Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Hi everyone, welcome. Today we are going to be talking about Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. When Star Wars turned from space western to soap opera…yes…this is the one.

You can tell just by the poster art, which was inspired by Gone with the Wind.

Tried to sneak that past us, didn’t you, Ol' George?

And hey, I’m a big a drama fan, so why should I complain? Give me cheesy romance and disgruntled students deciding to quit school and family issues that lead to swordfights over laser guns and space battles any day of the week. Plain action’s boring. Search your feelings, you know it to be true.

And yes, I have a lot to say about this one, but we’re mainly going to cover it’s plot structure and how it works as a standalone movie as well as part of a series. And I’ll try to keep it from turning into a dissertation. (I think it’s too late)

The Empire Strikes Back is a film directed by Irving Kershner, produced by Gary Kurtz, and helmed by none other than the one and only George Lucas. When talking about this film people like to discredit George saying he was the least involved in it and he was more hands off…which is absolutely false.

This is very much George Lucas’s film—when you look at the behind the scenes stuff he was very active on set, he would inspect the lightsaber choreography and even had the actors completely change their routine. He also edited most of this film together. While I may vehemently disagree with George Lucas on some things like the special edition changes and some of the direction he took Star Wars, at the end of the day, I genuinely admire this guy.

George Lucas did so much pioneering in the realm of visual effects and moviemaking, even Pixar owes him its existence, and he had to take incredible risks to complete this film, even risking the loss of all his companies and entire career. For such a quiet little man who barely speaks, he had an incredibly strong will and drive and he got things done.

He was practically an unstoppable force when it came to achieving his vision. He would clash with the studio executives and fire anyone’s backside if they weren’t up to par, and he always got his way…and if he didn’t, well, he kept fighting until he did.

Like ANH, this film production was fraught with difficulties, including short deadlines for shooting and rising costs which made Lucas have to take out a loan. However, he was determined to keep the film and merchandising rights, which meant he funded the film himself. This film was not a guaranteed success.

The stakes were high, because if he failed, this would be the end of Star Wars and his own short-lived career. He had many clashes with studio executives behind the scenes of production. This was a movie made from a place of passion and sheer determination against all odds.

And this attitude shows through the movie. The Empire Strikes Back is a film that has grit. There’s a daring and artistic quality to the visuals and storytelling you don’t find much today. It’s the vision of a young director and his dedicated team, who set out to make a great movie, and you can sense the passion coming through this film. People love to whine about Star Wars fans saying they can’t be pleased and they can’t accept whatever mediocre shows are being shoved down their throats…no one hates Star Wars as much as Star Wars fans…we’ve all heard that saying…but if anything…no one sees the potential in Star Wars like Star Wars fans.

ESB is the film where this potential soars. This is great Star Wars, and it has never once risen back to this quality of acting, cinematography, directing, etc. ESB proves Star Wars doesn’t have to be this mediocre series on TV that has boring acting and poor writing and no character development. It can be great, it can be compelling, it can be moving even, and this film sets a very high standard.

It’s almost appalling just how far the quality has fallen when you compare this movie to some of the stuff nowadays.

George also recognized his own limitations in hiring Irving Kershner to direct. George doesn’t really like working with actors and it’s not his strong point, as I’m sure most of us are well aware of. Irving Kershner told George Lucas that he didn’t want him over his shoulder shadow-directing, which was agreed to. So while George Lucas would inspect the sets and choreography, he let Kershner deal with the actors and their performances.

George Lucas was also very much against the cooperate studio setup, which he said limits creativity, and I agree.

Nowadays, it’s all remakes and rehashing old actors and directors. They’re remaking Moana, are you serious? Where is the young talent, the up-and-coming stars? From a studio perspective, people gravitate towards names they recognize, so that’s why you see the big names on the front of DVDs, like Jack Black, Tom Cruise, Christopher Nolan…you know them…because these people are hired for their recognizability, not because they are talented actors or voice actors, or directors (Not saying they aren't talented, I mean Tom Cruise does have his amazing stunts).

With this attitude, it unfortunately means that it’s much harder for us to get young, passionate filmmakers who actually want to create new and great movies, as well as amazing young actors.

Now for the actual movie…

Disclaimer: I did not grow up on the original Star Wars. I don’t have some kind of nostalgic attachment to them, nor am I looking at these films through rose-tinted glasses, like some of you. I was introduced to this film in my early 20’s, which was not very long ago considering I am Gen Z. I’m always real here, and some of my takes could be…controversial. But I always try to be real, so…give me at least a little credit for that.

So my first impression after seeing it for the first time…I can’t say I instantly fell in love. This film has a lofty reputation as the best Star Wars film, so I was a bit disappointed to find I didn’t enjoy it as much as ANH. The tonal whiplash between the two films is a little jarring, especially right after watching the light-hearted and rollicking adventure that is ANH.

The Empire Strikes Back is very much not in the same vein. It’s not the most warm and fuzzy film in the world, and doesn’t retain as much of the charm and fun of ANH. It comes across as much more somber, and often downright unpleasant. Like, this film is simply…not fun to watch at times.

That being said, it never gets bogged down in this more somber tone. This is still very much a fun adventure story, just with the harsh realities of adventures more on display.

You can instantly tell all the actors and the whole production team is taking this film much more seriously than ANH.

