The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Rating: 10/10 (9 December 2019)

Directed by Irvin Kershner. Starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Frank Oz, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, Julian Glover, Kenneth Colley, Alec Guinness, (voice) James Earl Jones. (PG)
Tremendous continuation of the Star Wars saga follows split storylines, with the Galactic Empire pursuing Ford, Fisher and company across the galaxy while Hamill visits the wizened Yoda (Oz) to begin his Jedi training. Superior to the already-terrific original in almost every way--darker, deeper, more involving and thought-provoking, with the sharpest dialogue and most satisfying performances from all three leads in the entire series. Any gripes about "middle chapter syndrome" or the absence of the purity and innocence that enriched the first chapter are nullified by the majestic scope, broadening its initial mythic clarity into the realm of operatic mystery. Which isn't to say that it's not also a lot of fun, with an exciting battle on the ice planet of Hoth, Yoda's impish humor (that's sadly absent in the other chapters), a blossoming romance between Han and Leia, John Williams' "The Imperial March" composition (from then on out, audio shorthand to announce any evil regime), scary creatures and imaginative new worlds, not to mention the infamous revelation at the end of an epic lightsaber duel. Hands down the best that "Star Wars" has to offer, unlikely to ever be matched or topped no matter how long the cinematic universe keeps rattling on.
96/100