The greatest film ever made ? Depends what you are looking for in a film but for sheer entertainment value there are few films that can match it. This is the film that turns Star Wars into a saga. Not content with simply rehashing the original, here we get a greater scope as new worlds and characters are introduced, but more importantly the returning characters are all developed logically. Crucially, the chief villain becomes something much more significant and the final confrontation has lost none of its power regardless of the prequels. It is a rare sequel that can take practically everything introduced in the original and improve on it in every way, especially when the original is already so highly regarded.

Whenever people compare this film to episode 4, they tend to talk about the improved visual effects, direction, or Vader’s expanded role. And while all of that is definetely present, this film’s biggest achievements when compared to the original to me have always been the major upgrade in the acting and dialogue. Kershner delivered a movie that isn’t just insanely quotable, but the actors managed to sell every single line of it. No longer do we have to listen to whatever Lucas was telling Fisher to do (“I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board”), and instead we get some genuinely great chemistry between her and Harrison Ford. Mark Hamill no longer acts like a whiny teenager, which is a nice bonus. And also, the new additions are nothing short of awesome, those being Yoda, Boba Fett and Lando. People usually refer to this instalment as ‘the dark one’, but at the same time, it’s also the most comedic out of the original 3. Our protagonist learns that the big baddie is his daddy, but at the same time, he makes a handstand while a little green muppet is standing on top of his foot. It sounds like a tonal mess, but it really works. To me, it only loses a few points for some of the really hokey stuff. I know you sort of have to buy it, because it is a silly space movie after all, but some of the designs have just become laughable. It almost doesn’t sound fair to say that to a 40 year old movie, but even some other films from that time period are still as effective today as they were back then (remember, _The Shining_ also came out in 1980). 8.5/10

Top of the line for a majority of Star Wars geeks, and for good reason. It's the ideal melting pot of George Lucas's vast, quirky imagination, his influences' knack for dark, large-scale epics, and his key contributors' determined efforts to retain a central humanism amidst all the creatures, effects and operatic indulgences. A wildly ambitious picture, it's genuinely amazing just how much territory is covered over the course of two hours. Lucas and company manage to leap from the Hoth battle to Yoda on Dagobah, the asteroid field to Lando and Cloud City, before finally climaxing with the classic Luke / Vader showdown and revelation. That's an awfully large number of set pieces, not to mention some seriously powerful plot points, but smooth talking and a few outstanding performances keep the film from feeling over-stuffed or under-explored. The cast, too, grows on an individual basis almost universally, with Luke wrapping himself in the wisdom of the Jedi, Han and Leia developing genuine chemistry and Darth Vader, in a surprise twist that should never have been so effective, actually showing some signs of humanity. Although it can be hammy from time to time, those moments are balanced expertly by a wonderful series of mountains and valleys, to the point that they stop being seen as negatives and instead contribute to the picture's eccentricity. A legendary effort that's just as monumental, entrancing and electric thirty years later, it's damn near perfect.

Let me tell you a little of my experience watching this movie. Empire was the first SW movie I actually saw in cinema. I vividly remember all the hype surrounding it. There was a promotion tour before where Darth Vader and some Stormtroopers visited stores and even signed autographs. Sounds funny today but I was about 11 and I loved that stuff. Of course they weren't the real actors but I wanted to be a Stormtrooper anyway. I think I still have the Darth Vader signature somewhere. (Meanwhile I have the ones of Prowse and Jones, too) When the big reveal in the movie came the cinema was stunned. Even thought the movie premiered about half a year before in the States it was still possible to keep things under wraps with no internet. There were rumors spread by people who watched it but nothing solid. And it was hard to believe anyway. So there was real astonishment and fright upon the revelation. Don't you miss that ? Today there is hardly anything in a movie that is surprising and it's tough to avoid spoilers which can come from the most unexpected angles. As an 11 year old I wasn't analyzing the movie, I simply loved and enjoyed every second of it. Even today I have no favorite among the original trillogy. I see them as a whole and they are close to my heart. Back then Empire solidified my love for Star Wars and I was very eager to know how it would continue. How would they rescue Han ? What will Luke do now that he knew his father is the Evil personified ? There were many things to talk about and our imagination ran wild.

Watched on **Disney Plus**. It was an okay movie, with a defined plot, action, and great special effects. Definitely, it is not as good as its prequel, but it is not bad either. The topic that is part of the movie is how Luke can be tempted to join the dark side of the force, and how he is also too impatient and less disciplined. Also, quite a surprise what Vader reveals to Luke, something that Yoda seemed to have been concerned about. Some comical scenes too, of course: the cyborg is always talkative, teasing R2, and when Luke lands and does not know who Yoda is. Some things that needed to improve: there was no need for so much romantic parody between Han and Leia, and also it is not too realistic to see that the empire is too bad at catching the rebels. They have all the power, and still can't. The new character, Han's friend, was not too convincing either, but he was not bad either.