I’ve rewatched it a couple times and I enjoyed it much more, especially all the new settings like Hoth and Cloud City and a more dynamic directing and filming style that noticeably contrasts with the more static cinematography of the other films. It gave me some Lord of the Rings vibes, and it does have a riveting storyline, gorgeous cinematography, and some hard-hitting emotional moments, stirred up with a dash of western and a pinch of classical tragedy sprinkled in. Oh, and this film has been out for a few years, so there will be some spoilers.

What It’s About.

Luke, or young Skywalker as he is typically called in this film, is now a commander of a rebel unit that is camping out on an icy cold miserable planet called Hoth. Our favorite baddie Darth Vader is on the warpath seeking for him, and soon the empire finds the secret hidden base and attack it, causing the rebels to flee and head to some rendezvous we hear about. But Luke decides to go to Dagaba to begin Jedi training with a great Jedi master, while Han and Leia and co. are trapped on a half-functioning, rickety Millennium Falcon with a broken hyperdrive and the mighty empire relentlessly pursuing them.

The story follows each of them on their adventures until they come together again for the epic showdown in Cloud City. And that’s about the gist of it.

Impressive…most impressive.

The cinematography instantly looks better than in A New Hope. This movie is a real treat visually; indeed, this just might be best looking of all the Star Wars films. (And yes, I’m including The Last Jedi in there. The critics say it looks gorgeous as well but c’mon, it just doesn’t have the dramatic contrast and mood of Empire, nor does it utilize the lighting and frame compositions in such an interesting and evocative way).

It’s gorgeously filmed, with masterful frame compositions and dynamic uses of lighting and colors and camera movements. The use of silhouettes, steam, lightsabers glowing against the dark, the orange and blue lighting on the actors’ faces, the artistic framing of subjects…this movie is simply—cinematic, and don’t tell me that The Last Jedi looks better just because it’s more technically advanced. The special effects are stunning as well, even if there are moments that look frightfully cheesy. Every frame is visually striking and the set pieces and settings are creative and beautiful, and every element of every scene feels intentional and carefully thought out.

As for the lightsaber duel…Bob Anderson is a legend, if you don’t know him he’s pretty much the John Williams of movie swordfights…he choreographed this duel and the ones in Pirates of the Caribbean and The Princess Bride, as well as many other movies. We’re going to talk more about him later.

But for now, this lightsaber duel is well-choreographed with a slow buildup in intensity and some great acting and sword skills shown by both actors, and with none of the excessive music and over-the-top flourishing that’s found in the prequels.

And did I mention the editing and pacing is great as well in the second half? This film builds in intensity so perfectly. The plot elements come together effortlessly and each storyline plays into the other, resulting in tremendous dramatic tension as Luke leaves Dagobah—not fully trained—in a gamble to rescue his friends who may or may not be in trouble.

You can sense the effort the crew is putting into every shot of this film, and I can’t think of a single scene that didn’t take my breath away at least once because of how stunning it was. Bravo to director Irving Kershner and his crew. They did such a good job and their efforts show on the screen, and massive props to the cameraman.

Upon rewatches there’s also lots of neat little details scattered throughout the film that add so much to the world building, like Luke removing the snake from his plane, Lando latching the safety cable, the lightsaber being right beside Luke when he catches hold of the walkway after falling out the window, the lack of the Imperial March in the cave scene, subtly telling us it’s not Vader, and Lando reaching for his neck after Darth Vader tells him he’s altering the deal.

The First Act

Now do I think The Empire Strikes Back is perfect? Absolutely not. This film definitely has a few concessions. Now its flaws aren’t plot breaking, but they aren’t necessarily nitpicks either…and we need to talk about a big issue I have with this film…because it rears its ugly head very early on in the movie.

When it comes to the pacing and overall structure of the story…this movie struggles to find its footing in the first act and get started. A lot of things happen; Han and Leia are bickering and Luke gets caught by the abominable snowman, then a battle happens and everyone skedaddles from Hoth in a hurry.

However, for the first hour it felt like I was waiting for the story to begin and I was struggling to understand why we were being made to follow these events. Because there’s no real hook or stakes laid out at the beginning to draw the audience into the story, other than…someone wants a kiss, I guess. These events are sort of just happening in a meandering documentary-style fashion, without the sense of forward momentum or buildup to something significant that a strong plot has. The only semblance we get of this is that Han and Leia are going to fall in love.

Let’s be honest…we know Luke’s going to be fine, and we don’t really know the rebels or their cause enough to invest much in their fight. I might make a separate post discussing the fact that we don’t really learn much about the ideology of either the rebels or the empire.

So my point is, the first act of this film feels like filler. Did we really need to see Luke out in the snow, or Han investigating the probe, or even the battle? You can argue that the wampa scene shows us Luke’s growing ability in the force, and he gets the message from Obi-wan, but that also could have been shown at another time. What could have been done to fix this? I’ll discuss it in a moment.

It wasn’t until Darth Vader met with the emperor that the pieces began falling into place and the central conflict of the story became clear…that Luke might have it in him to turn to the dark side (an hour into the movie!)

That’s a concept that could have been introduced far earlier. Darth Vader discussing this with the emperor could have been the first scene of the movie, even…perhaps followed by a cut to Luke Skywalker as we see him on Hoth. What if in these opening scenes, we knew that Luke is being sought after to become an agent of evil?

