Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Review: The Franchise at Its Best
9.5/10 — Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Pros
- Darker, richer storytelling
- Unforgettable twist
- Fantastic Han and Leia chemistry
Cons
- Abrupt cliffhanger
- A few dated effects
The Rebels are on the run from the Empire, Luke trains with Yoda, and Han and Leia’s romance blossoms as Darth Vader hunts them across the galaxy. It’s widely considered the best of the series.
What works
The tone is richer and darker than the original, with real emotional stakes and a cliffhanger ending. Yoda, the Hoth battle and the Cloud City duel are all iconic, and Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher’s banter is peerless. John Williams’s score, including the Imperial March, is superb.
Where it falters
As a middle chapter it ends without resolution, and some of the effects have inevitably aged.
Verdict
Bolder and more moving than the film that started it all. A sequel that improves on its original.
