Review: The Empire Strikes Back

Directed by: Irvin Kershner

Produced by: Gary Kurtz

Screenplay by: Leigh Brackett & Lawrence Kasdan
Story by: George Lucas

Executive Producer: George Lucas

Cinematography by: Peter Suschitzky

Production Designed by: Norman Reynolds

Edited by: Paul Hirsch, George Lucas & Marcia Lucas

Costumes by: John Mollo

Music by: John Williams

Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Alec Guinness & James Earl Jones

1980 / 124min / Rated PG (for Sci-Fi Action Violence)

Summary
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

Despite the destruction of the Death Star, the Empire has the Rebel Alliance on the run as Darth Vader hunts down young Luke Skywalker. Continuing the path set for him by Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke finds Jedi Master Yoda who begins instructing him in the ways of Force so that he can become a Jedi. Meanwhile, Han Solo and Princess Leia try to outwit the Empire as Darth Vader hopes to capture them in an attempt to lure Luke to him so that he can lure him to the Dark Side of the Force.

Background
Following the incredible and unexpected success of Star Wars, George Lucas set out to continue his space saga. Having negotiated ownership of any sequels in his deal with 20th Century Fox, Lucas had full control of the series. As a result, Lucas did what most producers don't do; he personally funded the entire budget of The Empire Strikes Back.

Due to his role of having to juggle multiple production aspects, Lucas chose not to direct the Star Wars seque, approaching his former-college professor Irwin Kershner to direct instead. Kershner initially refused, feeling that no sequel could come close to being as good as the original. It was Kershner's agent who convinced him to accept.

Lucas met the screenwriter Leigh Brackett to turn his handwritten treatment into a screenplay. Lucas was unhappy with Brackett's first draft but she died from cancer before they could make revisions. Lucas reworked the script himself, adding the surprising revelation of Darth Vader's identity and deciding that it was "Episode V", not "Episode II" as he fleshed out the saga's backstory. Working with Kershner, writer Lawrence Kasdan wrote subsequent drafts and approached the sequel as a darker, more adult-theme story, stepping away from the light adventure of the original film.

Review
The best decision that Lucas and company made while making The Empire Strikes Back was to not fall into the trap of many sequels which is to try to copy the original film. Instead, Empire charts it's own storytelling path with a darker, more engrossing story that steps out of its predecessor's shadow. On it's own Star Wars is a fun, light-hearted Science-Fiction adventure. But it's The Empire Strikes Back that transforms the series into a sprawling space opera packed with power and emotion.

Instead of attempting to duplicate Star Wars, Empire instead builds upon the story established by it's predecessor and goes deeper into both the mythology and the characters themselves. Each of the characters is pushed to grow and developer beyond where they are at the start of the movie, something that is essential when telling an ongoing saga. Here, it's done in a way that's both natural and quite engrossing.

The story splits into three parts, with none being given greater dominance over the others. It's difficult to say which plot is the A-story and which is the B-story, as Kershner's direction of Brackett and Kasdan's script finds excellent balance in the three stories, seamlessly interweaving them together until they all come together in The Empire Strikes Back's powerful finale. Such an approach risks each storyline starting and stopping and never gaining momentum, but that's not the case here thanks largely to Kershner's sure-handed direction.

Luke's storyline finds him delving not only into the powers of the Force and his own training to become a Jedi, but forces him to examine who he is and the way that he has lived his life. The introduction of Yoda is superbly handled. The detail of the character's appearance is so masterful and his characteristics so engaging (thanks largely to a vocal performance by Frank Oz) that it's easy to forget that the character is merely a puppet. Mark Hamill's performance is spot on as he not only conveys Luke's growth and inner-conflict but does so against a puppet. The exploration of the Force and it's powers is well-handled and adds to the mysticism that was only touched upon in Star Wars. Indeed, Luke's storyline forms the heart and soul of the picture.

The storyline following Han and Leia as they're pursued by the Empire is equally great, packed with action in addition to character depth. The interaction between Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher is natural, continuing on from the wonderful chemistry they displayed in Star Wars. The romance that gradually develops between them is quite believable, given a strong dose of tragedy and heartache in the film's ultimate climax. The bickering and exchanges between Han and Leia (and also Threepio) is witty and fun, especially as the Millennium Falcon rattles around them in action sequences that don't miss a beat, providing plenty of thrills and visual treats while always keeping the focus on the characters.