What if it were more clearly established early on that Luke is seeking vengeance for his family, which would later create conflict when we find out that that is a path to the dark side?

What if Vader’s motives of backstabbing the emperor were clearer from the start?

This little fact isn’t revealed until…maybe 30 minutes into the film…no…halfway through the film…also no…maybe two thirds through the film? Uh, no.

It’s not until the last fifteen minutes!

I can’t even with this movie.

Anyway, the idea of Vader trying to recruit Luke to overthrow his boss is a clever idea that gives this film an intriguing premise. The film would have benefited from focusing more on it earlier.

To be fair, the film does a good job re-establishing the main characters and showing us what their relationships are like at this point. It could have been done in a way that better drove the narrative.

One more thing I have to mention is the scene where Luke leaves for Dagobah. For context, it’s right after the battle, and we’ve seen some pretty horrific things happen. But there’s no moment of reflection. We don’t get even a brief scene that drives home the true weight of the battle and its significance for the rebels. I know people like to say that Luke’s acting isn’t good in ANH when his aunt and uncle are killed, but at least we get a moment of reflection and seriousness after the fact. This is an important scene that lets us grieve with the characters for a bit, and we see some maturity and change in Luke. He’s now out for something bigger than himself.

But here, in The Empire Strikes Back? We don’t get that at all. Imagine if when Luke is leaving, we get a shot of him gazing out and seeing all the carnage and death strewn across the battlefield. The film cuts to a reaction shot, and we see Luke’s sadness, which hardens into resolution. He sets his gaze ahead, to Dagobah, where he’s going to become a Jedi like his father, and a strong warrior who can defeat the enemy and stop this horror.

But no. He just hops in his ex-wing and takes off like nothing happened. We barely get a breather before we’re off to the next action scene. The flippant treatment of the battle bothers me every time I watch this movie. I can’t get over it.

The Empire

The empire in this film feels far mightier and more intimidating than in the first film. In ANH they were the nameless and faceless bad guys, with the exception of Tarkin and Darth Vader, of course. Darth Vader is in charge of a mission this time and he is much more scary than in the first film. In ANH, no took him seriously, officers talked back to him, and he was under Tarkin’s command, and he’s not that intimidating.

But here, if you so much as look at my man Anakin wrong, you could end up as a name in the space obituary fast, however that works in Star Wars.

He has all the best lines delivered by James Earl Jones’s superb vocal performance, and I heard so many lines I’ve heard before but either had no idea came from Star Wars or I had no idea which Star Wars movie they came from. How is he so sassy too? I don’t remember Anakin being like this. Maybe a little, but Darth does it better.

The physical performance of this character is so spot on, with the power stride, aggressive pointing, clenched fist, easy manner in the duel, it really doesn’t get enough credit. James Earl Jones gave us the voice, but David Prowse’s stature and performance is so iconic.

Speaking of iconic, it’s easy to understand why Darth Vader is such so popular, he is such a well-written villain. If you aren’t like me and haven’t seen the prequels already, there is such a mystique that surrounds him in the fact that we know he was once a good person, even a great man, before the dark side consumed him, and that he was once the student of Obi-Wan. Behind the mask and cold exterior is a story of tragedy and downfall. He gets development and even a distinct arc. We get that he doesn’t really like this creepy emperor guy and is scheming behind his back, which was an interesting development that had never been spoiled for me. The speech to Luke is delivered so passionately and provides a lot of insight into the character.

This could have been another generic come join me moment but James Earl Jones really puts some nuance into the performance.

We learn more about his motivations and who he is and the brief moments during and after this event where he expresses disappointment and defeat are incredibly interesting. I like this scene where Darth Vader acts out of character by leaving the bridge instead of punishing the admiral. It’s done so subtly, there’s no monologue, nothing is shoved down our throats, but gives us a glimpse behind the mask and you can finally start to see a bit of Anakin there.

I must mention that throughout this movie I had an extremely hard time comprehending the fact that this whiny, reckless kid somehow became this calculated and smart military commander. Let me tell you—there is not a single characteristic these characters share beyond the same name—everything else, the body language, the way of speaking, the presence, the mannerisms, even the accents are different.

Can you imagine Anakin saying lines like "Apology accepted, Captain Needa," or pointing to make his point? Yeah, it’s tough. And he’s just so smart and cunning and I never once thought of Ani being these things. Ever. If anything, he’s the opposite, even in clone wars. He’s more reckless than smart and calculated.

So as a villain, Darth Vader is very compelling and is an interesting shadow figure to Luke.

Han and Leia

Our main characters are back here in fine form. They have great chemistry; their interactions are charming, and their personalities bounce off each other so well. Going into this series I had no idea I would end up loving these characters as much as I do. They are seriously close to usurping the places of some of my favorite characters of all time. Samwise is so close to getting displaced.

In this film we don’t get to see them together as much as in the first one and sometimes the performances are a little more toned down, especially for Han. Speaking of Han, let’s start off by talking about the GOAT.

Han’s come so far from the selfish smuggler in the first film to someone who puts his life on the line for others. He’s always on top of every situation, has everyone’s back, and even in the most dire of circumstances, facing pursuit from the mighty imperial star ships, technological failure, and treacherous asteroids, he’s taking charge of the situation, outmaneuvering the enemy, employing every trick and ploy up his sleeve, never faltering, never desisting.

