Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) User Reviews

Excellent timeless classic, the best sequel of all time!

[ivo-cobra8 · 10/10 · 25 April 2016]

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) is an excellent timeless classic that it is the best sequel of all time. I love this film to death, it is my second favorite film and the best sequel in the Star Wars franchise that I love. The Empire Strikes Back is a movie that it is one of the best sequels I can think of, it is right there with Aliens (1986), it is right there with Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) it is an excellent sequel and it really does establish The Empire as a value treat. Empire Strikes Back is still and excellent film which I really believe is a timeless classic. This is my second favorite film from director Irvin Kershner. Number 1 favorite Irvin Kershner film will be RoboCop 2 (1990) which is very underrated action flick. I still have to review those movies someday.

Empire Strikes Back (1980) is the best one of the series, because it's deeper, darker, more philosophical. It's great because Darth Vader and the Empire are at their most menacing, the direction is creative, the characters feel real, the nature of the Force is explored more without losing its mysticism, and the pacing is, as George Lucas would put it, faster and more intense than any other film in the saga.

The plot is actually more a rescue mission that Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is coming to rescue his friends Han Solo, Princess Leia Organa, C-3PO and Chewbacca are captured on a planet Bespin in Cloud City from villainous Darth Vader. Han Solo's friend Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) set the up and with Darth Vader he set a trap for Luke. Also Luke studied the Force under Jedi Master Yoda to become a full Jedi Knight but in the end he must confront Darth Vader (David Prowse) by him self. The origins of Luke Skywalker are reveled.

Empire Strikes Back was released in 1980 it is directed by Irvin Kershner this time and not George Lucas. Because George Lucas decide that he want to make this sequel independent one, so he ended up coming with his own, founding for the film. Getting a loan and money he earn from the first movie and it success, so he decided he wanted, to found the film him self, and he wanted to be more an executive producer to keep an eye on the lamp, he moved to a bigger studio in Orange County, California, so he diced to be more a producer he did not want to direct Empire Strikes Back. So his first choice was Irvin Kershner, who was a professor at UC in the UC film school, that George attended too and he always liked Irvin Kershner and of course he was a former professor and it was a hard way talk him to do it and the first time Irvin Kershner didn't want to do it, so George called Irvin's agent and his agent said to Irvin take it so he did and the rest is a history. This stands the test of time, the best film he ever directed! I love John Williams score still the same, but I think John Williams changed the music score for a little bit, but that's just my opinion.

Things that I love in this film: I love the battle with Rebels fighting with the Imperial AT-AT walkers on the ice world of Hoth. That is my favorite scene on ice world in the film. The Imperial AT-AT walkers are incredible well made with classic special effects.

I love that the origins of Luke Skywalker are reveled, that Luke is the son of Darth Vader, who is actually Anakin Skywalker, before he become Darth Vader and went to the dark site.

For the first time ever, we see an Emperor in a Hologram talking to Darth Vader.

The Falcon with Han Solo, Princess Leia Organa, C-3PO and Chewbacca hiding in the rocks try's to eat a monster.

Luke faces with Darth Vader him self face to face and get his arm cut off and then he jumps off the bridge, because he didn't want to join his father in a dark force. The lightsaber duel throughout the chamber between Luke and Darth Vader was excellent and it was epic.

The training sequence with Luke and master Yoda were excellent and epic.

A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back are my favorite films in series, that are in the franchise, this film get's a perfect 10 score for been the best sci-fi adventure sequel of all time.

I enjoy this one more than A New Hope

[UniqueParticle · 10/10 · 16 January 2020]

So much amazing action and beautiful cinematography makes for such an enlightening experience! In The Empire Strikes Back you know who everyone is which is great plus Yoda is introduced! I love this movie the music is soothing, there's romance, more of Darth Vader, and introduces Emperor Palpatine what more can you ask for? A lot to relish and get excited about; it's such a classic gem.

One for All & All for One...

[Xstal · 8/10 · 4 April 2023]

Yavin 4 had been discovered so they fled, three years later and it's Hoth where rebels tread, Luke Skywalker's on patrol, when a Wampa takes control, leaves him hanging in its cave to have with bread. He escapes into the blizzard and the cold, has a vision from a friend where he is told, seek to train from Master Yoda, find him on planet Dagobah, Han arrives, and slips him in a Tauntaun fold. A droid informs the Empire what it's found, leaves the rebels little time to hang around, first protect the energy field, that provides the bases shield, as off to Hoth, Imperial forces bound.

It's a game of cat and mouse, as the rebels seek to avoid capture and Luke develops his Jedi skills while learning some pertinent family history but becomes a little less dexterous (for the time being).

The best film in the original trilogy.

