Still the greatest Sci-fi movie I have ever seen

Rating: Null/10 (15 August 2003)

I will admit that I have missed the Lord of the Rings trilogy and I will also admit that I fell asleep after 45 minutes of 2001: A Space Odyssey before I turned it off. That being said, this is still (by far) the best sci-fi movie I have ever seen. The slower, more methodical and more pleasing pace that was missing in Star Wars is on full display here and not one second of this movie stinks. From the rugged and thrilling intro on Hoth to the awesome space pursuit of the Milennium Falcon to the wonderous Cloud City and all points in between, Empire has drama and heart that many sci-fi movies tend to lack. Harrison Ford as Han Solo steals the show with an incredibly romantic performance and the other actors get great chances to stretch. The plot is deep but also very wide open at the same time with rest periods that Star Wars lacks. The same gripping intensity from Star Wars is still onhand however. The visuals are beyond stunning and run the gamut. Indeed the movie feels like it lasts years instead of hours. The cosmic drama continues between Luke and Vader while the other characters fill in the rest of the pieces. Yoda is possibly the most beloved character in film history while Darth Vader is one of the most reviled. Incredible and the best in the genre that I have seen. Maybe I'll give 2001 another shot when I'm not so tired.