The way Han handles the pursuit by the empire in the mist of such daunting setbacks is fascinating to watch.

The best thing about Han is that he’s completely ordinary as a character. He doesn’t have force powers and he isn’t privileged royalty. This fact adds so much dimension to the universe of Star Wars by showing us someone who is a commoner, if you will.

Meanwhile in the prequels the closest equivalent we get to this type of completely ordinary character is Jar Jar Binks. (Mesa) No, I’m not kidding. Pay attention to The Phantom Menace and you’ll see that Jar Jar plays much the same role as Han Solo, being the ordinary character who doesn’t believe in the force, questions the Jedi ways, and overall acts skeptical of the Jedi, much like Han.

Oh, and he befriends the main character too.

But he ain’t no Harrison Ford, that’s for sure.

Towards the end of the film, you really feel the weight of Han’s loss. It’s not a sour ending but it’s still somber. I’ve heard it said that Han should have died in this film, but, while I can see this perspective, I don’t agree. Han adds so much fun, banter, and awesomeness to the company, it wouldn’t be Star Wars without him. He really is the glue between these characters, with his friendship with Luke and his romance with Leia. Imagine the next movie without Han. I love Luke and Leia, but…Han is the piece that makes these characters’ chemistry work, and it would be dull without him. Search your feelings, you know it to be true.

However, I was not a fan of the romance between him and Leia.

This movie wants us to think that Leia already likes him but is too locked up emotionally to admit it to herself, but then she rebuffs him and acts very uncomfortable in his presence. Han pursues her but doesn’t grow at all throughout the film to become someone better and worthy of the Princess of Alderaan, rather, he manipulates her and makes creepy and stalkerish remarks, and even forces her against a wall in one scene.

What is the message? That if a girl rebuffs you she is only playing hard to get and probably likes you, so you should be forceful towards her?

Han actually set off my alarm bells…he’s just so shady and it’s in a claustrophobic space on the Falcon. Now it’s undeniable that these two have chemistry. But chemistry doesn’t equal a healthy romance. I mean, these two have explosive off the wall chemistry. When Leia finally comes around to accepting him in a scene that is played up to be very dramatic and emotional (if you’ve seen the movie you know which one it is), something about it fell flat for me.

This doesn’t feel like a deep emotional bond or connection that is ending in a tragic separation, but rather a couple briefly infatuated with each other and on a whirl wind three nightstand now having to part ways prematurely. Nothing about their “romance” felt like a true bond or connection, but more like a temporary hookup that was bound to end in a swift falling out. Much like many 80’s films, this movie depicts the type of romance that is best left in the past.

(Disclaimer: the problems I describe in the next paragraph may have more to do with the 2011 special edition version of the film that I watched, and not the original unaltered version. Brace yourself for shock, hardcore fans).

Also, I can’t stand their love theme.

Yes, John Williams is a wonderful composer. And the sound mixing for this film is good overall and adds tremendously to the atmosphere. We’re going to talk about it some more later.

But holy smokes, is that theme obnoxious and heard everywhere and it hurts my ears every time I hear it. Turn off the music. The score is far too overbearing in this film…it’s the only Star Wars score I’ve heard that I actually didn’t like. I know, blasphemy of the highest order. Trust me, I sincerely wanted to like it. I loved the score for the first film. But the constant Imperial March gets old quickly and the constant Han and Leia’s theme grates on my ears…the score was the single biggest factor for my not enjoying the film much the first time.

Before you hate me too much, this seems to be more of a problem with the revised edition of this film with all the added changes, and not the original unaltered version. A lot of changes were made to the score in the new editions and extra scoring was added to certain scenes, which has caused injury to the pacing and mood of some scenes.

I have only ever seen the unaltered version once, but the scoring was much less overpowering, the musical transitions were better between scenes, and the distracting underscoring wasn’t present in many scenes. Overall the film was just more pleasant to the ears and the music less annoying. There’s also a lot of unnecessary and baffling audio changes made throughout the film. For example, why did they remove the echo in this scene? They’re in a vast chamber that’s going to echo…so no comprendo why they changed this.

They really butchered the entire sound design in the altered version of this movie. I could go scene by scene describing how bad it is. It’s still one of my goals to get the original versions of these films so I don’t have to watch the altered versions again.

So while a lot of people say this film suffered the least from the changes, I would still say they took terrible damage based on the sound design and score alone. And this film still has, in my opinion, some of the most irritating, senseless and tonally deaf changes out of all the originals. Now they’re subtle. They aren’t Vader going nooo or Han shooting second, but they’re no less insidious. No, they’re little tonally deaf line changes that destroy the tension and mood of the moment.

And the absolute worst one I’m referring to is the infamous “Bring my shuttle” line changed to some generic line about preparing his ship, said in a completely matter of fact voice that does not match in any way, shape or form the prior events and context of this moment. Again with the rescore, in the first clip the music has a hard edge that reflects Vader’s frustration. Vader has just failed his entire mission, he watched his son chose death over him, he ended up damaging the emperor’s prize, and he’s going to face the emperor’s displeasure. He’s in no mood and you can hear the tension through James Earl Jones’s line delivery and the score.

He’s making one last ditch effort to savage this mission and capture our heroes, and you feel the stakes. In the second clip, the music is softened and he’s just speaking calmly like nothing is at stake, which completely undermines the previous scene and plot of the film.

