and rusty voice acting, he helped create the most memorable character in the entire saga.
Speaking of fan favourites, we get introduced to two major characters among the fandom: Boba Fett and Lando Calrissian. Boba Fett became a favourite due to his amazing costume and badass ship, like Vader he's the villain you love to hate. Land on the other hand is more like Han Solo. He perfectly changes the dynamic that the audience was used to and adds a great burst of energy. The suave, double-crossing rebel may have entered the franchise late but has gone on to prove so popular that he and Han are getting their own spin off movie!
The cherry on top of this perfect movie is of course, Darth Vader. We barely get to see him in action in A New Hope but The Empire Strikes Back certainly makes up for it. We get to see him at his highest potential, killing Imperial Officers left and right, he gets right into the action on both Hoth and Cloud City. Not only that but having his own personal theme music courtesy of John Williams makes him all the more thrilling whenever you hear The Imperial March.
Not only does The Empire Strikes Back have fantastic character development, introduction to new characters and some of the best action scenes in the franchise, but it also has some of the most iconic imagery. From Han Solo frozen in carbonite to Luke Skywalker battling Darth Vader resulting in Vader revealing that he is Luke's father. What's great about the first movie is mystery and Empire continues that on whilst upping the ante. Is Darth Vader really Luke's father? Will Han escape the carbonite? As well as that we see the good guys lose which audiences aren't used to. It's this punishment that makes The Empire Strikes Back so fantastic. From the very first scene with Luke getting attacked, to the rebels being forced to leave their base on Hoth. The Millennium Falcon constantly has troubles with the hyperdrive. Lando double cross his friends. Han is tortured and kidnapped. C-3PO gets blown up. Luke loses his hand. We ultimately become bigger fans of these characters because we see them hit rock bottom.
In summary, A New Hope was a revelation but The Empire Strikes Back certainly surpassed it. It is a darker, more evil sequel making it that more compelling. Characters are tested, stakes are raised, questions are answered and more questions rise. It is a satisfying end and yet incredibly anxious to see what happens next. It's not only a great Star Wars movie, but a great movie in general.
Easter Eggs
#1 Ice Cream Machine
During the scene where Lando is helping Leia and the team escape from Bespin, there is a tech guy running through the scene. Well he may seem like a tech guy but he is actually carrying George Lucas' ice cream maker, his popularity has grown so much in the fandom that he was eventually given a name, there are toys of him and he also features in some Star Wars games.
#2 Bobba Fett
During the same scene where Luke is entering Cloud City he runs into the guards escorting his friends and Leia yells "Luke don't it's a trap!". A guard then uses her as a human shield, this guard is played by Jeremy Bulloch, the same actor that plays Bobba Fett. The extra who was supposed to play the guard didn't show up for filming on the day so they had Bulloch fill in for him.
#3 Hidden Mickey
If you walk around any of the Disney parks you can spy hundreds of hidden Mickey Mouse heads, even in movies they make an appearance. Even though Disney only bought Lucas Film in the last couple of years, a hidden Mickey appeared in The Empire Strikes Back back in 1980. An outline of Mickey Mouse's head can be seen in the background of Cloud City while Luke Skywalker is fighting Darth Vader. Back when making the film, George Lucas added it in because of his love of Disney, but it's kind of fun to see in retrospect.
#4 THX 1138
You are probably all too familiar now with the references to George Lucas' first movie THX 1138, the nod to this in The Empire Strikes Back is less obvious than the others but still a cool reference either way. Shortly before the Battle of Hoth, General Rieekan issues the order to send Rogues 10 and 11 to station three-eight.
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