The Sequel That Raised The Bar For Sequels, The Empire Strikes Back Is The Finest Episode Of Star Wars Saga

Rating: Null/10 (20 January 2016)

One of the most celebrated film sequels of all time, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back is the follow-up chapter to George Lucas' revolutionary Star Wars that happens to be both notorious & influential for its much darker ambiance in comparison to the adventurous tone of the original. Regarded by many as the best chapter of the whole saga and memorable for its unforgettable final twist that no one saw coming, The Empire Strikes Back does feature a more involving storyline but thanks to its marred visuals, this was just as difficult to take seriously as its predecessor.
Set three years after the events of A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back continues the story of Luke Skywalker who travels to a desolate planet to study the Force & receive advanced Jedi training from Jedi Master Yoda. Meanwhile, the Galactic Empire makes a vicious comeback against the Rebel Alliance, overpowering & driving the rebel forces from their base. Darth Vader becomes obsessed with finding Luke & pursues his friends in order to capture him. In the end, the decision rests with Luke who can either choose to complete his training or confront the Sith Lord & save his friends.
Directed by Irvin Kershner, who adapts the storyline that was conceived by George Lucas, The Empire Strikes Back brims with a darker, sinister mood that encapsulates the whole picture from the start. Kershner's direction is laudable for he does a brilliant job in putting up a narrative that's just as effective as its predecessor, and then some more. The screenplay steps away from a number of conventions, defies expectations at every corner, and commences the trend of film sequels heading into a darker territory which, even after 35 years, happens to be quite prevalent in the motion picture industry.
Production design team makes sufficient use of its bigger budget to put on screen some more elaborate set pieces. Cinematography makes greater use of its colour palette & precision lighting to capture every event in splendid detail. The visual effects are slightly more refined even if the entire visual encapsulation has deteriorated over the years and looks outdated. Editing is more improved and its 124 minutes of runtime is steadily paced. And last but not the least, John Williams delivers yet another epic, enthralling & pulsating score that feels more evolved than last time and seamlessly integrates into the narrative.
Coming to the performances, The Empire Strikes Back presents Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, David Prowse, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker & others reprising their roles from the previous feature, while new additions include Billy Dee Williams & Frank Oz. The arc of every character continues to develop plus various relationships & conflicts are introduced or established with the actors doing an adequate job with what they're given. Darth Vader once again turns out to be the main highlight and is even more intimidating than before while the rest of the cast exhibit more comfort in their respective roles.
On an overall scale, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back is a successful follow-up chapter that raised the bar for both sequels & its genre at its time of release and remains an important entity of modern pop culture. The absence of any nostalgic attachment to this franchise as well as its dated visuals once again result in an average film experience for me but I did have more fun with this instalment than the one that preceded it. Changing the entire tone of the series & taking its saga to a wholly different level with its unforeseen cliffhanger, The Empire Strikes Back further solidifies the legacy of its franchise, is just as influential as its predecessor, and is still capable of surprising the newcomers.