Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter

Rating: 10/10 (7 August 2014)

Why is The Empire Strikes Back (1980) such a beloved movie? Star Wars (1977) is more fun, but Empire marks the point where the story gained more emotional depth and the matinÃ©e serial black-and-white morality of the original becomes less defined.
Howard Hawks once said a great movie has a few great scenes and no bad ones. If that is the case, then Empire is without doubt a great film, as one cannot find a bad scene in the bunch. As for great scenes, just take your pick: the battle on Hoth, Luke's training in Dagobah, the X-wing rising from the swampy muck, Lando's reluctant betrayal, Han and Leia's poignant farewell in the carbon chamber.
Undoubtedly, the most iconic moment in this film is the climactic confrontation between Luke and Darth Vader, when our hero discovers his much-idealized father is a fallen Jedi who has lost much of his conscience and humanity. Though Luke's reaction to this reveal is often mocked and even I cannot help but chuckle sometimes, I think it's entirely appropriate. Hamill's big "noooo" is not forced or phony; the way his face contorts and his voice cracks makes it feel raw and heartbreaking.
This is one of few films that gets better every time you watch it. It also makes me keenly aware how the series declined in quality afterward (Return of the Jedi is okay, but it feels a bit too derivative of the first and a bit too juvenile for an epic conclusion). Out of all the SW films, this one is the closest to perfection.