Star Wars Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back is a significant leap forward in filmmaking, building on the foundation laid by its predecessor. The movie showcased improvement in many areas, such as the visual aspect. It features more dynamic and inventive camera movements that enhance the depth of each scene. Vader’s suit and audio are some of the best features in the whole movie, in my opinion; the intricate helmet details complement the simplicity of the bodysuit well. The writing has improved, as with most movies; however, the pacing is still an issue. There are moments when the film struggles to allow viewers to fully absorb a scene, like when the Millennium Falcon is stuck in the asteroid. The encounter with the enormous worm-like creature feels somewhat rushed, lacking the attention it deserves during their escape.

Although, a very good aspect of the movie was Yoda, as most of the movie is centered around him training Luke Skywalker. Yoda has to be entertaining, and the producers succeeded with that. He is extremely fun to watch, especially when he is bullying Luke. The pacing of the training sequences feels more balanced compared to the rest of the film, considering it takes around half the movie to be “completed,” or at least have it be satisfactory to Yoda.

However, the iconic reveal of Vader as Luke’s father is one of my least favorites. Only because it introduces a trope that often feels overused: a character’s enemy being related to them in some way, leading to them having a very boring and drawn-out dilemma.

In summary, The Empire Strikes Back is a marked improvement over the first film in many respects, and I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t yet experienced this classic.