I’m now on film number five in my rewatching and reviewing of 7 Star Wars movies in 7 days. I would say the majority of Star Wars fans have Empire as their favourite, but I’ve never really been amongst them. I’m not sure why but I just don’t have the same nostalgia factor for Empire and don’t enjoy watching it as much as some of the others.

I totally get that in many ways Empire is a better film in terms of the quality of directing and also the script. The best character development is in this film. But I just don’t particularly like all the locations, and I think the overall structure of the film is lacking something. Maybe it’s suffering from middle film syndrome as it doesn’t have a proper start of proper ending. Even just the colours of the film aren’t as strong as others though. It’s all white and blue and pink in this one whereas the other films have richer hues. And I find some of the scenes a bit slow.

There are, however, some great moments in this film and a lot of them involve Vader and the Empire. It really is the film where we learn the awesomeness of the Dark Side. And I lost count of how many times we heard the Imperial march, which was introduced in this film, which is extremely cool. It’s a great film, but you’ll see in my rankings below that I still don’t have it higher than the original star Wars.

GOOD POINTS
• Much better writing and direction. There’s a proper script and proper character development
• I love Han’s attitude towards Luke being lost on Hoth and how he doesn’t hesitate to go and rescue him
• The first time you see the AT-ATs. Stunning
• Han and Leia’s banter – “Who’s scruffy looking?”
• The Imperial March
• Tie Bombers
• The Super Star Destroyer
• Mr Bronson’s appearance
• Vader’s meditation chamber
• How ruthless Vader is in the number of officers he kills
• Seeing the back of Vader’s head without his helmet on
• Leia. She’s such a strong character throughout the trilogy but she’s really strong in this one. You particularly see her acumen at being a military leader
• Yoda’s acting skills, before he reveals who he is
• Backpack Yoda
• The scene with Vader in the woods
• The bounty hunters
• Boba Fett. The personification of cool
• “Do, or do not. There is no try.”
• Lando
• Han firing right away at Vader in Cloud City
• “I love you.” “I know.”
• The biggest reveal in cinema history. Darth Vader being Luke’s father
• I love the final shot with them looking out at the galaxy

BAD POINTS
• I find the whole Hoth bit a little boring and long. Not enough cuts to the Empire
• The sibling kiss
• I find the asteroid scene a bit slow too
• I don’t like the visual tone of this one as much as the other films. The whites of Hoth and the blues of Dagobah don’t grab me as much as other locations in the series
• I hate how Lando changes into one of Han’s Millennium Falcon outfits
• It doesn’t have a proper ending

RANKING
1. Ep 4: A New Hope
2. Ep 5: The Empire Strikes Back
3. Ep 3: Revenge of the Sith
4. Ep 2: Attack of the Clones
5. Ep 1: The Phantom Menace