[Dissident · 2 May 2000]

The Empire Strikes Back is the best film in the original Star Wars trilogy. It has all the great qualities that the original Star Wars has: great effects (at the time of its release), appealing characters, and lots of spellbinding action. It also has eliminated some of the problems that plagued the first: the storyline is tighter, and goes much deeper into character development. The performances are terrific, especially by Harrison Ford as Han Solo, and Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian. George Lucas has also remembered to include a spellbinding battle sequence with the snowspeeder sequence near the beginning of the film. The conclusion, with a lightsaber duel between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, is truly one of the most suspenseful and dramatic scenes in the entire series. This is a truly wondrous film, and serves as a constant reminder that just because a movie is expensive and a blockbuster doesn't mean that it has to be shallow and two dimensional. This film will undoubtedly entertain viewers of all ages from start to finish.

Best of the best

[Dagobah_Man · 10/10 · 20 November 2007]

I cannot believe some people out there didn't like this film, yet claim to have enjoyed Episode One. No comparison whatsoever. "The Empire Strike Back" is George Lucas' best contribution to human history, and it will be remembered long after most other science fiction films have gone the way of the Do-Do Bird. The optical effects still stand the test of time, and the acting is superb. Harrison Ford, Mark Hamil and Carrie Fisher are all better than they we in the original Star Wars, having fully developed and grown into their characters, and the story just keeps going and going, from asteroid fields to swamp planets to cities in the sky, everything in this film works. So ignore anyone who claims to dislike it, and see it for yourself if you haven't already done so. 20 out of 10!!

Oh, and Han Solo shot first! =)

It's NOT the darkest of the trilogy - it's the most mature

[Spleen · 10/10 · 26 October 1999]

`It avoids having the standard shoot-'em-up ending,' says a friend of mine, `by not having an ending.' I suppose this is what most people think, but all the same the film manages to form a satisfying whole; or at least, a whole that satisfies me. I'm therefore inclined to think it DOES have an ending. Obviously, I can't discuss this without giving things away to those few who don't know what happens. If you're one of those few, then believe me: your ignorance is precious enough to be worth guarding until you see the film. Stop reading now.

After the surprise attack on the rebel base, Luke Skywalker splits with Han, Leia, et al. Han's party gets away first (is it just me, or is the shot of Luke watching the Falcon flying off while he stands stranded on the ground, a poignant one?), but thereafter they face one narrow escape after another, while Luke slinks off quietly and safely to train with Yoda.

The training scenes are many and Yoda talks a great deal of rubbish. But somehow it doesn't matter. The film is ambivalent in its attitude towards Yoda, anyway. Our sympathy clearly lies with the entirely non-spiritual concerns of Han, Leia and the adolescent Luke. The main story concerns the understanding that builds between Han and Leia. In the end they are honest with one another; and if Han's being frozen and shipped back to Tatooine is the price to pay for this, well, it's the price to pay. It was very important NOT to end with the dashing rescue that opens `Return of the Jedi', which would be dramatically beside the point. Instead we end with the promise that the rescue will some day occur. That's enough.

As for Luke: he abandons Yoda to rescue Han and Leia, and achieves NOTHING WHATEVER. This was my favourite touch. All five Jedis - Luke, Obi-Wan, Yoda, Vader, and the Emperor - find that their conflicting instincts are all entirely wrong. The film is really about the temporary triumph of human impulses over the mystical Force. Luke's human idealism is vindicated, but his supernatural powers, just this once, are not.

When George Lucas gave his Star Wars trilogy a fresh coat of varnish in 1997 he felt he had to justify the expense by making needless changes. You'll notice he made precious few changes to episode V. There just wasn't room. He added a few extra shots of the ice monster, which of course weakened that one scene; but even with those changes in place the Special Edition is virtually identical to the original edition. Since Lucas was so keen on making changes wherever he could this is obviously a tribute to the tightness of the story and the direction. It's also a tribute to the perfection of the original special effects, more innovative than the effects in the first Star Wars movie and better than the effects in any subsequent one.

One of the best films ever made.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 18 September 2023]

Luke Skywalker goes in search of Jedi Master Yoda, to begin his Jedi training, meanwhile his friends and fellow band of rebels are pursued by The Empire's forces.

How on Earth was it possible to match, if not surpass Episode IV, it seems unfathomable, well that's exactly what they did with this remarkable movie, and whilst I personally rank the films on par with one another, I get why some favour this one. For me, the first came out of nowhere, whereas for this second one, expectations would have been incredibly high.

A superb storyline, breathtaking visuals, first class acting, and Yoda, what more could anyone possibly want or need from a movie, it's a bold claim, but I would genuinely say this is one of the greatest films of all time.

The sets are unbelievable, you can really tell that for those involved this was definitely a labour of love, everything was precise and on point.

It's worth a 10/10 for Yoda alone, I adore his and Luke's scenes together. The wonderful voice of Frank Oz adds a great deal, it really does help to make Yoda such an amazing, funny, smart and curious character.

Let's be honest, films don't get much better than this, it really is a masterpiece.

10/10.

Even though he wasn't at the director's helm this time, George Lucas has done it again.