I truly do not comprehend what George was thinking with this line change. My closest guess is it was to clarify how Vader got to his star destroyer so quickly. But this unnecessary information, which could have been left for the audience to surmise on their own, came at the price of the emotion of the scene, which is a very poor price indeed. And people are going to argue that Darth Vader is going to be calm, he’s just that much in charge and that much in control—no he’s not. Not at this time. Everything has gone wrong at this point, and it’s jarring—it should be jarring—and appropriately so to hear him losing it a little.

You have to be extremely tone deaf not to recognize that. Unfortunately George Lucas has famously been very tone deaf in this films. Just watch the prequals.

The fate of the Republic hangs in the balance and we are strolling about like we’re talking a walk in a park

Another line change that isn’t objectively as bad but I hate just as much is Luke’s line change in Dagobah. Why? The original is funny, it’s cute and it adds to Luke’s personality. And what’s worse is I have not a clue as to why this is changed. None. What is the thought process here? Maybe George Lucas thinks it is out of Luke’s character to say something like this. But then again…Luke says a lot of colorful things about Yoda’s swamp, and I could easily imagine this character saying this, so, I’m not sure that’s it. If you know, write it in the comments.

Most of the other changes are relatively inoffensive, like the new windows and backgrounds added to cloud city, which I think are beautiful, or the extra shots of the wampa…which…whatever…it’s unnecessary. But I am amazed that people overlook these two major changes as much as they do, especially when the one is so destructive to the tension of a scene, and the other steals a cute character moment.

Speaking of characters, let’s get back to them, because I want to talk about Leia some more. Out of all the characters in this movie, she was the one I was most looking forward to see get developed and to learn more about. Unfortunately, this film doesn’t do her character justice.

Leia was very shallow and two dimensional in ANH, and she sort of stays that way in ESB. The only new thing we learn is that she’s very emotionally locked up and has difficulty admitting that she loves Han. This could have made for a far more interesting character if it had been expounded upon. But with the way it’s written, we never learn anything about her background or why she’s like this. It doesn’t reveal anything about her character, and we don’t learn anything personal about her, like her dreams or struggles or future desires, or even what her cause is.

Why exactly does she believe so strongly in the rebellion? How does this responsibility affect her psychologically, especially since she’s so young? She’s been through stuff, but none of this stuff makes her character more interesting. Her planet was blown up, but she’s never shown grieving, nor it is ever brought up again.

Compare this to Luke, who lost his family, Obi-wan, and his father (he thinks) and yet you see how these events impact him as a character. They propel his journey forward and impact his goals. He wants to become a Jedi like his father and seek vengeance for Obi-wan and his family…because he saw what the Empire is capable of ANH. He changes his behavior as a result of events that happen to him and around him. We see him being shaped as a character, and we also see the same with Han and Darth Vader and even Lando.

But Leia?

We never see her character deepen or get shaped, which is why people use only one word to describe her: strong. Because there is no other adjective you can easily apply to her. I mean you could also say sassy, resilient, tough, and all kinds of variations on strong…but in the end…she has only one real character trait. And it’s strength bordering on psychopathy because nothing she goes through seems to affect her much, especially in ANH. Yes, Luke has this problem too, but it’s definitely worse with Leia.

Now I’m not saying Leia is a bad character. Carrie Fisher does a great job playing her and she has great chemistry with the other actors, and she definitely is an essential piece of the story. But Leia is easily the least developed and least interesting of the major characters in this series, with the possible exception of C-3po and Chewie, if they count as major characters.

The side characters

Also, speaking of C-3po and Chewie, I found these two kind of annoying in this film. I said it… I’m forever disappointed they didn’t off Goldie when they had the chance. Chewie’s Wookie sounds are the worst. Give my man a gag, it’s so annoying.

Then we are introduced to the dashing and charming Lando and I guessed right away that he was going to betray them, you simply can’t trust a guy who talks this smoothly.

While he’s not onscreen that much he is still very memorable and even gets his own little character arc. While he gets flak from the fans for betraying Han, does he really deserve it? He’s put in an extremely tough situation. We can only assume Vader has threatened his people in some horrible way like strangling them all alive unless he turns over Han, so between his city of men, women and children and his shady old smuggler friend and his new girlfriend, he chooses to protect the men, women, and children under his responsibility.

He’s really just a regular guy caught in an extremely uncomfortable situation and trying to make the best of it. And let’s not forget Han would have probably done worse in the same situation. Billy Dee’s performance in this film is outstanding, he is one of my favorite characters in the movie, and I dig the costume.

As for Boba Fett…what can I say. Iconic. Such as great costume. And his original voice is amazing, sorry to Temuera Morrison.

Shoutout to the ice cream maker guy as well, he’s a real legend.

The Force is with you, young Skywalker...

Ok now it’s time to discuss our lead character, Luke Skywalker. But before we go any further, I just want to talk a little about something not controversial at all: Mark Hamill’s acting in this film. Because oh boy, there’s some mixed opinions on this subject. I’ve seen people say all manner of things from declaring that he’s brilliant in this film… to denouncing him as the Jar Jar Binks of the original trilogy.

*pause while I weep a bit*

Honestly, that’s a level of savagery so impressive it deserves a round of applause. I have to give it up. Even if it stings my soul.

