X
- 1980
- PG
- Twentieth Century Fox
- 2 h 4 m
- 1980
- PG
- Twentieth Century Fox
- 2 h 4 m
Summary Three years after the events of Star Wars, Imperial forces continue to pursue the Rebels. After the Rebellion?s defeat on the ice planet Hoth, Luke journeys to the planet Dagobah to train with Jedi Master Yoda, who has lived in hiding since the fall of the Republic. In an attempt to convert Luke to the dark side, Darth Vader lures young...
Directed By: Irvin Kershner
Written By: Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan, George Lucas
- 1980
- PG
- Twentieth Century Fox
- 2 h 4 m
- 1980
- PG
- Twentieth Century Fox
- 2 h 4 m
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
9.0
Where to Watch
Summary Three years after the events of Star Wars, Imperial forces continue to pursue the Rebels. After the Rebellion?s defeat on the ice planet Hoth, Luke journeys to the planet Dagobah to train with Jedi Master Yoda, who has lived in hiding since the fall of the Republic. In an attempt to convert Luke to the dark side, Darth Vader lures young...
Directed By: Irvin Kershner
Written By: Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan, George Lucas
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 25 Critic Reviews
82
76% Positive
19 Reviews
19 Reviews
24% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 25 Critic Reviews
82
76% Positive
19 Reviews
19 Reviews
24% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
A stunning successor, a tense and pictorially dazzling science-fiction chase melodrama that sustains two hours of elaborate adventure while sneaking up on you emotionally.
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 2,227 User Ratings
9.0
94% Positive
2092 Ratings
2092 Ratings
2% Mixed
40 Ratings
40 Ratings
4% Negative
95 Ratings
95 Ratings
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 2,227 User Ratings
9.0
94% Positive
2092 Ratings
2092 Ratings
2% Mixed
40 Ratings
40 Ratings
4% Negative
95 Ratings
95 Ratings
The empire strikes back continues a story by keeping the legacy good and rich.
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The balance between action and mysticism in The Empire Strikes Back provides fascinating energy. It's as if the kids are given one set of delights, the bravado of battles and elaborate warships zooming through exotic space, and adults are given another, a layered explanation of what it all means in the grand scheme of things. [Special Edition]
While Empire doesn't quite measure up to Star Wars in the freshness and originality of its script, and the plethora of space operas that has been jamming the screens ever since Star Wars has somewhat lessened the novelty of city-sized ships sailing the stratosphere, nevertheless this 20th Century-Fox release remains a rattling good entertainment, a worthy successor to the original — and far and away the best of its kind since Star Wars itself.
In many ways the new film is a better film than Star Wars, visually more exciting, more artful and meticulous in detail. As a special effects wizard, Lucas fairly dazzles the eye with his optical magic.
The total effect is fast and attractive and occasionally amusing. Like a good hot dog, that's something of an achievement in a field where unpalatable junk is the rule.
Mainly it's marking time: the characters take a definite backseat to the special effects, and much of the action seems gratuitous, leading nowhere.
disclaimer for those who don't know me personally and haven't heard about it until today - The Empire Strikes Back is my favorite movie to such an extreme degree that next to the poster for "Uterus", my first film in my room, there is an even bigger and even bigger poster of, you guessed it, "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back". And when I heard that the Tel Aviv Cinematheque was doing this event, of screening the films of the original trilogy one after the other, I realized that I had to be at least at the screening of the Empire. There's no way I'm going to miss an opportunity to see this movie for the first time on a big screen. Wow, what an experience that was. First of all, I didn't expect it, but the hall was full of fanatical fans who clapped and cried with excitement at every nonsense, and it warmed my heart, made me cry myself, and upgraded the viewing experience about 1000 times. This film was and remains a temporary masterpiece in everything to do with building characters and the processes they go through, brilliant villain construction, set and scenery design, effects, cinematography, editing, use of colors, everything here is simply above any other film I've seen. And you can still discover something new here every time you watch it again. The real narrative ark of this movie, with all due respect to Luke and his father, is the Millennium Falcon - the whole movie is building for us this moment of the transition to the lightspeed. The whole movie they try - and fail. Something in the first movie in the series was obvious, and once it happens - it's so satisfying, because for two hours you watched a movie whose entire purpose was to struggle to do something they did easily in the first movie. Princess Leia, for example, is always lit in a bright, washed-out white light, due to her being a princess. So many meanings, wisdom, precise and sophisticated cinematic expression. A film that was ahead of its time, that you are easily drawn into and cannot get back out of, and most importantly - show me another film that is able to fill a cinema theater like this today, more than 40 years after it was released. Masterpiece, Masterpiece, Masterpiece!
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Si tengo en cuenta lo que me divierte verla diría que es la mejor de las originales, pero siendo realista el timing de gran parte del film es un problema muy grave siendo de las originales 6 películas la que tiene este particular problema mas marcado. Mientras luke se encuentra entrenando en lo que parecen ser días o semanas (quizás más) han se encuentra escapando de una nave imperial por, como mucho, horas.
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This is my least favorite Star Wars movie. I don't know why this considered to be the best Star Wars movie out of all of them and bashing the other Star Wars movies negatively? I really think of the issues that I have with this film is: I really think Irvin Kershner should have fix some stuff that could have been might improve it to be better such as have a scene where Stormtroopers shooting citizens at Cloud City that makes them more threatening, the asteroid scene pacing needs to be better, needs space battles, Luke and Darth Vader fight scene needs to be better, I think Darth Vader should done a dog fight with Han Solo in space instead of being chased down by Tie Fighters, I wished Luke's partner needs more screen time and development for Luke for the Battle of Hoth, have Boba Fett shoot someone, I think maybe have a scene of Yoda mentioned about what happened during at the Jedi Order and his mother to Luke, I think the Wampa scene should have Luke not harm it like Mark Hamill wanted, and maybe have the other Bounty Hunters have more screen time as well.
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Production Company
Lucasfilm
Release Date May 21, 1980
Duration 2 h 4 m
Rating PG
Tagline The Adventure Continues...
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 2 Wins & 4 Nominations
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Nomination
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 5 Wins & 10 Nominations
