The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford

directed by Irving Kershner

124 minutes

The rebellion, despite blowing up the Death Star in Star Wars (1977) is still on the run from the Empire. The leaders of the rebel alliance are hunkered down on the icy planet of Hoth when the Empire catches up to them. Pricess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and many others escape the Empire's latest attempt to capture them (after a battle on Hoth) by the skin of their teeth.

Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and C-3PO escape in the Millennium Falcon but the forces of the Empire are hot on their trail. Han guides the Falcon into an asteroid field where they briefly take refuge. They depart the asteroid field once they realize that it also contains dangers, but then find themselves once again confronted by the Empire's star destroyers and tie fighters.

The Millennium Falcon and its crew eventually make their way to Bespin, a mining planet. There they receive help from the ruler of Cloud City, Lando Calrissian an old friend of Han and Chewie. Lando helps them to get the Falcon repaired but he also double crosses them.

Luke, guided by advice he received from Obi-Wan Kenobi, heads to the swamps of the planet Dagobah (with R2-D2) where he trains with Yoda, the Jedi master who taught Obi Wan everything he knows. Luke is impatient and quick to anger. He grows frustrated by the slow pace of his training, senses that his friends are in danger, and heads to Cloud City.

Lando hands Han, Chewie, Leia, and 3PO over to Darth Vader and his stormtroopers. Han is frozen in carbonite and given to the bounty hunter Boba Fett. Lando changes sides once again and helps Leia, Chewie, and 3P0 to escape the clutches of the Empire. 

Luke arrives in Cloud City just as Han's frozen body is being transported out of the city. He clashes with Darth Vader who proves to be too much for the Jedi in training. Vader cuts off one of Luke's hands, tells him the truth about his heritage, and urges Luke to join the Dark Side of the Force.

Luke is almost killed but Leia, Lando, Chewie, 3PO, and R2-D2 rescue him in the Millennium Falcon. Together they make plans to rescue Han whose frozen form is now on its way to Jabba the Hutt.

Thoughts

I have no idea how many times I have seen this movie but it has to be at least a half dozen times. The last time I saw it was about five years ago. I once again watched the original version with the unimproved special effects.

One thing that I noticed this time is that when Han goes into the carbon freezing chamber his hands are tied in front of him but once he is frozen his hands are no longer tied together. I don't know why I never noticed this before or if there is a reasonable explanation for what looks like a discrepancy to me.

Many people consider this to be the best film of this trilogy. I love this film but I prefer Star Wars (1977).

It was fun watching this all over again. It isn't prefect but it is excellent in my eyes, damn good. The music and the humor really help to elevate lots of moments. There are so many great lines, most of which came back to me as I watched it; many but not all of them are in the early going.

This probably won't be the last time I watch this film but I will probably wait a few years before I watch it again. I would like to watch Return of the Jedi again in the near future.