And you know what? Maybe that side is right and honestly, I’m ok with it. Because even if his acting isn’t always considered good by conventional standards… I adore how Mark Hamill plays Luke in this movie.

He has so much energy and he makes Luke radiate kindness and cheerfulness towards everyone in a way that’s effortless and natural. He makes Luke much more mature than in ANH, but still sort of young and full of life, more experienced but not yet hardened. Luke is super cute, he’s charismatic, he’s endearing to watch, and I love all the mannerisms and little details Mark Hamill puts into his performance. This could be a stretch but I truly think he brings far more detail and depth to his acting in this film than either Carrie Fisher or Harrison Ford do.

He does tend to be hit or miss…when he hits…he has some great acting moments in the film along with Billy Dee Williams…when he misses…yeah that’s where we get the rap of “oh he’s just whiny” or he’s simply bad, which is a very shortsighted way of reducing his character and performance. At least in my opinion, one off moment does not necessarily ruin an entire performance, especially if there’s a lot of merit elsewhere. Maybe it does for some people. But I think the truth is definitely somewhere in between, and I’m a firm believer in giving credit where it’s due.

Also the whiny kid voice is gone in this movie. Occasionally a hint of it comes out, but it’s clear that all the actors are taking their roles and line deliveries more seriously, and they all seem more comfortable in their roles. Harrison Ford especially is noticeably more toned down in this film compared to ANH, although he’s still awesome, as always.

It’s also interesting to note that there are very few scenes in which Mark Hamill acts face to face with another actor…almost always he’s either by himself or with puppets or props or a masked actor, and this can be very difficult and frustrating for an actor. The fact that he is able to interact with Yoda like he’s real definitely goes a long way in making the audience accept the character as real.

So when it comes to Mark Hamill…yeah people make fun of his acting, sometimes for good reason, but I think he was an awesome casting choice who brought this role to life in a way that most actors wouldn’t have done. Seriously, considering how Luke is written on paper, I’m pretty sure anyone else would have made him generic and unlikeable, especially considering the fact that his character doesn’t make witty jokes or have much personality on paper. Mark Hamill brings so much to the role and breathes life into Luke in a way I’ve never seen an actor do for a hero character. It’s really hard to picture another actor playing him, and I am genuinely surprised to find out how much his acting flies under the radar.

And did you know he won the 1981 Saturn Award for best actor in this film? Not bad if you ask me, especially when you’re acting alongside the great Harrison Ford.

His character is down to earth.

That all being said…I didn’t quite understand Luke on first watch and he came dangerously close to my considering him annoying, but upon giving the film a second chance and viewing it again, I really loved Luke and how his character is established and tested.

Of all the movies in the franchise, The Empire Strikes Back really feels like his story and film.

He has the hardest challenges and most difficult choices, he's the one protagonist making more proactive (rather than simply reactive) decisions; he’s the one who goes to Dagobah to train, he’s the one who chooses to rescue his friends, he’s the one who stands up to Vader, etc., rather than just being on the run like Han and Leia. And he’s the one that changes the most.

The film does a great job establishing his character in the opening segments. He’s shown to be far more mature, charismatic, a smart commander in battle, a cheerful and supportive friend to his fellow rebels, and has a newfound confidence and independent spirit. The way he treats everyone around him, always encouraging, always looking out for everyone, really grounds him as a down to earth and likeable character.

At this point, he’s a hero in the rebellion, the one who destroyed the Empire’s ds, and has moved up through their ranks. And you get the sense that he’s earned this position. The little kid who was sort of pretending to be a hero in ANH is now taking down AT-AT’s, coming up with effective strategies in the heat of battle, and being a real hero. You feel proud of him.

It eventually becomes apparent, though, that even though he’s effective against AT-AT’s and stormtroopers, he has some major hurdles to overcome. His character gets deconstructed in the scene with Yoda, (not that kind of deconstruction) and we find that he’s still a bit immature and has some personality flaws. He must overcome these flaws if he is going to be a Jedi and defeat Vader.

However, one thing this film did really well was balance his flaws with his strengths. Even though he has his moments, his impatience, frustration, and fear for his friends isn’t overplayed, but actually feels earned and genuine. He’s respectful to his mentors, even though they clash most of the time, and you sympathize with the agonizing decision he has to make to go against their advice and quit his training and rescue his friends, even though he is thoroughly warned of the consequences.

I’ve seen plenty of other movies with characters similar to Luke and disliked them. I find them obnoxious, disrespectful, and undeserving of my sympathy. Luke is the one of the few characters like this that I’ve encountered and felt was actually done right, and think the reason for this is that he’s well established at the beginning of the movie as being likeable and having strengths, which makes him far more well-rounded than your average hero protagonist. Most writers nowadays, unfortunately, seem to only give their characters flaws without giving them enough redeeming qualities.

This is what happened to Anakin Skywalker. In AOTC he is never shown to be kind, considerate, charming, loyal, or anything else positive that would give the audience member something to latch onto and root for. When he decides to disobey orders and rescue his mother, he’s never conflicted about the decision or considers the consequences of his actions, as Luke does when he makes a similar decisions. There’s no nuance or subtlety to his character. He just gets up, decides hey I’m gonna disobey direct orders and find my mom, and that’s that. No conflict, no thought about his decision and how it might affect him and others, nothing. None of Anakin’s decisions seem as weighty and difficult as Luke’s similar decision to abandon his training, which could be why people complain about his turn to the dark side being too quick and his character seeming shallow and unrelatable.