[Anonymous_Maxine · 10/10 · 6 August 2002]

In a film like The Empire Strikes Back, especially a few years on the heels of such a mind-bogglingly great film like the original Star Wars, there is something that comes immediately to mind that would at first seem to count against the film, but instead only winds up increasing the respect that it commands. In the 1977 Star Wars, there is a clear reliance on simplicity in some parts. Obviously, it is much more than a simply made science fiction film, but like I said in my review of it, there was a lot of highly effective reliance on things that were not put on screen, such as Obi Wan's description of The Force to Luke. In The Empire Strike Back, the first thing that we are treated to is the traditional scrolling text along a background of stars, depicting what has happened between the last film and this one, and reminding us of the things that were mentioned in the last film but never explained.

At first, this would almost seem to be a way to save money to get more information across to the audience without having to actually put it on screen, but this is really an ingenious way of furthering the story. The very fact that we are so willing to read all this information and forgive our inability to actually see it is a testament to the quality of the series, even at this early stage in its presentation, and we know the story so well from the first film that we are glad to see such a large change in what's happening in the films, not for a second lamenting the fact that we have obviously missed so much action. And besides that, if and when George Lucas runs out of new prequels to release, and maybe if he someday begins to run low on how many hundreds of millions of dollars he has, he could go right back and make these in-between scenes into full length films. What would he call these, if he did that? Introquels? Who cares! The names themselves would be interesting enough, and if you go back and read the stuff that introduces this film, it's obvious that there's an entire film there just waiting to be made. I guess the question of actors would be a formidable one, though.

The Empire Strikes Back is the film where we are first introduced to the great Jedi master Yoda (`Away put your weapon!'), as well as some of the most thrilling battle sequences of the entire Star Wars series, and that includes the prequels. The battle scene where the rebels fight the Imperial Walkers on the ice planet is an incredibly well-made battle scene, not only in the way that it was put together so convincingly using models, but that the machines themselves are so creatively made. Indeed, the Imperial Walkers are some of the most recognizable machines from the entire Star Wars saga, right up there with the Millennium Falcon and the Death Star.

I have just watched this film again, having already seen Episode I and Episode II, and not having seen any of the original Star Wars films for maybe 10 years (except for the original 1977 Star Wars, which I saw and reviewed a few days ago - and these aren't even the Special Edition versions!). When I first saw Yoda when watching The Empire Strikes Back again, I was really struck by how different he looked from in the newer movies. Obviously, he's completely computer generated in the new films, but here in Episode V he looks like a muppet! Even so, I would like to express my opinion that Yoda is more realistic and more interesting here as a puppet than in the newer films as a computer generated image. At least here in the older films you know that he's actually THERE, and that he's not just added into the film later.

Oh yeah, speaking of Yoda, can I just complain for a minute? What the hell was up with the Jedi training? Yes, I realize that I'm just a lowly IMDb reviewer, while The Empire Strikes Back is a part of the greatest science fiction series of all time, but would it have killed George Lucas to write in a little more creative training for Luke? The thing that struck me first about the Star Wars films when I first started watching them was how incredibly imaginative they were, but then Luke started his training. You know, when I was in high school I played football. I was a wide receiver/tight end and I hardly ever got to play because I was too tall and too skinny, but part of my workout was to carry the linemen up and down the stairs to the weight room. Some of these guys weighed 100 pounds more than me, and I still almost never saw the field, and here's Luke Skywalker. He carries Yoda around this boggy swamp and he gets to be a Jedi! What the hell!

There is also the addition of a surprisingly fitting love story. First of all, anyone who has ever read my review of a Jerry Bruckheimer movie will know that I am not the biggest fan of cramming a love story into a movie where it doesn't belong. I can't seem to write anything about Bruckheimer movies without complaining about the idiot love story, and now it's even worse because here's this movie that was made so long before, from which Bruckheimer could obviously have at least learned a LITTLE bit about how to do it right. Han Solo and Princess Leia maintain the personalities that they developed in the first Star Wars film and there is now a sort of love/hate relationship between the two of them, where neither one of them wants to admit their feelings for the other. This romantic subplot is characterized perfectly in the scene just before Solo is carbon frozen, when Leia risks approaching a cheesy romantic moment by saying `I love you' just before Han is lowered into the freezing chamber, and he saves the moment by responding, `I know.' Han Solo. Smart-ass to the last drop.

Before I end I would like to point out that the goofs that can be found on the IMDb for this film are some of the most blatant that I've ever seen in a film. The scene where you can see someone giving a woman at the tactical maps a cue to deliver her lines is amazingly obvious, and some of the other ones, such as the stage hand swinging the light saber prop briefly into view as he switches it for an `off' prop with Luke just after he knocks Darth Vader over backwards, are just as much fun to look for. I have one question about the goofs, though. There's one where Luke looks off into the fog just after R2-D2 is eaten by the sea monster, and you can CLEARLY see a person running to the right a little ways off in the fog. Is that meant to be Luke? It seems that it's supposed to be him running in his search for R2, because you can even hear the FOOTSTEPS of the person running. I can't even IMAGINE how they could have missed THAT!!

