This excellent follow up to Star Wars is an altogether darker film, yet The Empire Strikes Back is still filled with the fun sci-fi adventure and classic riffs on the eternal confrontation between good and evil that made the first movie such an engrossing watch.
This Irvin Kershner directed sequel follows young Jedi prodigy Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) as he is taught the ways of The Force by Jedi master Yoda. Meanwhile, Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Leia (Carrie Fisher), and their ragtag crew of rebels are hounded by the merciless Darth Vader and his evil Empire.
The impact that The Empire Strikes Back had on pop culture was monumental and still reverberates to this day. The introduction of new characters in Yoda, the bounty hunter Boba Fett, and friend turned traitor Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) kept this space saga moving into the directions deep and unexpected, including the twist of all twists near the films conclusion.
Just as important is the incredible craftsmanship on display, with visual effects house ILM taking big bold steps in VFX filmmaking and influencing a generation of filmmakers to take their imaginations to places never dared before. Charismatic performances from Mark Hammill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher provide a rich human element to all the sci-fi world building.
That the film ends on such a shocking downer does not take away The Empire Strikes Back standing as one of the most celebrated and loved sci-fi adventure stories of all time. In fact it is to the contrary, with The Empire Strikes Back setting the tone for the “darker is better” approach to movie sequels, giving further credence to the impact and influence of this important chapter in a sprawling sci-fi space saga.