Also, my man Luke was willing to give up his dream of being a jedi to go rescue his friends. If that isn’t a true friend, I don’t know what is.

Luke’s journey throughout this film and his training with Yoda is probably the strongest story thread in the movie. We learn so much more about the force, including the dark side and light side and hints at Vader’s fall, and the narrative ties it in nicely with Han and Leia’s story, as Luke sees the vision of them suffering in cloud city and this heightens the tension when we see Han and Leia enter the city. The introduction to Yoda is a fantastic and clever scene, in which Luke’s true character is brought to light to the audience under Yoda’s testing.

Wait, Yoda doesn’t sing about the seagulls? Huh.

Jedi training is nothing like Luke expected and he’s struggling and impatient with the process, trying to become what he imagines a Jedi to be, rather than what a jedi actually is. This leads to a lot of interesting drama between him and Yoda. Yoda is trying to teach him the jedi ways of peace and control, while Luke, who’s more used to war and action, would rather use his weapons. There’s also his own internal drama as he grapples with his nature that is similar to his father’s, and his own inability to master the force. He subtly rebels against Yoda and his teachings, and Yoda is concerned about him being susceptible to the dark side.

Luke, however, doesn’t really understand this or is unwilling to accept it. He doesn’t grasp what Yoda means by only using the force for knowledge and defense, never for attack, or how to be calm and at peace. He’s a young hero seeking self-actualization, but it soon becomes clear that he’s not going to get it, at least not yet.

Eventually he sees a vision of his friends suffering in cloud city, and wants to help them, but Yoda warns him that even though he might be able to help them, he would destroy all for which they fought. So now Luke is in a serious moral dilemma.

One problem I have with Star Wars that I need to mention is its vagueness. Yes, I said I appreciate how these films don’t spoon feed you information in my ANH review, but it does take it too far sometimes, and this is when it does. It’s clear to me that it’s George Lucas’s intention that Luke is overly attached to his friends, is impatient, and is also seeking vengeance for his family, and these are flaws hindering his Jedi training.

But it’s never really clarified to the audience in concrete way that can make us certain of these things. There’s never a discussion with Yoda about how he must change his mindset regarding these issues, and never a scene where we see Luke claiming to seek to avenge his family, even though it’s hinted at. Doing so would have rounded out his character more, given more buildup to the duel that happens later, more tragedy to the loss that occurs, and more shock to the reveal.

You can definitely infer all these things from the movie if you are really paying attention, but I wish it had defined Luke’s motivations and character more. He’s someone who idolizes his father and wants to be closer to his family by being a Jedi. This one exchange…is alright but doesn’t really drive this fact home as it should.

But anyway, Luke has to grapple with this dilemma, to finish his training and be a strong asset who can defeat Vader and the emperor, or cut short his training and risk becoming an agent of evil. Yoda and Obi-wan are warning him that he must stay, and that only a fully trained Jedi will defeat Vader.

This scene is actually surprisingly poignant and you do feel for Luke, having to make this tough decision, but eventually he chooses to risk everything for his friends, while promising to return and finish his training.

What thing that bothers me a bit about this scene is this: if they’re so worried about Luke being tempted by the dark side, why don’t they just tell him about his father? Be upfront about the true nature of the situation. If there’s any time he should know, this is it. Or are they caught up in the silly “well he’s not Anakin and therefore not your father anymore” shtick? Shush!

But whatever, the real explanation is it’s a movie. Ok, I know, we need to surprise the audience and I imagine Obi-Wan being the sassy ghost is looking down from Jedi heaven and doesn’t want to miss Luke’s reaction when… the Star Wars family reunion happens. But come on. Why are they so deceptive with Luke?

Alright, rant is over.

So Han is put into carbon freeze, and Darth Vader is going to take Leia and Chewie captive.

Luke then arrives at the city and comes into the fight with Darth Vader with confidence and resolution, which is quickly destroyed in ways he could never see coming, and I didn’t, either. The absolute torment of these moments, the steady demoralization and desperation gradually overtaking Luke as he is overwhelmed by Vader’s greater skill and strength, every defeat, every blow, is intense and shocking. I said it before and I’ll say it again: this movie builds tension so perfectly…as someone who was watching this for the first time…it really keeps you guessing the outcome in these moments.

I had heard about the reveal scene all my life and seen it in Toy Story, but once you know the context, it does hit hard. There is the real sense that Luke’s world has been turned upside down and at this point he is forced to acknowledge his own flaws and see where they are leading him…to become this. Not only that, but his own mentors whom he trusted and admired have deceived him, and the sense of shock and betrayal is gut-wrenching.

Mark Hamill’s acting here is so on point, you see Luke considering Vader’s offer, then looking down and making his decision to die in a complete calm…it’s sort of a call back to when Yoda tells him the difference between the light and dark sides. Vader is genuinely shocked at his decision and ability to resist what he could not, so, it’s a great character moment for him as well. (Which is seriously undercut by that awful line change).

The end of this film leaves us with a broken and shattered Luke, and it also leaves us wondering where his fate will be, if he will join Darth Vader to overthrow the Empire, or stay true to the Jedi. There’s a real edge introduced to his character at this point that makes him quite unique among most story heroes.