It is, however, a testament to the quality of a film when such tremendous oversights in editing do nothing to take away from the overall quality of the film. The Empire Strikes Back remains an extremely powerful and well-made installment in the Star Wars series, not taking even a single step backwards in the sheer breathtaking adventure of the original film. It's not often that a film as good as Star Wars can be released and then followed up with a sequel that is just as great, as is clearly the case here. Star Wars was a gigantic film upon its release, and with The Empire Strikes Back, Lucas has begun the formation of one of the greatest film series' in cinematic history.

Best Star Wars FILM

[SnoopyStyle · 10/10 · 6 May 2016]

After the destruction of the Death Star, the Rebel Alliance has been hounded by the Empire. Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, and Han Solo are with the Rebel forces on the secret base on the planet Hoth. Darth Vader locates the base driving the rebels on the run. Leia, Chewie, and Han with C-3PO escape on the Millennium Falcon eventually ending up in Lando Calrissian's Cloud City. Meanwhile, Luke goes to the Dagobah system and finds Jedi Master Yoda.

There are superior popcorn movies in the Star Wars franchise although there is plenty of eye-popping action in this one. This is the best overall film in the series. The dialog is snappier. The combative romance between Leia and Han is the best. Everything looks great. It introduces Yoda and Lando. There are great legendary twists. It is a Star Wars movie for film fans. Even the Special Edition is the best of the original trio. There may be one or two stiff additions but most of them actually help. There are so many incredible moments in this.

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

[Ithaqua1987 · 9/10 · 17 December 2004]

An excellent sequel to Star Wars, this is easily the darkest and most serious out of all the Star Wars films, at least until Revenge of the Sith comes out. This movie benefits from the introduction of Yoda, a diminutive yet wise Jedi master who helps Luke prepare for his showdown with Darth Vader. It also introduces Lando Calrissian, Han's old gambling and smuggling buddy played very well by Billy Dee Williams. Empire is more character driven than the original and relies more on comic relief to help lighten the mood, but it doesn't go overboard with the humor. The story is more refined and the acting is better as well. Despite all of this I can't really say that I enjoyed Empire more than the original. The original Star Wars has a certain charm to it that none of the sequels (or prequels) have captured. I'd say that it is at least on par with the original though and is a fitting follow up in what is probably the greatest series of movies in the history of cinema.

Darker and better than "New hope"

[saveliydalmatov · 10/10 · 30 December 2023]

So, "The Empire Strikes Back" is a sequel to the previous part. After the release of the first episode, the budget, the fans appeared, and, accordingly, the quality improved!

The fifth episode is the darkest and even the best in the original trilogy (in my personal opinion), and for many in the entire franchise.

Here we will hear the famous Imperial March for the first time, learn all the greatness of the Empire under the leadership of Vader, as well as the formation of Luke as a Jedi.

New characters have added color to the franchise, some have already become iconic and famous among many (the same Boba Fett).

This fascinating story will feature plot twists (for sure many people understood what I was talking about) and a very addictive atmosphere of horror.

As a result, this is what the fans needed - a successful sequel. And, of course, you need to look at it, it's a classic after all.

My Rating : 10/10 (one of the best films)

Greatest Movie Ever

[morfunkel · 10/10 · 21 August 2018]

This film changed the game forever. The people behind the scenes took an exciting science fiction adventure film with a happy tone where the heroes have a happy tone throughout and throwing that on its side. Throughout the film the rebels are in a constant rush and panic, pushing the viewers to the edge of their seat wondering if the heroes would make it to the end okay. This is done brilliantly by splitting up the heroes putting them in a worried state for one another. As well as that the rebels are all tested as they go through their own personal trails and try to find their way through. Even though this might put you on a constant worry for the characters the movie is paced perfectly with breathers and amazing storytelling by the characters to fill in anything we need answers for. That is just the story, the film also has gorgeous cinematography, going from the AT-ATs on Hoth, to the Imperial pursuit of the Falcon through the asteroid field, all the way down to the beautiful shots of the final battle in Cloud city. Even though we as viewers are worried for the rebels, the imagery is jaw dropping. The imagery is further enhanced by the most popular score of all time, John Williams delivers his best work ever as it has stuck with people their entire lives and is recognizable by even those who haven't seen the film. The film was released in 1980 and all of the set design and special effects still hold up to this day as they are just as convincing now as it was apon first watch for everyone in the past 38 years.

An Original Blockbuster

[emeraldreprobates · 7/10 · 3 September 2015]

The second installment of the original Star Wars trilogy benefits from coming from a time when there were very few films that could be called that. If it was made and released now it would be lost in a sea of big budget battles of good and evil aimed at making big money for a week or two and then disappearing.

Thankfully it's from a time when it became one of the biggest films of the year or even the decade and it went on to inspire what the film industry is today. Without Star Wars and its army of nerds leading the way, there is no Marvel attempt to take over films and no comic-con and you would be looking at a very different world.

