Sequels this good don't come often...

Rating: 10/10 (3 April 2005)

The original Star Wars was a spectacular movie.When you watch it,you are hooked from beginning to end.Star Wars didn't drag.It is an amazing film to look at too,the aliens,droids,and the fantastic planets.Doing a sequel would not be an easy task.Watching Empire Strikes Back you get the same experience while watching Star Wars,maybe even more so.All though Star Wars is a without a doubt a great film,it had some flaws,mainly in the character development/dialogue areas.Empire Strikes Back soars in these areas.You didn't really know much about Darth Vader in the original Star Wars,except he was a former Jedi who became a Sith lord,and helped start the Galatic Empire.Empire Strikes Back gives him an all new edge,he is eviler,angrier,and obsessed with finding Luke Skywalker.Luke earlier in the film has a vision of Obi-Wan Kenobi,his slain Jedi Master from the original Star Wars,telling him to seek out Yoda on the Dagobah system to complete his Jedi training.Luke does so after Imperial forces drive out the Rebels from their base on the Hoth system.Han Solo has grown more from Star Wars as well.He isn't the tough guy he used to be.He is softer and is falling madly in love with Princess Leia.The character of Han is given much more character development,he is maturing from the Smuggler he once was.He is afraid of being chased around the galaxy by the Empire,and Jabba the Hutt's bounty hunters but he knows he must do what is right.Han,Leia,C-3PO,and Chewie are being chased by The Empire most of the film.Vader knows Luke loves his friends,and that they are his weakness,if he finds them,and tortures them Luke will do his bidding.Luke learns The Force from Yoda on the swamp planet of Dagobah.Yoda is an interesting character.We all know he is a rubber puppet but for most of the time is very life like and you forget about it,because the character works so well.Another benefit of the Yoda character is that we learn much more about the concept of The Force from him,the concept hasn't really been fully explained but you get the basic idea.Luke is getting pesky he wants to become a Jedi and grows tired of Yoda's methods of training.Yoda explains that a Jedi doesn't want excitement,and that they must be patient.He also tells Luke that the Jedi aren't Warriors.Through a vision of the Future,Luke senses what could happen to his friends by Vader's hand.He rushes to save them abandoning his Jedi training.Han meets with Lando Calarissan,an old friend of his,on Bespin for a place to hide.The Empire is there waiting for Han,they turn him over to the Bounty Hunter,Boba Fett.Han is put into Carbon Freeze.Just when you think anything couldn't possibly be worse,Luke arrives to save his friends,falling directly into Vader's trap.Luke arms himself with his lightsaber and challenges Vader to a duel.The Duel in the original was badly done,partially because of Alec Guiness' age at the time.The duel between Vader and Luke is so much better because it is darker and thrilling.The battle lasts very long but eventually Luke is defeated after Vader chops off his fighting hand.And this is when possibly one of the most memorable lines in film history is said.Vader asks Luke if Obi-Wan ever told him what happened to his father,Luke replies in a rageful voice,he told me you killed him,Vader replies No Luke I am your Father.I would have loved to been alive in 1980 to see Empire Strikes Back,and the reaction to that line.
ESB is without a doubt superior to Star Wars.It is darker,scarier,and a lot more is done with the characters.Darth Vader is really just a henchman in the original,here the character is taken to an all new level.A part of me wishes they hadn't done the prequels,with Revenge of the Sith coming out this May,a lot of the mystery and fun behind the character will be gone.It wasn't the Dark Mask that frightened you,it was who was under it,the mystery and suspense of it.Empire Strikes Back is a great film,and even though Star Wars is excellent,Empire Strikes Back is the superior movie.
10/10