Star Wars: Episode V Movie Review

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

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Written by: Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan (screenplay by), George Lucas (story by)
Directed by: Irvin Kershner
Starring: Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher,  Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, Frank Oz, Jeremy Bulloch
Rated: PG

Plot
After the rebels are overpowered by the Empire on their newly established base, Luke Skywalker begins Jedi training with Master Yoda while Han, Leia, & Chewie head to Cloud city as Darth Vader hunts them in a plan to capture Luke.

Verdict
Episode V is much darker and more nuanced than Episode IV. It has a focus on action that keeps the pacing tight. I like it more than IV because it also firmly establishes the characters and their motivations while correcting some of the shortcomings. The characters have a real sense of fear and the tension remains high.
There are more than a few iconic scenes and lines of dialog. It also looks good, the cinematography is a step above, and it should be. There are some great sets to see. The creativity and craft of Star Wars is always impressive. The designs of the machines and characters endure as does the imprint of this series. It's the rare sequel that surpasses the original.
It's been many years since I've seen this, and I didn't realize just how good it is.
Watch it.

Review
I like Episode V more than IV. Where IV started a bit slow, this jumps right into the action. There's a massive fight on Hoth and we're introduced to AT-ATs. Technically these machines have huge shortcomings, but they look really cool. The stakes are always high in the movie, lending it a level of tension we didn't always have in Episode IV.

This movie is much more cinematic that Episode IV. The subject matter lends itself to really cool shots and Episode V takes full advantage, from showing off the ships and equipment to the incredibly moody battle at the end between Luke and Darth Vader. This is a great looking movie.

Part of it's strength is doubling down on the characters. Luke has a lot more agency, having developed his powers of the force. He's determined and afraid.
Solo is still a scoundrel, but right from the jump we see that he and Luke have a strong friendship. Solo claims to only care about himself, but we see the contradiction clearly. He sacrificed because his friend Luke was in trouble.

This movie expands the universe with Luke looking for Master Yoda, a Jedi that can train him in the force. At the same time, Solo and Leia are trying to hide from the Empire, pursued by the now iconic Boba Fett. He's a character that doesn't do much, but looks so cool. His only purpose is to lead Vader to Han, and he only has a few lines of dialog, but that design makes him instantly memorable. That's part of why Star Wars endures, the designs are fantastic, really bolstering this world. The detail makes this a lived in world where equipment is well used, scratched, and scarred. Star Wars imagined a world that felt lived in, it didn't seem like a stage set.

Luke's impatience is contrasted with Yoda's measured pace. Can Luke control his emotions enough to become a powerful Jedi, or will his youth inhibit that?
Darth Vader is searching for Luke, sensing something special about him through the force. In this movie, Vader seems to be operating independently, where in the last movie he seemed to be Tarkin's minion. He's still following orders in this movie, but by and large he operates on his own.

This movie has a huge reveal about Luke's lineage. While nearly thirty years old, I won't spoil it but you can probably quote the line. Luke's greatest fear, evidenced by his exploration into the dark side with Yoda is succumbing to the dark side. He's been told he has a lot of rage, like his father who did succumb to the dark side. While Yoda urges him to learn control, Luke must save his friends and abandons training.
Vader wants to recruit Luke because the force is strong in him. Vader sees an ally. That is Yoda's fear. There's a lot of nuance to Episode V that we didn't see previously.

While this is a product of the time, Leia as fierce as she is, more than once tells Solo to stop, stop holding her, stop blocking her from leaving. It's uncomfortable as Solo is forcing her into submission. While the movie is trying to foster this attraction between them masked in disagreement, it could be told better than having Solo trying to overpower her.
It's a darker movie with a focus on action.  While you would never watch this movie without seeing Episode IV, it does a solid job of standing on it's own. It also does a great job of establishing these characters and their motivations. While Luke cuts his training short, it's because he's compelled to save his friends despite his fears that forsaking training could have consequences.
While Episode IV tapped into the fantasy adventure, this goes a bit more gritty. There's a cost to war and good and bad isn't always so easily separated.