This film has great moment and legendary quotes or misquotes and of course it has its flaws but what blockbuster doesn't and in the end it is a Star Wars film so it's worth watching.

Featured on Episode 69 of The Emerald Reprobates Podcast.

Not only one of the most overrated Star Wars films, but one of the most overrated films of all time period.

[TheMusicDewd22 · 5/10 · 1 May 2018]

Seriously. The Robot Chicken specials are much more entertaining to watch than this "Star Wars" film.

I just watched this film all the way through not to long ago and I was shocked at how boring and forgettable this episode was. I can't believe people still really think this film represents Star Wars at it's peak when The Phantom Menace exists. The only truly classic thing to come out of this film is The Imperial March is an iconic score and deserves all the praise it gets. But other than that? There is isn't anything that I can truly call great in this film.

I'm sure this film was amazing for it's time and me not even being alive in 1980 is probably one of the biggest reasons why I don't understand the so called "pure genius" of this film, but there is no doubt in my mind that it has greatly suffered the Seinfeld effect and is something you had to actually be around for understand what all the hype is about for this so called "excellent" and "amazing" sequel.

All the fun of the original with a much better, darker plot

[bob the moo · 27 June 2002]

The Rebellion has struck an important blow to the power of the Empire by destroying it's Death Star, however the power of the Dark Side of the Force remains strong and continues to hunt the rebellion. While the Rebellion base on Hoth is under treat, Luke has gone to a distant swamp planet to receive further Jedi training from Master Yoda. However the power of the dark side should not be underestimated and many dark truths are revealed as the threat of the Empire looms large.

Following Star Wars was never going to be easy but this is actually better. Empire retains the same characters and the same sense of fun that the first had – the battle on Hoth is just one of THE moments of the series. However what gets added to that is a much darker strand. The Empire is not beaten by the destruction of one ship – it's power is barely dented in fact. This sees some startling revelations (I won't spoil it in case you've been living under a rock!) but also sees significant blows to the rebellion. In fact the ending of this film could not be more different from the end of Star Wars.

Like the recent episode two this follows two strands – the more pedestrian scenes with Luke and Yoda and the more action based scenes with Han and company. The scenes with Yoda add depth to the film and hint at the truth. Meanwhile the other half is a lot more action orientated and has comedy and good new characters such as Bobba Fett. The two work well together and come together well for a great finale. The addition of a dark strand to the film makes it all the better as it can be enjoyed as a story and not just a fun sci-fi film with good effects.

The characters are better here than the first. The strong characters from the first (Han, C3P0 et al) are all still good here. However we also get a much more interesting version of Luke as he continues his journey into becoming a full Jedi. Yoda is a good addition (despite sounding like Fozzie Bear!) and Darth Vader becomes a lot more than just a good villain – we learn his past, a revelation then, but a thing of common knowledge now.

Overall this is as good as Star Wars at it's heart, but the darker nature of the film makes it much better. Where the first one was a victorious uprising this is, as the title suggests, the time in history where the Empire strikes back against the uprising. All the music, characters and things that make Star Wars Star Wars are here and it's simply one of the best of the series to date.

finest of the trilogy because Lucas didn't write the script

[TheNorthernMonkee · 10/10 · 22 May 2005]

SPOILERS Three years after "Star Wars", creator George Lucas released the second part of his trilogy. Giving scripting credits to Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasden, as well as directing to Irvin Kershner, Lucas made his smartest ever decision and as a result was able to release the finest film of the trilogy by a mile. Considerably darker and more mature than it's predecessor, "The Empire Strikes Back" is a masterpiece of modern film. It is an intense, powerful, entertaining film with the ultimate cinema twist and with a script worthy of it's potential.

After the events of the first film, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) are now members of the rebel alliance. Hidden on a frozen planet, the rebels hide from the domineering glow of the Empire. All is not well however as the evil Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones) is on his way to find them.

Easily the best of the trilogy, "The Empire Strikes Back" has so much going for it. A wonderful plot, an equally good script with some brilliant lines (even actor Harrison Ford joining in with a line or two of his own) and special effects to match, this film is a glowing example of why people love the trilogy so much.

Since George Lucas passed on the major responsibilities for this film, we are given a more professional, well made film for our attention and Lucas's vision is better off for it. With it's recent remastering, it is also the only film in the trilogy to not be damaged by Lucas' tampering. Extra images are added, graphics are honed, but nothing major is changed. As a result the film appears to us to be no different from it's original self.

Darker and more mature as well, this sequel is better than the original "Star Wars" because it isn't so black and white. Presenting the evil Darth Vader as a more balanced individual, we don't quite have the confused Vader of the final chapter, but we are beginning to get signs that he isn't quite as we expected.

This second part also gives us the finest performance ever by one of the universes most important characters. Still a rubber puppet with bendy ears, Jedi Master Yoda is introduced in this film as a creature of wit and intelligence. Voiced by Frank Oz, Yoda is brilliant because of his lines. Legendarily possessing of an obsession for splitting sentences up and rehashing them together, Yoda very often speaks normally throughout this film. Occasionally demonstrating his penchant for bad English, he does make a few minor errors, but ultimately it is up to the later scripts of George Lucas to corrupt Yoda's style and turn this wonderful character into an annoying figure of fun.