He’s one of the most compelling hero protagonists I’ve ever come across, if only because his portrayal is so raw. Nothing about him is sugarcoated just because he’s the main character, he gets no cheap victories or easy outs, he faces serious consequences for his pride and rash decisions, and he breaks the usual hero mold in that he’s not just some cliché prodigy excelling in his training whose main goal is to defeat the bad guy, he’s far more well-rounded, with serious flaws hampering his progress and revengeful motives that clash with the Jedi philosophy. This film is not shy about showing us his flaws and vulnerabilities, or hinting at his selfish ulterior motives, or even treating him in ways most protagonists are plot armored against, but it does this all with a particular finesse and sympathy towards the character that draws you into the story and makes you empathize with him.

Even though he is a bit frustrating at times, not for a moment did I not connect with him or lose my investment in his story. Trying to accept the fact that the right choice might be to sacrifice his friends for a greater cause…yes, that’s tough to do, and a morally complex decision to make. I wish Obi-wan and Yoda would be a bit more upfront with him about the situation, as it definitely would have softened the blow. But perhaps that wouldn’t make for a good twist. Sorry Luke.

One thing that particularly struck me was a simple moment at the end of this film. Luke is in the medical ward talking to Lando over a commlink and discussing plans to rescue Han. You can tell through Hamill’s acting that Luke is now exhausted, worn out, and deeply troubled, but he’s not given up hope or abandoned his duties to go mope in a corner. Most main characters at this point would have given up completely and wallowed in their woes until someone slapped them back into shape, but not Luke. There’s just something very striking about his quiet strength in this scene.

The way Luke is physically and mentally destroyed, dragged through hell, and yet manages to come out of that experience putting aside his personal issues, trying to comfort his friend, and simply picking himself up and moving on from his mistakes, refusing to resent his mentors or even Darth Vader…that leaves a strong impression. More importantly than any force powers or lightsaber skills, he has a tremendous inner strength, kind heart and caring nature that always puts others first, qualities that I find lacking in many modern-day protagonists.

I seriously wonder if people who defend Luke’s portrayal in The Last Jedi have actually watched this scene. Luke doesn’t go mope off somewhere when terrible things happen or he makes mistakes. He picks himself up and keeps going.

Anyway. George Lucas, thank you for giving us Luke Skywalker. He’s the best. Yes, I like him better than Han, big deal. My mind will never change, come flood or fire or the whole world against me. I’m a Luke Skywalker fan forever.

Conclusion

This movie is not always easy to watch at times, and as someone who was watching it for the first time, I was surprised by how emotionally jarring it gets towards the end and how appalling some of these moments were. Even though I’d already seen ROTS, which is arguably far grimmer, I still don’t usually associate Star Wars with delivering such unexpectedly brutal moments that land hard.

However, this film doesn’t take itself overly seriously, and there are a lot of comedic moments. Even the darkest scenes are lit by the occasional flash of humor, and it’s always utilized in a way that occurs naturally through character interactions and it never disrupts the mood or flow of the scene. It nicely balances the moody elements of this film.

This film was also much more emotional and enjoyable for me on the second viewing, there were some moments that were far more poignant than I remembered them being, and more moments I laughed at. I’m really glad I watched it again for this review, because I was going to rip apart certain aspects of it far more than I’ve done here.

Particularly the score, I did come around to it more, even though it’s never going to be my favorite. Watching it detached from the first one made it far more enjoyable, since you don’t get that jarring tonal shift from light-hearted space adventure to moody drama where people get betrayed and shockingly dismembered.

The actors gave all-round good to great performances here, especially Billy Dee and Mark Hamill. Both of them bring a real passion and believability to their roles, particularly Mark Hamill, whose performance is definitely one of the more underrated aspects of Star Wars. He had to portray easily one of the most difficult and complex characters in this film.

Also, let’s not overlook Alec Guiness’s performance. He only has a few lines but he captures Obi-Wan’s sadness and concern for Luke so hauntingly. It’s almost as if he’s already seen the rots, and this is one of the scenes that hit far harder the second time watching. And of course, I’ve already mentioned David Prowse. Stellar performance for his character, one that really stood out for me.

I know I’ve aimed some critical jabs at this film which might make it seem like I didn’t enjoy it, but I really did like it upon rewatching it for this review. I really liked the original films, I never got into Star Wars until I discovered them.

I adore all the characters in these movies, Han, Leia, Yoda, Lando, Darth Vader, and Luke Skywalker is such an amazing lead character. I had never known much about him except for the bits of ROTJ and ANH I had seen, and always thought that he would just be another typical bland lead, but no, he faces real challenges and setbacks and tough decisions and you feel for him and are often very scared and uncertain of his future knowing that he’s so similar to his father…he’s not a Marty Stu and I was surprised to find myself as much invested in his story as I was in Anakin’s, if not more, and I always used to think of Anakin as the more interesting character. But Luke is fascinating as well.

I was very interested to learn where this story was taking him, I was very impressed by his strength in the face of devastating setbacks, and I connected to him in a way that I never did with Anakin.

Anyway, that’s all I have for today. Thanks for reading and leave your thoughts below in the comments. I would be interested in hearing what you all think of this movie. Take care.