The introduction of Billy Dee Williams's Lando Calrissian comes late in the film but works very well, especially considering it's importance in the overall plot. Williams does a formidable job of conveying Lando's conflict as he tries to protect his friends while also having to work with Vader. Despite the character's decisions, Williams makes Lando a likable and welcome addition to the series.

The third storyline is that of Darth Vader as he pursues Han and Leia with the ultimate goal of capturing Luke. Vader is given a much larger and more menacing role than in the original film. James Earl Jones's voice work is superb while David Prowse always conveys the appropriate amount of intimidation in every scene. The Empire Strikes Back belongs to Darth Vader and it's due to this movie that he has become such an iconic villain.

The convergence of the three storylines is well done for a finale that is pulse-pounding and leaves you on the edge of your seat. The action is steps above that of Star Wars, likely because the emotional investment in this movie also takes a step up. The lightsaber duel between Luke and Vader is gripping and a pleasure to watch, culminating in one of the most iconic moments in movie history. Even after growing up with these movies, having seen them countless times, Vader's shocking revelation is just as powerful as it was the first time I saw this movie.

I've heard some say that they have issue with the lack of resolution at the end of Empire. I can understand that problem as it's one often faced by movies that fall in the middle of a trilogy. Yet, I find The Empire Strikes Back so fun and engrossing that I find the lack of resolution only adds to it. You're left wanting more and that's always a good feeling.

John Williams returns with the London Symphony Orchestra to deliver another powerhouse of a score that features larger-than-life themes that expand upon his work for Star Wars. His theme for Darth Vader is unforgettable, while his Yoda theme is touching and delicate. Meanwhile, the often-overlooked love theme for Han and Leia is sweeping and powerful and one of my favorite themes from the franchise. The score for Star Wars is a classic and sets a high standard for all movie scores to strive for, but I believe that Williams's score for The Empire Strikes Back is a superior work because he builds upon what he has done before.

It's a tribute to George Lucas and his team for The Empire Strikes Back that they put together such a timeless movie that managed the seemingly impossible; made a sequel that is superior to the original. Every aspect is greatly improved. The visual effects are excellent, with the chase through the asteroid field especially incredible to watch. The acting and the writing are also improved, something that's hard to do considering the quality of Star Wars. The dialogue is greatly improved upon, thanks largely to Lucas taking a step back on the later-script work and letting others hand that aspect of the writing. The performances grow yet are always packed with drive and energy, maintaining the same sense of adventure from the first film. Everyone here is at the top of their game.

It's been a long time since I first watched The Empire Strikes Back and to this day I can't get enough of it. It exceeds it's predecessor in every regard, no difficult feat considering how strong a movie the original Star Wars is. It's not only my favorite of the entire sage, but one of my all-time favorite movies.

Writing
Story: 5 / 5
Plot: 10 / 10
Dialogue: 5 / 5

Characters
Characterization: 10 / 10
Development: 10 / 10
Acting: 20 / 20

Entertainment
Pacing: 5 / 5
Tone: 5 / 5
Overall Enjoyment: 10 / 10

Production
Music: 10 / 10
Visuals: 10 / 10

TOTAL: 100 / 100

Review: Star Wars (1977)

Directed by: George Lucas

Produced by: Gary Kurtz

Written by: George Lucas

Executive Producer: George Lucas

Cinematography by: Gilbert Taylor

Production Designed by: John Barry

Edited by: Richard Chew, Paul Hirsch & Marcia Lucas

Costumes by: John Mollo

Music by: John Williams

Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, James Earl Jones

1977 / 121min / Rated PG

Summary
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

The galaxy is under the rule of the Galactic Empire who possess a terrible weapon, the Death Star, which has enough power to destroy an entire planet. Led by Princess Leia, a small band of rebels steal the plans to the Death Star. When she's captured by Darth Vader, Leia hides the plans with a pair of Droids who fall into the possession of farm boy Luke Skywalker. Young Luke is thrust into adventure as he joins Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi in a quest to save the princess, the rebels and the galaxy itself.

Background
In 1977, a phenomenon was born. Now it can be debated if this phenomenon had a positive or negative affect on the filmmaking of the last 40 years. But as it stands, George Lucas's Star Wars is one of the single most successful endeavors in movie history.

And yet, the path to it's release was not without it's struggles. Lucas's original screenplay, originally titled The Star Wars, was far too long to be made into one movie. Multiple studios passed, believing the costs of production would be too high (ironically, one of these studios was Walt Disney). Finally, Alan Ladd of 20th Century Fox agreed to finance Lucas's script. Lucas's script went through numerous rewrites, eventually achieving the form with which we are all familiar today.