There's no real way to fault "The Empire Strikes Back". The finest part of the original trilogy, this film is amazing because it is professionally done. Nobody would ever deny that George Lucas did something wonderful when he thought up "Star Wars", but unfortunately for a lot of the films, Lucas always insisted on too much control. A dire writer of scripts, Lucas can destroy his films by making them infuriating to watch. In this part though, Lucas didn't get involved and as a result, "The Empire Strikes Back" is a masterpiece in it's own right.

My 8th favorite film of all time!

[up2u · 10/10 · 10 September 1998]

This is my favorite of the classic Star Wars trilogy! It is the most suspenseful of the three and, as great as the other two are, they don't flow like this one does. This one explores the relationships instead of just action sequences (which are good in all three, though). The romance between Han and Leia and the one between Luke and Yoda, for example. This does have the best action sequence of the three of them, though; the lightsaber duel between Luke and Darth Vader. Pure brilliance!

Perfect Star Wars Film in an Imperfect Saga

[ethanwissmann · 10/10 · 28 May 2022]

The Empire Strikes Back brings the viewer further into the galaxy of Star Wars. Following the events of Episode IV: A New Hope, this darker chapter brings newer characters and adventures to the table. We learn more about who we have already come to love in the previous installment and we are able to enjoy a much more well-rounded and fleshed out idea of what Lucas' galaxy far far away should look and feel like. Harrison Ford's portrayal of Han Solo steals the show alongside his companion Chewbacca, played by the late Peter Mayhew. Mark Hamill really ups his game with Luke, making him into a less adolescent and sheltered farm kid, he's learning more about his past and the life he never knew. Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa is the perfect mixture of sass and whit as she shows us that not all space royalty is uppity and useless. Billy Dee Williams knocks it out of the park with his performance as the suave and charismatic Lando Calrissian. With the success of A New Hope, this movie boasts and impressive budget increase. This is shown in the care and detail taken into consideration when seeing all of the creatures and vehicles shown throughout the film. Simply put, this movie CARES. The people involved put forth their best work to bring what the world needed in a constant rotation of mundane and bad sci-fi action flicks coming out around the same time. The Empire Strikes Back is a perfect Star Wars movie in an otherwise very flawed saga. I recommend it for anyone that wants to go on a wild and fun ride through the stars!

Masterpiece

[tunesplitter · 10/10 · 3 July 2020]

A true masterpiece. in my opinion the best star wars movie.

The best "Star Wars" film ever made.

[MovieAddict2016 · 10/10 · 3 April 2004]

(Note: This review contains some spoilers.)

Movie novelty quickly wears thin, which is why so many sequels pale in comparison to their originals. "Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back" is the best of the original "Star Wars" trilogy, darker and deeper and even more powerful than the first film. Granted, the original pioneered an endless saga of imitators and somewhat imaginative knock-offs, and is still one of the greatest films ever made, but "The Empire Strikes Back" is a tiny inch ahead in the race.

It is the dark middle chapter in an almost perfect trilogy, crammed full with imagination and special effects. It is simply one of the most visionary movies of all time, which is rare for a sequel -- any sequel -- especially in the case of a sci-fi film. Just take a look at "Predator 2" for an example of an idea running out of steam, or a director who cannot cope with his script.

The film generally picks up where the last left off: Luke (Mark Hamill) saved the day by blowing up the Death Star, the heroes were awarded with medals by the princess (Carrie Fisher), and peace was temporarily restored. But Darth Vader (voice of James Earl Jones) is still alive, and the Emperor's fury grows stronger as Luke begins his Jedi training under the help of Yoda. Meanwhile, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Leia flee to Cloud City to escape an attack from the empire, where they are taken under the wing of Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), an old pal of Han's who is secretly working for Vader, somewhat against his own will.

The movie is strong in its morals and Biblical metaphors, just as the original. Luke is the savior, Calrissian could be considered the equivalent of Judas, Han Solo is one of Luke's good disciples and Vader represents pure evil. And of course, there's the truly iconic line, "I am your father," that is relevant to the devil, who -- according to the scriptures -- was an angel before being cast into the bowels of hell and becoming Lucifer.

Lucas admittedly used these various metaphors to strike a nerve in the subconscious of his viewers. Like all good fables, of fantasy or reality, "Star Wars" is a trilogy that relates to just about everyone, in one form or another, and is -- at its roots -- a story we are all very familiar with. It is the ever-familiar notion of good-vs. -evil at its core that helps propel these movies into the hearts of many. Yes, "Star Wars" is the quintessential nerd's film, engulfed in an entirely different dimension, but the film's bad rap for this is undeserved -- it's still a wonderful story, and you don't have to be a die-hard fan to appreciate its fine points (and it has many).

