Probably the finest of all sequels.

Rating: 10/10 (18 December 2017)

The Empire Strikes Back is more than just a sequel to one of the most successful movies ever made; it redefined what a sequel could be. You could take a pre-existing story, expand upon it greatly and STILL make it a well-rounded and debatably self-contained movie. Empire reprises the stars of the original Star Wars movie and makes them all shine; Mark Hamill is great as a self-doubting yet well-meaning hero, Harrison Ford again gives a great take on cinema's most loveable scoundrel Han Solo, and the late Carrie Fisher gives Princess Leia a post-Alien sci-fi feminist makeover in that she's no longer anyone's damsel, but her own strong-hearted woman.
Need I say more as to why The Empire Strikes Back is considered the best sequel ever made? It's become the go-to film when comparing film sequels in general. Though it's become an overused cliche to compare sequels to Empire, it's true. You can't really argue with the best of the best. A story of heroes on the run and the baddies closing in is still great especially when it's a space-opera that explores aspects on human spirituality.
I could go on about why the film's great, why George Lucas made the least changes to this film in The Original Trilogy's Special Editions and why Empire was for a time the most successful independent movie ever made. But why should I? The film speaks for itself. The music, the writing, the direction and the acting all add up to the very best film in the Star Wars saga.
This is a sequel that can easily be recognised, appreciated and seen as its own movie. Though it does help watching this back-to-back with the original. It's something few sequels can be: medium-art.