The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Release : 1980-01-01 Runtime : 124 min. Genre : Adventure, Action, Science Fiction Production : Lucasfilm, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation Cast : Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, David Prowse, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, James Earl Jones, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Alec Guinness, Jeremy Bulloch, John Hollis, Jack Purvis, Des Webb, Clive Revill, Julian Glover, Kenneth Colley, John Ratzenberger, Michael Sheard, Michael Culver, John Dicks, Milton Johns, Mark Jones, Oliver Maguire, Robin Scobey, Bruce Boa, Christopher Malcolm, Denis Lawson, Ian Liston, John Morton, Richard Oldfield, Jack McKenzie, Jerry Harte, Norman Chancer, Norwich Duff, Ray Hassett, Brigitte Kahn, Burnell Tucker, Bob Anderson, Lightning Bear, Richard Bonehill, John Cannon, Mark Capri, Martin Dew, Peter Diamond, Stuart Fell, Doug Robinson, Tony Smart, Alan Harris, Tiffany L. Kurtz, Mac McDonald, Ralph McQuarrie, Ralph Morse, Terry Richards, Michael Santiago, Treat Williams, Jason Wingreen, Shaun Curry Crew : Irvin Kershner, Gary Kurtz, Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan, John Williams, Brian Johnson, George Lucas, George Lucas, Bob Edmiston, Irene Lamb, Terry Liebling, Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley, Harry Lange, Alan Tomkins, Michael Ford, John Mollo, Paul Hirsch, George Lucas, Marcia Lucas, Peter Suschitzky, Robert Watts, Jim Bloom, Bob Anderson, Lightning Bear, Peter Diamond, Stuart Fell, Doug Robinson, Tony Smart, Alan Harris, Ralph McQuarrie, Terry Richards, Howard G. Kazanjian, Nick Maley, Patricia Carr, Bruce Sharman, Gary Kurtz, Terry Pritchard, Tiny Nicholls, Herbert W. Spencer, David Tomblin, Steve Lanning, Paul Huston, Richard Edlund, David H. Watkins, Bonnie Koehler Vote Average: 8 Count: 3869 Overview : 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. Keyword : rebel, asteroid, space battle, snow storm, space colony, spaceship, jedi, rebellion, space opera

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Review

I saw "The Empire Strikes Back" first when it came out in the Special Edition. I didn't expect to like it, so you can imagine my surprise. The entire film blew me away. I was amazed by the emotional impact. Princess Leia became a role model, Han Solo became an object of lust. I knew before seeing it, I wanted a career in movies, but this one helped me make up my mind for certain. I used to have over 10 different favorite movies, including West Side Story and Rebel Without A Cause, but I found that Empire left me breathless every time. In my opinion, The Empire Strikes Back is the best cinematic experience in history, and will remain the best.

Even better than the first one, this movie is fun! Better special effects and bigger adventures and to top it all: the mother of all soap opera plots!(And I bet EVERYONE knows what I'm talking about) Unlike the first movie, this one is not a stand-alone movie and it connects directly to the third (or should I say sixth?) and final part. You still get the feeling of a complete story and it's f-u-n. Lucas is a genius. Great characters, great worlds of wonder... Wow. Oh, and make sure you watch the special edition! Just buy the special edition trilogy. I agree I really enjoy the Empire Strikes Back. Out of all the 4 Star Wars films I think that it is the second best of the lot. what annoys me is how unanimously most reviewers automatically point out that Return of the Jedi is the worst of the series.

(Many even say that the childish film, TPM is better than ROTJ???!!huh???!!!!!!) To be quite frank, WHY? After reading surprising reviews from critics and fans alike I feel like it is necessary to point out why ROTJ is better than ESB:

1. First of all, except for the "I am your father" it was not as emotional and sentimental as Return of the Jedi. Sure the "I am your father" statement was a surprise, but I get tears in my eyes when Luke reveals to his sister the truth about how they are siblings. But even that pales compared to the last 40 minutes of the movie which is an extremely dark confrontation between Luke/Darth Vader/Palpatine. Darth Vader's final redemption is just the most touching/meaningful scene out of all the Star Wars movies. And the "I am your father" statement just does not have as much sting as "Father... Father I will not leave you.." and then Anakin dies.. or even "You have failed your highness, I am a Jedi like my father before me."
2. Has anyone ever thought how silly it was for Luke to learn how to become a near Jedi after one afternoon and nearly defeat Vader? Come on, he did not even know how to handle a lightsaber before he met Yoda.. All of a sudden he is doing all those impressive flips and swashbuckling moves? Give me a break. Or how about knowing how to use the force to get to Bespin? How? A Jedi that can barely use the force to lift pebbles. Hello?
3. This movie was slower paced. I must agree that some of the sequences in the asteroid belt seemed to drag at times. Jedi, (the longest of the three) on the other hand gripped you for all its 133 minutes. 
4. Where is the big space battle? I like to see spaceships getting blown up... Is this "Star Wars" or "Star Trek"? On the other hand, the Space Battle in ROTJ is widely considered The Greatest Space Battle Ever Filmed.
5. The Battle of Endor was great because it was ironic and unexpected. Everyone says how much they hate the Ewoks but the charming thing about this battle was that the Imperials were supposed to win since Palpatine had foreseen it. I was in turmoil after the line--"Your friends over there on the Endor moon are walking into a trap.. It (the shield generator) is quite safe from your pitiful band...An entire legion of my best troops await them.. Oh! I think that the shield generator will be quite operational when your friends arrive.." After this I thought how could the rebels possibly win when the Empire had the upper hand. When the Ewoks came and surprised everyone I was breathtaken! I always get emotional when I see the underdogs take on a much more powerful foe!

Empire Strikes Back is a great movie in its own right But.. Special kudos goes to the greatest film in cinematic history-- Episode 6:Return of the Jedi. When I first saw this movie as youngster, I thought it was good, but i was into the Action Packed Star Wars and Return of the Jedi better, but now i have a different outlook of it. Now it my fav of the series and probably of all movies. It has deep meaning to it. The scenes with the all-knowing Yoda and Luke. There also were some good action sequences on Hoth, the Icy planet. But the duel between Vader and Skywalker is one of the best sword fights EVER! If there is anyone out there who is reading this and hasn't seen this movie or Starwars, then see them all NOW. As a matter of fact, u can probably bye them for a cheap price as a set at your local Best Buy or where ever.

The Empire Strikes Back is just a notch down from A New Hope, but still an excellent film in the trilogy. After the Death Star was destroyed, the Rebellion was chased from their secret base and relocated to a bunch of different planets over three years, until they're finally settled down on the ice planet of Hoth. Darth Vader, obsessed with finding Luke Skywalker has sent probe droids across the galaxy in order to find him and his friends. This film is very action packed, ranging from the AT-AT battle to the chase in the asteroid field. The acting is quite better than the first go around, especially from Mark Hamill, and the love scenes between Han and Leia are excellent. Darth Vader is at his most evil in this film, choking people to death who fail him. His lightsaber duel with Luke at the end is ten times better than between him and Obi Wan in the original and the point where Darth tells Luke who he REALLY is is shocking, even when you know what happens. To sum it up: The Rebellion is defeated, Luke abandons his training, Han is captured and taken to Jabba The Hutt and Luke gains a daddy and loses a hand. Excellent film in the series.