One of the most popular legends (and misconceptions) regarding the "Star Wars" phenomenon is that George Lucas helmed the entire Star Wars trilogy, when in fact he only directed the first and wrote the screenplay for all three combined. "The Empire Strikes Back" is directed by Irvin Kirshner, who also delivered us the disappointing "RoboCop 2." How could one sequel be so great, and the other so bad? Simple: Kirshner's darkness in "The Empire Strikes Back" had a point, and a high value. In "RoboCop 2," it was just excessive and silly, not to mention totally unnecessary. What Paul Verhoeven was able to do with the original "RoboCop" was something not many films can accomplish, and Kirshner tried to add on to this with a darker narrative, which only ended in a frustratingly empty motion picture.

"The Empire Strikes Back" has a point amidst the action, and is the most important of all three "Star Wars" movies. It has the famous introduction of the creature Yoda, who sits tucked away in his hut on a swamp planet, at first startling Luke with his strange features, and then with his subtle wisdom. It is Yoda who trains Luke in the ways of the Jedi, and eventually leads him towards his destination: The showdown with Vader, when the infamous secret is finally revealed.

The movie is expertly crafted, both in terms of a a narrative and literal context. From beginning to end it is darker, fiercer and more powerful than the original film, which is not an easy feat. All trilogies have their dark areas, and this is usually the middle chapter ("Back to the Future Part II" is a good example), yet in "The Empire Strikes Back" the darkness seems very appropriate given the material. It is a film that dwells long and hard on betrayal, murder, revenge, and unrecoverable mistakes. By the end of the movie, we know what Luke is feeling: There is still much to be done, despite an overwhelming emotional downpour of attachment and confusion. For us, as an audience, we know everything must come to an end within the next installment. For Luke, it could be an eternity of struggle. But we all know there will be an end to the epic saga, and we have always known this, ever since we first caught a glimpse of a younger, more innocent Luke working for his uncle on that deserted planet, so many years ago, when he could only dream of having adventures in other galaxies far, far away...

5/5 stars.

• John Ulmer

Manages to be even better than New Hope, and that was just as brilliant

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 29 November 2009]

The original trilogy of Star Wars contain three films, all of which are sophisticated, imaginative and enormous fun. I feared it wouldn't be my thing, but it was exactly that. I loved the original trilogy for all those reasons. Empire Strikes Back maintains all the fun of its predecessor, while even darker and more mature. Visually it's a marvel to look at, with the stunning special effects and highly imaginative-looking sets. John Williams's score is just outstanding, epic and monumental in every way. The story is darker than that of New Hope and perhaps more sophisticated, and I loved the fact the filmmakers made the romance between Leia and Han more developed. The battle sequences are mesmerising, the beginning is bound to have you on the edge of your seat, but the battle between Luke and Darth Vader was simply out of this world. The script is still as affectionate as ever, the pace is fast and the acting is great. Mark Hamill is ever as likable as Luke, and Carrie Fisher still has her spunk and vivacity. Harrison Ford is noticeably more subdued, but he is still terrific, and Frank Oz is a perfect Yoda. Chewabacca is hilarious, and Darth Vader is a fantastic villain, especially when voiced so magnificently by James Earl Jones. All in all, a perfect successor to an already brilliant first film. 10/10 Bethany Cox

This is among the all time great science fiction movies that is an absolute must see

[kevin_robbins · 10/10 · 21 March 2022]

The Empire Strikes Back (1980) is a movie in my DVD collection that I recently watched again on Disney+. The storyline picks up where Star Wars left off with the rebellion building their army and the evil Empire rebounding from losing the Death Star. Luke will try to master the powers of the force by searching for a new Jedi to train him; meanwhile, as he digs into his past he discovers more about how he became a Jedi to begin with.

This movie is directed by Irvin Kershner (Robocop 2) and stars Mark Hamill (Sushi Girl), Harrison Ford (Clear and Present Danger), Carrie Fisher (Sorority Row), Billy Dee Williams (Nighthawks) and James Earl Jones (Coming to America).

The Empire Strikes Back was always one of my favorites in the original trilogy. The opening yeti scene was fantastic and a great way tp start the film. The Princess and Hans scenes were hilarious and the banter makes you laugh no matter how many times you've seen it. Yoda is a legendary character introduced in this film and the Hans stasis scene is always sad. The final Luke vs Vader scene is also legendary and fun to watch unfold.

Overall this is among the all time great science fiction movies that is an absolute must see. This is an easy 10/10.

How do you review a cultural icon?

[tylerkom · 6/10 · 13 September 2020]

This film as well as A New Hope has put me in a very very strange predicament. How exactly does one evaluate a film in which one knows the entire plot a priori, to no fault of the film. As well as a film with astounding visuals at the time, but very poorly aged visuals and shot selection today. Such is my problem with star wars as a franchise. So considering the circumstances, let me shortly say the following.

