Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

A stunning successor, a tense and pictorially dazzling science-fiction chase melodrama that sustains two hours of elaborate adventure while sneaking up on you emotionally.

A technological triumph. [19 May 1980]

The balance between action and mysticism in The Empire Strikes Back provides fascinating energy. It's as if the kids are given one set of delights, the bravado of battles and elaborate warships zooming through exotic space, and adults are given another, a layered explanation of what it all means in the grand scheme of things. [Special Edition]

While Empire doesn't quite measure up to Star Wars in the freshness and originality of its script, and the plethora of space operas that has been jamming the screens ever since Star Wars has somewhat lessened the novelty of city-sized ships sailing the stratosphere, nevertheless this 20th Century-Fox release remains a rattling good entertainment, a worthy successor to the original — and far and away the best of its kind since Star Wars itself.

In many ways the new film is a better film than Star Wars, visually more exciting, more artful and meticulous in detail. As a special effects wizard, Lucas fairly dazzles the eye with his optical magic.

The total effect is fast and attractive and occasionally amusing. Like a good hot dog, that's something of an achievement in a field where unpalatable junk is the rule.

Mainly it's marking time: the characters take a definite backseat to the special effects, and much of the action seems gratuitous, leading nowhere.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

While its predecessor laid the groundwork for character development in a fantastical world of unknown planets and creatures, this story focuses more on the determination and execution of power. The music is thematic to each character or circumstance which proves to create a specific tone depending on the characters that are seen on screen, and though risk is amplified and deception is introduced to further texturize the unique Skywalker story, the aggressive use of dated special effects creates a distraction more so than an escape. Where "A New Hope" stands strongly as a solo film, "The Empire Strikes Back" is distinctly positioned as a bridge between the introduction and conclusion of this three-part saga which provides an array of moving parts with nearly no resolution. The film is incredibly exciting because of the amount of turbulence these characters face collectively and individually, but without the technology or staging process to propel audiences deep into the **** of space (which is where most of this film takes place) an argument could be made that this vision was truly ahead of its time. A reputable expansion of the events from the first film that simultaneously withholds the expansion of these characters and everything that made them interesting to begin with.

Si tengo en cuenta lo que me divierte verla diría que es la mejor de las originales, pero siendo realista el timing de gran parte del film es un problema muy grave siendo de las originales 6 películas la que tiene este particular problema mas marcado. Mientras luke se encuentra entrenando en lo que parecen ser días o semanas (quizás más) han se encuentra escapando de una nave imperial por, como mucho, horas.

The movie is not the worst, it is actually recorded and Filmed well, however, irnos very unrealistic and the movie becomes boring when the battles start as there are many and really fake.

This is my least favorite Star Wars movie. I don't know why this considered to be the best Star Wars movie out of all of them and bashing the other Star Wars movies negatively? I really think of the issues that I have with this film is: I really think Irvin Kershner should have fix some stuff that could have been might improve it to be better such as have a scene where Stormtroopers shooting citizens at Cloud City that makes them more threatening, the asteroid scene pacing needs to be better, needs space battles, Luke and Darth Vader fight scene needs to be better, I think Darth Vader should done a dog fight with Han Solo in space instead of being chased down by Tie Fighters, I wished Luke's partner needs more screen time and development for Luke for the Battle of Hoth, have Boba Fett shoot someone, I think maybe have a scene of Yoda mentioned about what happened during at the Jedi Order and his mother to Luke, I think the Wampa scene should have Luke not harm it like Mark Hamill wanted, and maybe have the other Bounty Hunters have more screen time as well.