Superior sequel to STAR WARS

Rating: Null/10 (15 October 2003)

In EMPIRE, the Rebels have been forced to abandon their jungle base and settle on a cold, icy world, but the Empire is not far behind. After an evacuation which features an exciting battle scene, Luke(Mark Hammil)seeks out the advice of another exiled Jedi Master, Yoda(Frank Oz), while Han(Harrison Ford), Leia(Carrie Fisher), Chewbacca(Peter Mayhew) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) attempt to evade the Empire, eventually crossing paths with the suave entrepeneur Lando Calrissian. The film is probably the darkest in the series, with more muted colors than the other four, a more wet and muddy look and a somewhat depressing ending. The music by John Williams is among his best scores, with the Imperial March/Darth Vader's theme and the Han Solo and Princess Leia love theme, in addition to an adventurous asteroid chase fanfare. The acting is an improvement over WARS with Mark Hammil taking his role more seriously and Ford rising to movie star status, something he would attain one year later in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. EMPIRE is a Sci-fi/Fantasy classic. Even if you're not a big fan of STAR WARS, it's worth checking out anyway.