Production was not so easy for Lucas eithee, as he faced numerous technical difficulties on set and sometimes clashed with members of his production crew in his atempt to micromanage every aspect of the film to achieve his vision. Members of the crew often didn't take their work seriously, feeling they were working on a "kid'a movie" and often laughed during filming at parts they felt were unintentionally funny. Even Kenny Baker (R2-D2) thought it would be a failure, with Harrison Ford even commenting his confusion as to why the princess had "buns on her head." Alan Ladd proved to be Lucas's only ally at Fox as studio executives fretted over rising budget costs.

Yet, despite these difficulties and the preconceived notions about the film'a success by those involved, Star Wars proved to not only be a critical and commercial hit beyond anyons'a imagination, but changed the way movies have been made for the last forty years.

Review
Whether or not that impact has been positive, Star Wars on its own is a resounding success on every front. From story and plotting, characterizations and music to (most notably) visual effects, it's no wonder Star Wars reshaped the way the general public views Science Fiction as well as the moviworld going experience.

There'a very little to criticize about this first installment into the Star Wars franchise. Though Lucas had envisioned a larger space saga, he focused entirely on making Star Wars a standalone movie. It's sad that this approach is being largely abandoned today as filmmakers focus so much on franchisd-building and leaving plot threads open instead of making one good movie. By not worrying about any subsequent sequels and this film alone, Lucas achieves near-perfection.

Though his story is heavily influenced by old Saturday morning Sci-Fi serials and plenty of familiar fantasy elements, George Lucas's story feels fresh and new, presenting a very original concept and universe. His plotting is tight, his psce always moving forward with very little unnecessary fluff present to drag things down.

The movie really takes off in its second half once everyone is brought aboard the Death Star, always maintaining a high level of fun and excitement. The film's climactic space battle is pulse-pounding and visually spectacular, which helps to make up for what's perhaps the biggest plot hole; the long trench that conveniently leads to the Death Star's fatal weakness. Still, it's so much fun and engrossing you can't help but overlook it.

Though his dialogue is sometimes stiff and awkward, it's hardly noticeable because the performances of the cast are infused with so much confidence and energy that you hardly give the dislogue'a stiffness a second thought.

And that's perhaps Star Wars's most successful aspect; the characters and the actors inhabiting them. There isn't a weak leak amongst the cast and the chemistry between leads Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher is so natural and infectious that it's a shame the three of them don't come together soon. The actors bring so much energy and excitement to their performances that they elevate the film's excitement and sense of adventure.

Sir Alec Guinness is a stand out in a mostly supporting role. He brings a level of maturity and wisdom to the proceedings. He's the most restrained of the cast which keeps things fairly grounded. The most unfortunate aspect of his character is his ultimate fate before the film launches into its final act, but it's still well handled and given the appropriate amount of weight and impact.

Darth Vader doesn't have much to do as he mostly stomps around and follows Governor Tarkin's (a commanding Peter Cushing) orders, but he's instantly menacing and memorable. His presence is always felt throughout and James Earl Jones's voice work is spotless.

Even by today's high standards, the visual effects hold up pretty well. In many respects, I even prefer the practical effects as well as the use of miniatures over today's abundant CGI. Something about the models seems more real while the CGI spaceships of today lack that same realism. The same goes for the sets which are unpolished and seem used, helping to ground them in reality and make it seem as though they're used day-to-day.

Of course, perhaps just as key to Star Wars's success as any other element is John Williams's iconic and unforgettable score which reshaped film music for the rest of the century. It's pretty much flawless and helps add to the film's sense of adventure. I think it could be argued that without Williams's touch, Star Wars would perhaps have not been as successful and vice versa as it also helped make Williams.

Star Wars deserves it's place as one of history's most revolutionary and iconic movies. Despite the problematic production, everything came together to make a movie that's just about as perfect as you can get and one of my all-time favorites.

Writing
Story: 5 / 5
Plot: 9 / 10
Dialogue: 4 / 5

Characters
Characterization: 10 / 10
Development: 10 / 10
Acting: 20 / 20

Entertainment
Pacing: 5 / 5
Tone: 5 / 5
Overall Enjoyment: 10 / 10

Production
Music: 10 / 10
Visuals: 10 / 10

TOTAL: 98 / 100