A Return to Innocence

Rating: 10/10 (18 March 2008)

Hoth. Yoda. Cloud City. That moment when you realize family really does matter  priceless.
Individually these words represent small facets of pop culture, making whatever the question is in Trivial Pursuit obviously "Star Wars", but when you put them together, in this order, the words "Empire Strikes Back" will inevitably fall from your mouth. The second chapter (or fifth, however you count them) in Lucas' grandiose space opera involves a frozen planet, a little green man, the force, family, and eventually a good old fashioned hand losing. (Should I have put Billy Dee Williams somewhere in there?) A personal favorite among the original three, I grapple with words because what can be said about this film that hasn't already been said dozens, even hundreds of times. This is a staple to my youth, a film series that I have seen over and over in no particular order. For this viewing, I went with the classic Laserdisc edition which reminded me that no amount of special effect could change the heart of the story. What can be said? What should be said? In Skywalker's famous words to Yoda, "I can give it a try"  we all know, by heart, what will follow next.
"The Empire Strikes Back" is the strongest chapter in the original trilogy for three reasons. The first is that we have three subsequent chapters, each dealing with a different world, in a different galaxy far, far away. Lucas, in my eyes, has expanded his opera into more than just a desert planet, or a wooded terrain, or on a star that causes death; he grew and blossomed with this film. As audience members, we believe in each of the settings, we understand how cold it is on Hoth, we can feel the moisture on Degoba planet, and our fear of heights is prevalent in Cloud City. Lucas defines, travels, and leaves out no detail as he escapes with us through this expanding universe. Moving onto a second note, this is a darker chapter. Without repeating what so many others have said before, Lucas challenges us to escape from scene after scene of battle (albeit he does put a small dusting in) and listen to the words that his characters are telling us. He places small Easter eggs throughout that still gives us goose bumps as we watch (and understand), he hints towards the final chapter, but without really giving us the entire sandwich, just a sample. This smattering of the unknown, the final scenes where Vader reveals his journal's secret to Luke, the iconic nature of the slicing of the hand, all of this matches against any battle scene any science fiction director could create. Lucas has always been criticized for his lack of character development in his six-part series, and with Jar-Jar I can understand, but he had hit his stride with what he wanted from his leads. I could see the spark between Leia and Han, the love between Chewie and C3PO, and Yoda's Oz like abilities when he explains to Luke that the force lives in nature. Lucas is telling us, giving us the chance to see that the final battle will be a line up between Nature and Machine  get ready Ewoks. Finally, this film is the strongest because it is a victorious battle for the dark side of the force. Very rarely do movie audiences walk out of a theater and feel as if hope has been crushed on the curb. Each time I view this film, I get this child-like sensation that maybe, just maybe, Vader and the Emperor will crush this little Rebel Alliance in the final chapter and reign supreme forever. "Empire Strikes Back" gives you that sense of possible dark side victory, with the call of the bounty hunters, the frozen carbonate, and the loss of Skywalker's ambidextrous abilities. Think of it this way, was the Dark Side really that evil, or did they just wear black and pursue those that were unwilling to follow the law? Goth British police officers?
In all honesty, "Empire Strikes Back" could be re-watched at this moment. There are less big fight sequences than in "Return of the Jedi", and there are less moments of confusion and droid humor, "Empire" stands on its own because it remains an elusive, dark chapter. Our leads, those that we have given our hopes, hearts, and dreams to, have all been fooled, tricked, or captured, and it feels confined (like it is only the Millennium Falcon vs. an entire armada of Star Destroyers) in this middle chapter. You leave the theater wondering about that infamous "Who shot J.R.?" moment, and a desire to see the Force be victorious. To me, this middle chapter gave the Dark Side of the Force an equal opportunity to make a case for itself; "Star Wars" is an equal opportunity employer.
Obviously, I loved this film. It has been a staple, like so many others, in my youth for years and further into my adulthood. I love these characters, these worlds, the unknown, and especially Lucas' vision. Despite the criticism of the "new" chapters, we will always have the original to go back to in any shape or form.
Without sounding repetitive, watch this series. Introduce your children to this world(s), and allow them to grow up with the largest space opera created. Spark their imagination, and you will not be disappointed.
Grade: ***** out of *****