The Empire Strikes Back (1980), PG, ★★★★

NOOOOOO!!!!! 

Ah, yes, the sequel. This is the movie that is in the canon of sequels that are better than its predecessor and in my opinion, it is definitely in the top 3 with Terminator 2: Judgment Day and The Dark Knight. With the adventure that was in the first movie, this is the movie that takes the sci-fi suspense and special effects grandeur to a whole other level. Plus, this movie serves as a test of will and courage for the characters to against the Empire after three years since they destroyed the first Death Star. You know that the Empire will strike back with all their might and everything they got and they make the main characters vulnerable, hence the title.

Three years after the Death Star has been destroyed, the Rebel Alliance is being settled in the icy planet, Hoth. Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) is leading a contingent which includes Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). However, Luke witnesses a potential meteor strike but is ambushed by a wampa. He eventually escapes from its cave but suffers from its icy-cold temperatures. When suffering, his late mentor's, Obi-Wan Kenobi's (Alec Guinness), spirit appears and instructs him to go the Dagobah system to train to become a Jedi Knight under Jedi Master Yoda (Frank Oz). He is eventually found by Han but puts him in a dead tauntaun for warmth and shelter.

On patrol, Han and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) discover a probe droid from the Empire which warns them about their location. They launch an attack against the Rebels using large AT-AT walkers to capture the base. Han, Leia, Chewie and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) escape from the base via the Millennium Falcon but their hyperspace drive keeps malfunctioning. They hide in an asteroid field, which draws both Han and Leia to develop a loving relationship. Meanwhile, Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones) hires Boba Fett, a bounty hunter, to capture that Falcon.

Luke, on the other hand, escapes with R2-D2 into the Dagobah system and crash lands on the swampy planet. He discovers a small, green creature named Yoda and Yoda reluctantly accepts Luke, after communicating with Obi-Wan's spirit, to become his pupil. After escaping the Imperial Fleet, Han and company lands on Cloud City, a floating gas mining colony on Bespin run by Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), Han's old friend. However, the Millennium Falcon was tracked by Boba Fett and that allows Vader and his stormtroopers to capture them and have Han (spoiler alert), frozen in carbonite. When Luke sees a vision of Han and Leia in danger, he leaves Dagobah to go save them against Yoda's wishes.

Luke, search your feelings and you know it to be true.

Boy, this is the cream of the Oreo cookie sandwich and even though I hate to use food puns, it is true because the movie has so much going for the continuing storyline that we have to navigate the characters' adventure and danger from escaping the Imperial Fleet. When I watched this movie again, I did not just observe how greater the special effects are again compared to the first movie, but I observed the social and psychological aesthetic of the characters. Han was a smuggler but grew to become a soldier in the Rebel Fleet and become more emotionally attached to Leia regardless of the danger going on around them. The romance does work.

As for Luke, on the other hand, he was a whiny little brat in the first movie but becomes more though-provoking and interesting as he discovers the obstacles of the Force and Darth Vader himself. When he learns the ways of the Force, he discovers how to balance the Force and also see premonitions of his friends being in danger. Luke becomes more vulnerable and a bit more mature when learning the ways of the Force and also of Darth Vader. All of the scenes in the Dagobah system is psychologically and philosophically stimulating.

Now, onto the BIG SPOILER. When Luke learns about Darth Vader being his father, that is a powerful scene in addition to their duel being one of the best lightsaber fights in the Star Wars canon. It was horrifying and shocking to find out that revelation as we feel Luke's pain about the truth as he attempts to commit suicide. It builds onto the continuing suspense with the next movie and persuades Luke to mature more as a Jedi and as a person knowing that Vader is his father.

Now, why do I think that this is the best movie of the franchise? It is because it is flawless in terms of direction, thanks to Irvin Kershner, and the score by John Williams again. His love theme is considered is one of the best scores I have ever heard. The story structured beautifully in terms of balancing the humor, drama, action and surprise with great philosophical dialogue that evokes us to apply it to life. This is one of the best sci-fi operas ever made and this tackles the emotional balance for the characters to go through when threatened by the Empire.

Onto the final chapter, Return of the Jedi...

****