The best Star Wars episode, but why Mark Hamill?

Rating: 9/10 (9 June 2009)

This film was a part of my childhood. Therefore, it is especially difficult for me to review it.
Most people on IMDb have seen this film and are therefore familiar with the story. Episode V is the darkest in the classic trilogy. I also mean this literally. But most important, this film focus more on Dart Vader, the ruler of the galaxy, than the other films. He is the dark knight slaughtering everyone who gets in his way.
The pace is, like all Lucas films, very fast. That is a good thing. After all, there is no food for thought here. Even an eight year old will not miss any messages hidden between the lines.
Casting has never been Lucas's strong side. Harrison Ford is the big exception here. He fits the role as the rough guy who ended up supporting the good side seemingly by chance. His temper, barefaced lines and selfishness prevents our heroes from appearing dull.
Dart Vader is a symbiosis of David Prowse doing the physical acting and James Earl Jones speaking the lines. I wouldn't call the physical acting difficult, but David does his job. The latter person's deep voice is ideal for the dark knight.
Alec Guiness appears just a couple of minutes in the film. As always his acting is flawless.
The rest of the cast is a mixed bag. Mark Hamill looked like a good choice in episode IV when he was a rookie in the space war business. In episode V he just don't manage to depict the main character as a confident jedi knight.
Carrie Fischer as Princess Leia and Billy Dee Williams as Lando act with no credibility. Jeremy Bulloch depicts the ultra cool bounty hunter Boba Fett nicely, but like Dart Vader it is not the hardest thing to do.
How can I give the film 9 points after these harsh comments? This is sci-fi. Who expects deep meaning, memorable acting or complex drama? Most people are more interested in high production values. Episode V was by 1980 the best produced film ever. To make space ships, lasers, futuristic building structures and numerous creatures look natural is a challenge even today. Star Wars episode V is far beyond Alien, 2001, Star Trek, Close Encounters, etc.
The film won an Academy Award for Best Sound. How does a space ship sound? You'll find the answer in this film.
Last but not least, the sound track is great. Like a Wagner opera each character is given a theme. The effect is fascinating. John Williams won international acclaim with the score and it is the only classical sound track music album which went gold until decades later. With Star Wars John Williams created the template for all sci-fi and fantasy film scores.
All in all: this is good entertainment. But if you except drama look elsewhere.