George Lucas took his sci-fi heroics a step further in this Star Wars sequel. To say it strengthens the series is a severe understatement. Character ties are strengthened, the story widens to become a more epic tale, and there's still plenty of the special effects and action heroics, done perfectly. Easily the least "corny" of the trilogy, it's a near-perfect movie, especially if this is your cup of tea to begin with.
I never believed George Lucas when he said that he had this whole 3-act structure for the Star Wars movies. I think he wrote the first one, had some plot left over, and when he hit the jackpot he wrote quicker than Stephen King on speed. (This is not meant to imply that Mr. Lucas' strong suit is writing. Indeed, it is not.) Here's an example of why: There was definitely some vague romance brewing between Luke and Leia in Star Wars. Why would this Lucas even introduce this if he knew all along that they were siblings?
The Empire Strikes Back is a huge departure from the original, and it's only because it was way back in 1980 that they seem so alike today. Star Wars was similar to an old western or adventure movie. (Actually, it was based on The Hidden Fortress) Empire aspires to be considerably more than just an adventure movie. We are re-introduced to these characters and their actions on a much larger scale. They are rebels, fighting for their freedom. As overused as it may be in movies, it's a solid driving force in the trilogy. I remember being 10 years old when I saw Empire. I don't remember things about all the movies I saw as a kid, but I vividly recall being thrilled to see these characters again, and see where they would go. Of course knowing I had to wait another two or three years made the suffering that much sweeter. It was always there, forgotten for a month or two, but then "Oh yeah, the next Star Wars is only 13 months away!" It's easy to forget about the impact these movies when they were originally released. Not only as moneymakers, but also as cultural events.
For pure cinematic escapism, Empire ranks right up there. The opening battle sequence with mammoth All-Terrain Walkers and cannons and ships is just purely great. There was some talk in post-production that maybe the movie "had the ending at the beginning", as it's arguably the best sequence of the film. Lucas knew by this point where the story was headed, and wanted the more exciting stuff early to grab the audience. It made the bittersweet conclusion of the movie that much more powerful. Introductions to characters like Lando and Yoda were given, and although I love almost all of them, if you weren't a character in the original, you're just pretending. (Yes, of course I like Boba Fett.)
I love Han, Chewie and Luke, Leia and those silly robots. I grew up with them from the time I was five. It's tough to describe how you feel about characters that transcend their movies. Ones you have to wait three years to catch up with. I don't know if the Star Wars franchise can continue this in future installations. It's possible. But even if they don't, I will just be grateful for the three I had when I was a kid.
This is the kind of film that invents movie lovers.
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