Can it get any better?

Rating: 10/10 (24 December 2002)

The Empire Strikes Back, from this point on to be referred to as Empire, is truly the greatest film I have ever seen. Why? I could give many reasons, most of which would have been said before. However, this film really does have a completely different feel to it compared to Episodes IV and VI. People say it's dark, and it is, but there is a lot more to it. There is this transitional feel about the characters and the movie, something which shows how our intrepid heroes are being forced into darkness. Luke Skywalker, is learning about his past and the powers that he has inherited from his estranged father. This also introduces Yoda into the saga. Han Solo and Leia are falling in love, this changes Solo's character from the out and out space cowboy, so to speak, that we know from Episode IV. He has mellowed and found different priorities in his life. This is definitely the middle ground for the development of this character. I never liked what he became in Episode VI, his role in the movie was poor and he had changed a lot from the loveable "rogue" that we saw in Episode IV. Leia's character had changed from a slightly stuck up "princess" in Episode IV to a more "lets get down to it" action character who was not afraid to get stuck in, fix equipment and shoot a blaster. Then we have all the obvious plot developments. Seriously, a great film. For me Harrison Ford, aka Han Solo, is the star of the film. His character was a whiny, annoying kid (like we see from his father in Episodes I and II) in Episode IV but in Empire we see the beginnings of the man he becomes. There is so much about this film, and the characters, that make it No #1! Add all this in and is it any surprise that this is the film where George Lucas didn't write any of the script, or direct it? His only contribution was to write the story. A lot of people would see this and hope that Lucas doesn't direct or write the script for the highly anticipated Episode III. Unfortunately, I'm one of them.