An epic continuation of the Star Wars saga

Rating: 8/10 (22 June 2005)

The first time I watched STAR WARS, the immortal words "Episode IV: A New Hope" were not there on the screen. I cannot recall when it was that I first saw those words and realized that STAR WARS was but one chapter of a much larger whole.
When STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK came out, my father and I went to the theater and watched in awe as that next chapter unfolded. The plot twists were shocking at times (although in today's world, rather cliché -- but they were not cliché _then_) and at other times, goofy.
The dialog was just as I remembered STAR WARS -- stilted, canned, and corny (witness the dialog between Han Solo and the Princess if you want to know what I mean). But let's face it -- you do not watch STAR WARS because of the dialog. You watch it in the same vein as reading old epic tales of Greek Gods and Heros -- for the things they are doing, not the things they are saying.
Overall, this is either the best, or second best of the six STAR WARS films. Well worth watching.