One of the best sequels ever!

Rating: 10/10 (17 April 2010)

The first Star Wars film was released it was a massive success audience were craving for more. George Lucas promised more and when The Empire Strikes Back was released in 1980, it was not just a film release, it was an event. Despite fears that a sequel would never be as good as the original and the film technically under-performance this is one of the few sequels that was better then the original.
Despite the Rebel Alliance destroying the Death Star and the universe now safe from the ultimate weapon the Empire had gone on the offensive against the rebels, hounding them out of the bases. They are led by Darth Vader (David Prowse/James Earl Jones), the most fearsome commander for the Empire. On the ice planet Hoth, the Rebels have to fled when the Empire's forces attack. Within the Rebel camp Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamall) receives a message from Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi (Alec Guinness) from beyond the grave to go to the planet Dagobah and learn the ways of the Jedi from a powerful master Yoda (Frank Oz). His friends Hans Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) and 3CPO (Anthony Daniels) have to escape Hoth and end up being chased by Darth Vader. They set out for safety to the Cloud City led by Hans' friend Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams). Vader himself becomes obsessed about finding the Millennium Falcon, and Luke who becomes a major threat to the Empire.
Lucas did the smartest thing he could with this sequel, he took more of a back sit. It is known that he is not the best screenwriter and director in the world, but is he a great producer and ideas man. He came up with the basic story idea and wrote some of the key scenes, but it was Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan who wrote most of the screenplay and Irvin Kershner was brought in to direct. This team made a brilliant sequel expanding on the ideas of the original ideas of the film, from the mystical powers of the Jedi to the multiple worlds and creatures that are created to how the Empire function, which was a cross between the Roman Empire and Nazi Germany. Brackett and Kasdan with Kershner's direction were able to interweave multiple story lines in a space set epic. Like the original the Empire Strikes Back was able to use many sci-fi ideas into the film, multiple alien races, psychic powers, grant designs of futuristic weapons and warfare and a setting crossing fighting a dictatorship and general lawlessness. Kershner was able to make a atmospheric film which a darker in tone, particularly in the third act. He shot some of the best action sequences in the whole series, like the battle of Hoth, and the fight between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader was not just an excellent fight but also brooding experience, filled with tension and is one of the best sequences in film history. As well as it being the best Star Wars film it is also Kershner best film by a long way. Despite the darker tone Kershner was still able to lighten the film enough and allow the audience to relax with some well timed humour.
The characters are developed even further. Darth Vader is even more menacing then he was in the first film with a dark ambition and secret, making him one of the best screen villains ever. He oozes a dark charisma and he is as ruthless as Hitler, Stalin and Mao when it came to military command and tactics. The relationship between Leia and Hans Solo also improves, from hating each other to discovering their true feelings. Luke too grows from a competent commander to a man who has to discovery his destiny, but also prone to his emotions, when he needed to master them. Billy Dee Williams is an excellent addition to the series and his character represent a moral dualities that inflecting the world they live in. They is good acting all round, with James Earl Jones and Harrison Ford being of the most worthy note.
A must see for film fans everywhere.