Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

This is the sixth review in a series for the SciFi Drive's Star Wars Blogathon.

After the rousing success of the original Star Wars, the world held its breath (figuratively) for the coming sequel. Many wondered what would await them; another rousing action-packed serial? More wide-eyed wonder? Another celebration of good vs. evil?

Sort of. But in three years time a decision was made that the young heroes we knew back in 1977 were to take on more maturity, more responsibility; learn the hard lessons the universe had to teach.

In other words, it was time to grow up.

The Empire Strikes Back brought us again to the same epic struggle we left in the original, this time with a decided shift in tone. The exuberance was more subdued, the characters smiled less frequently. And there was much more to think about - for those on both sides of the screen.

While hiding with the Rebels on the ice planet Hoth, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is struggling to continue his Jedi training, while Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) find their bickering resentment warming to less hostile emotions. All this time, Darth Vader is still in search for their whereabouts, for reasons both professional and personal. Also along for the adventures to come are squabbling droids R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), as well as Han‘s shaggy co-pilot/friend Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew). And a mysterious bounty hunter named Boba Fett (Jeremy Bulloch) lurks waiting in the shadows.

Their travels lead from the swamp-bound planet Dagobah to planet Bespin’s hovering colony called Cloud City, and to meetings with conniving sharpster Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) and small green alien Yoda, the last of the Jedi Knights.

This time out, George Lucas settled for producing this next installment, leaving the directing to other hands. His story, however, has not faltered and if anything grew stronger in this chapter. For reasons we see as we continue to watch, the characters grow in their own ways also because of the their strengths and, more importantly, their failures.

Director Irvin Kershner (The Eyes of Laura Mars, RoboCop 2) brought with him an artistic eye that seemed to note the same details of age and wear that Lucas did in the original. There are more scenes, however, that depend on artistic conceits (zoom shots, backlit shots) than before, also. Certainly not a complaint, mind you: just an observation.

An interesting note about the script: it was first drafted by Leigh Brackett (writer of classics like The Big Sleep, Hatari!, The Long Goodbye and Rio Bravo) who unfortunately succumbed to cancer before completing it. Lucas liked what she had, though, and turned the completion over to up-and-coming writer Lawrence Kasdan, who would come into his own in the years to follow.

The story, as mentioned before, follows the emotional and mental growth of the principals through difficult choices, challenging emotions and resolutions that may not have had the audiences standing up and cheering but were logical paths of action for a film like this. On that count, we are entering into a more emotional realm of science fiction here.

The acting is better as well; Hamill successfully segues from brash and cocky to angry and confused during the course of action. And by the end of his light saber battle with Vader, he is a mess both physically and emotionally. Definitely not the same person we saw talking about bulls-eyeing womp rats three years ago.

Ford and Fisher carry off what could have been a sappy, soft-headed romantic sub-plot rather easily. Instead of turning all mushy, they trade barbs and tenderness at the same time, often with amusing results (She: "I’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee!" He: "I can arrange that!"). And even though their last exchange together was reportedly improvised, it held strong enough for those who watched them together up to that point: saying everything that needed to be said, with a wealth untold.

The special effects team had a harder time of it this go-around. Ralph McQuarrie, Ben Burtt, Richard Edlund, Harrison Ellenshaw and Joe Johnston remained from the earlier crew, but also was assembled a new group that made real an icy, frozen wasteland replete with snowy caves and whipping snowstorms; an impenetrable swamp world of greens and browns, where it almost seems to rain forever; and a sterile, spotless spinning wheel of a space station where small red scout ships whip by and small half-pig/half-man creatures work in its bowels. Not as many aliens this time out, but maybe that’s just as well. Instead of being mesmerized by so many fantastic creatures, more attention had to be paid to the story.

And Yoda; a more important creature was never made for a story such as this. First seen as a small dottering creature that’s a seeming scavenger and nuisance, he slowly reveals himself to be the wisest and most observant creature imaginable. Voiced and manipulated by Frank Oz, his movements are fluid and easy, his voice creaky and gruff, issuing wise platitudes and gruff instructions to a bewildered Luke. My favorite scene with Yoda shows him later giving a glowing example of why Luke’s lack of faith in himself and his powers will always lead him to failure.

So this is indeed an important film in this saga for many reasons; the most important of which is that there is no clear-drawn victory this time out, perhaps in observation to those who complained of the original’s simplistic good-guys-win-in-the-end finale. And perhaps, also, because the Star Wars universe also has times when there are no simple avenues to take.

Each path you travel has a consequence; Luke could simply have ignored the ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) telling him to seek out Yoda. Han could have ignored his feelings for Leia and ran off to avoid capture by the bounty hunters seeking him. Darth Vader could have struck down Luke several times and been finished. We could have been subjected to a movie where, once again, good fights against evil and wins. But no; ugly questions raise their heads to be answered, problematic emotions come into play like love and guilt and redemption. I know, I know: it‘s in the script. But would a happier ending have made sense? Wouldn’t that make it simply a rehash of what had gone before? Of course, and it wouldn’t have been as compelling, otherwise.

So many praised The Empire Strikes Back as a landmark film that it topped many “Best Movies of 1980” lists, even the lists of people who ordinarily didn’t like science fiction. That is the point of a good movie, however; it reaches across all demographics and holds a mirror up to the things we face (perhaps not in the same way/circumstance/universe) and asks us if this isn’t the same way we would perceive a situation and react to it. Maybe not all of us are as brave, resourceful or good-looking as a movie hero but if they give us a plausible person acting plausible, then it celebrates the human condition.

The Empire Strikes Back is indeed a celebration of all of us, human and alien.

And of growing up.