The moment you have all been waiting for: The #1 movie in the ‘Star Wars’ saga…
Coming off of one of the biggest blockbusters of all time (the film we refer to now as A New Hope), George Lucas was given clairvoyance to produce two more ‘Star Wars’ movies in order to round out a trilogy. But skepticism quickly arose amongst the general public. How in the world were they going to make another ‘Star Wars’ movie that was better than the original? Up to that point in time, sequels were very uncommon, and the few sequels that did exist were simply rehashes of their preceding films. People expected much of the same when The Empire Strikes Back was set to hit theaters. After all, there was no way George Lucas could catch lightning in a bottle twice, right? Little did they know they were about to behold one of sci-fi’s greatest films and one of history’s greatest films, period. Let’s get into it.
Story: 10
This story is so excellent because it adopts the structure of a conventional play. George Lucas and co. treated this movie as if it was the second act of a three-act drama, which is the part of the story where all of the characters face hardship and conflict. This plot puts our established heroes to the test and they, ultimately, fail, but it plays off in a way that is enjoyable and enthralling to watch. It was considered so innovative at the time because it was very rare to see heroes lose, but the writers were simply going back to the roots of traditional theater. What was legitimately innovative was the fact that the writers separated the characters in the story. The main trio splits up after the opening battle on Hoth; Luke heads to train with Yoda on Dagobah while Han and Leia try to escape the Empire. Both of these subplots are highly entertaining, and it’s this separation that fuels the entire plot. Han and Leia’s budding romance, Lando’s arrival, Luke’s longing to save his friends–it all traces back to the story decision of keeping the main characters apart from one another. It was a bold choice, but it certainly pays off, as it produces the plot with arguably the most depth in ‘Star Wars’.
Characters: 10
The characters are phenomenal in this film because, again, they are put to the test. It’s so captivating to see them struggle, as opposed to seeing them lightheartedly save the galaxy again. They grow so much throughout the course of the film, and a result of this, every character shines. Episode V Luke Skywalker is the best version of Luke Skywalker. Episode V Leia is the best version of Leia. And Episode V Han Solo is the best version of Han Solo. When you look outside of the Big Three, there are a number of other characters who stand out. Lando Calrissian, as mentioned above, is such a rich character because you have no idea where his allegiance lies; he’s a wild card. Yoda, even though he is just a puppet, brings such a wise undertone to the film and produces some of the best moments of the movie. Lastly, Darth Vader is just flat-out awesome in this movie. In A New Hope, he was essentially a henchman to Grand Moff Tarkin. Later in Return of the Jedi, he’s subdued to being a henchman for the Emperor. But in The Empire Strikes Back, he has no leash on him, whatsoever. He is in control and he shows no mercy. When people say Darth Vader is one of the most menacing villains in all of cinema, they say it because of his role in Episode V.
Locations: 10
Before The Last Jedi was released, this was my favorite array of planets in a ‘Star Wars’ movie. Hoth is just so cool, as it provides us with a sharp-looking Rebel base and a battlefield suited for one of the best showdowns of the saga. Dagobah is an intriguing planet due to its mystery and suspense. And Cloud City is unique because it’s the first time we see a metropolitan area in ‘Star Wars’. All worlds are very visually-appealing, and all worlds are iconic within the ‘Star Wars’ universe.
Humor: 9
This movie is genius because it finds the perfect balance between drama and comedy. This is a very dark film at its core, but it has the most laughs out of any of the original ‘Star Wars’ movies. And these jokes are so well-written and so well-integrated into the story. What makes them work as well as they do is the fact that they derive solely from the characters. The writers use the chemistry established between these characters in A New Hope to their advantage, as they put the characters in comedic situations where they need to play off of each other. This scene where Luke recovers in his medical chamber is a perfect example of that.
Score: 10
A New Hope would not have been successful if it weren’t for the work of John Williams. His score for that movie was so legendary, but it is even better in this film. Williams builds off of the great themes he established in the prior installment, while bringing several new and beloved themes into the mix. “Yoda’s Theme” perfectly represents the wise and spiritual nature of the old Jedi master. “Han Solo and the Princess” marks the first love theme in all of ‘Star Wars’ and it is enchanting. But the most incredible piece of music in this film is undoubtedly “The Imperial March”. It’s arguably the most iconic riff of the franchise, and it emits the terror and might that are associated with the Empire in this movie. It’s a work of art.
Pacing: 10
It’s a perfectly-paced film. Every event in the story flows smoothly into the next; the transitions are so well done. On top of that, the parts that should feel fast-paced (like the action sequences) are fast-paced. The more dramatic scenes that should be slower-paced are slower-paced. Each scene is appropriate for the movie and each scene builds off of each other.
Dialogue: 10
This is the best script in all of ‘Star Wars’. The interactions between each character is so on point. And the most iconic scenes in this movie are not memorable because of insane special effects or cool action sequences; the most iconic scenes in this movie are memorable because of the words spoken. Arguably the best dialogue in the film comes from Yoda, whose lines are so well-thought out and meaningful to the story. Here is just one example of what I’m talking about.
Action: 9
The Battle of Hoth is epic. The Asteroid Field sequence is incredible. Luke vs. Vader is, in my opinion, the best lightsaber duel in the original trilogy. Is there more action in other ‘Star Wars’ movies? Of course. But I’ve always been one to take quality over quantity, and the quality of these action scenes makes this movie one of the best in the action category. Not to mention, the advancement in special effects since the time of A New Hope is noticeable, and it elevates the intensity of these sequences to a significant degree.
Cinematography: 9
There’s nothing super special about the cinematography in this film, but I think that’s why I like it so much. The characters are the most important part of this film, and director Irvin Kershner does a great job of letting them take center stage. He doesn’t do anything to distract the audience from the characters and their struggles; he is just so intent on capturing each character’s journey. Don’t get me wrong, though, there are still plenty of beautiful shots in the film.
Moments: 10
This movie scores a perfect 10 in the moments category because every single scene could be considered a good ‘Star Wars’ moment. Not to mention, this movie contains one of the best scenes in cinematic history. I just can’t say enough about how groundbreaking this movie is. I love it so much and it 100% deserves to be the top movie on this list.
Overall Score: 97