Star Wars is an excellent intellectual property based on an excessively cheesy movie franchise. I feel similarly to the star wars franchise as I do the Marvel cinematic universe. They are a set of fun and entertaining family movies that can make your imagination go absolutely wild. I know I'm not alone in pretending that I was a Jedi or a Superhero when I was young. What the franchise is not is any sort of art film or strong statement about anything. It is pure fun, but perhaps better left in nostalgia than a film to come back to. As the weight of the visual technology fades, it is hard for me to justify that the average storytelling and wonderful soundtrack are enough to carry it.

Conclusion: wonderful IP and universe, very cheesy film.

Not that good... (take three)

[johnmmxii · 4/10 · 7 May 2014]

I saw The Empire Strikes Back (TESB) when I was 13 or 14, and I didn't like it back then. I've seen it many times since, and in my later views I really wanted to like it, but I ended up disliking it even more. The first sign of silliness in my eyes was the snow-speeders equipped with harpoons and towing cables. Why should anyone install a harpoon to a flying machine? It turns out to topple AT-ATs. But how did they know they'd fight against walking moto-quadrupeds? Well, they didn't. It dawned on me that that was nothing more than lazy storytelling. Create the outcome first (tackle walking machines), invent how to generate it (using cables) later. And do it again, this time with Luke.

Why did Luke flee the cave into the cold snow storm instead of killing the wampa? Because he had to come to the brink of death. And why is that? Because just before passing out he needs to see Obi-Wan's ghost. And what's it doing there? Obi-Wan's spirit is there to tell Luke where to find Yoda. Sorry but this is nonsense. First, the flow of the story is backwards, because at the time Luke leaves the cave, he has no reason to do so; he should have killed the wampa and stayed inside. Second, this part of the story must be about setting our main character in motion. Luke needs a motivation to pursue his Jedi training. One may argue that this must be the natural outcome of the first film. But still, Mr Lucas owes the viewer a decent sequence showing how Luke discovers where Yoda lives. The way Luke is informed of Dagobah in TESB is simply bad storytelling.

That also leads to a hollow first act. The action in there has nothing to do with Luke's storyline. The Battle of Hoth is completely pointless. The first act must be all about sending Luke to Dagobah. Luke will go there anyway with or without this useless battle. But instead of watching Luke discover Yoda and Dagobah, we have to watch some silly battle.

As a consequence, we have a first act disjointed from the rest of the film. The action is isolated from, and not related to, the further events. You can start watching the film 35 minutes into it, when Luke gives R2 the coordinates of the Dagobah system. There's nothing that makes sense before, explaining why Luke wants to finish his training, or how he knows where to go. For further study, compare this to how the story unfolds in A New Hope.

Things don't go well in the second act either. The story forks, and I have the feeling that Mr Lucas didn't know what to do with Han Solo and Leia, and decided to hide them inside the stomach of a giant space eel. Luke in Dagobah scenes don't fare better. Luke is a pilot and is supposed to be top physical form. Why all the physical training? And it contradicts with what Yoda says: luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. Actually the problem is deeper. Jedi training is obviously not well thought of. It may look impressive on paper, with stream of consciousness and the like, but all we see on screen is a guy running with a backpack full of rocks, or trying to levitate things around him.

The film is sort of alright 75 minutes into it, after Yoda moves Luke's X-wing out of the swamp. But not enough to make it more than 4 stars out of 10. Don't forget that some of the things the fans pan in Return of the Jedi and in the prequels are present in TESB some way, though not as pronounced as in the prequels. I have to come back to that but the first act of The Empire Strikes Back is a disaster. I've tried to make objective points anyone could check for themselves, you like this film or not. If you think that TESB is flawless, please think twice.

A worthy second (or 5th??) Star Wars installment, might be the best of the bunch.

[TxMike · 7 October 2004]

My five children were all pre-teens when 'The Empire Strikes Back' came to the theater. While there had been other Sci-Fi movies with a theme of conflict in outer space, the 'Star Wars' trilogy filled our imaginations like no other movies before them. The fantastic, strange worlds were presented almost like we were there too. Aliens sitting around a tavern, enjoying drinks and speaking in all sorts of languages. Nothing before had approached the sheer size of the space ships depicted here, huge cities traveling all over the galaxy. And how about the jump to hyper speed, then disappearing from the screen as the speed exceeds light speed! And the light sabres of the Jedi Knights. The Jedi Knights, a striking parallel to the Japanese Samurai.

It is fruitless trying to argue 'which is best' in a trilogy, because the first one, in this case 'Star Wars', starts it all and has to be the 'father'. However, an argument can be made that 'The Empire Strikes Back' (now on DVD called Episode V) is overall a better-made movie which has more excitement, and grabs your imagination,than the other two original installments (now called parts IV and VI). The DVDs finally came out last month, and they are near perfect, as we should expect from Lucas Films and THX. The bit rate is high, and the picture is nothing short of superb. As is the Dolby EX surround track.

My wife and I watched all three of the movies on DVD this week -- Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi -- compliments of our local public library. It was an appropriate reminder how good these movies are, and still ahead of their time. Nothing else has been made to compare to them.