The installment that all Star Wars movies should be judged by

Rating: Null/10 (26 April 2001)

The original Star Wars was a great movie in it's own right, but the sequel blew that out of the water!! Empire was and still is, so far, the best Star Wars installment to grace our big screens. The plot line was superb and really made for a hell of a ride for us to enjoy. The character development in this movie, from Han to Leia, Luke to Vader, Lando to Han, etc. was perfect. The special effects were taken to a all new level of intensity (the Hoth battle is still one of the best battle sequences ever--real or not). And John Williams' score is phenomenal.

It is very rare for any movie to make this claim, but Empire is one of the few sequels that out shines its predecessor. I think one of the reasons I also like Empire so much is the fact that it gave the Star Wars universe a much more grittier and darker tone. Darth Vader really became one of cinemas greatest bad guys in this. And Boba Fett was quite the bad ass mercenary/bounty hunter.
Another reason I believe Empire is so much more popular and better than the rest of the trilogy is due to the fact it has a very emotional side to it. This gives the viewer a chance to become more closely involved with all the characters. I strongly recommend Empire for anyone that enjoys movies that make you cheer for the good guys, jeer for the bad guys (or cheer, I still love Vader!!) and gives you an overall great movie experience. Empire is definitely a classic of our time.