Light saber's down the best of all 6 of the movies - The ChThe Empire Strikes Backroni Reviews

According to Georgie himself this is the middle act of the first 3 films or technichally the last three films in the Saga that follows the trials and tribulations of Anakin, ObeWan, Padmae, Luke, Leah, and Han! There are no cutsie little characters running around or comedy relief CGI inserted ones either (thank goodness). Instead we open up to the Planet Hoth where the rebells have made an operational base and are still fighting the good fight against the Emperor and the dreaded Darth Vader! The scene in the igloo like rebel station is filled with tension between Leah and Han and their growing attraction to one another! By now Vader's taste for the young Skywalker is growing stronger and he is on a mission to lure him over to the Dark side. Much the way he himself was "turned" he appeals to his love and loyalty of his friends and their immenent doom in Cloud City. Luke is placed in a horrible position to stay with Yoda and continue his training or leave to save his friends from their certain fate!The best part of the movie is now upon us! After facing capture and torture in Cloud City for no apparant reason other than being affilaited with the Rebel alliance and Luke; "they never even asked me any questions!" Han Solo, Vader decides to test the trap he has set for Luke on Han. This is the CARBON FREEZE that he lowered into and put into hybernation until such time as he will be awoken. The trick is to survive the freezing process. The lighting , the tension, the music, the wookie screaming for his master, C3PO completely disheveled in pieces on Chewies back, and the look that Princess Leah has on her face as she watches helplessly as Han is placed on the crude contraption... what a set up! How the hell will they get out of this one! Guess what they don't! That's what makes this movie so great! They finally accknowledge that they are not immune to falling prey to a trap set by old Anakin himself! After all of those blaster fights and space chase scenes it has finally caught up with them! And our Anti-Hero is slowly dipped after the slick and too cool for school dialogue betweeen him and Leah who say's " I love you!" Han answers back without missing a beat " I know." Well he actually does survive and is quickly handed over to Boba Fete to be taken as his bounty to Jabba the Hut for old debts Han did not take care of. Meanwhile Luke has come to save the day and unbeknownced to him has walked right into the trap set for him. As Leah, C3PO, Chewie are being lead out with Lando to Darth Vaders shuttle Leah breaks freee to warn Luke that its a trap! Soon Luke realizes that he must face Darth and meets him face to face in the abandonded part of Cloud City. It is a dark, omnious, and telling place that is outlined with red lighting on the ground and the carbon chamber reset now to catch Luke. The saber's are drawn, one red and the other blue, both belonging to Darth Vader at one time or another (a fact unknown to Luke at this point as Obe Wan told him that the light saber was his father's Anakin Skywalker), Vader is anxious to see how far he has come in his Jedi training, evidence of his mastery will be with his use of the saber! He comes at Luke with relentless strength pushing him into the chamber very quickly and using his command of the force to point and activate the freezing apperatice, "All too easy," he says as the carbon begins too freeze! Luke also can manipulate his use of the force and jusy as it turns on he catipultes himself out of the chamber to hear Darth Vader reply,"Impressive most impressive!" Luke quickly retorts," You'll find I'm full of surprises!" The fight is ON! Back and forth it goes but Vader finally has a one up on Luke as he loosens parts of the interior building out on Luke at full speed, the window is broken and he is sent to the outer portion of the space station. Luke slammes into the shoulder portion of Darths medal body, and he actually screams in pain, evidence there still is a man underneath all of the blackened terror! He then reacts with one fail swoop and cuts Lukes hand off, as it clutches his old saber and falls into space! Luke is in a crunch he is looking at the end of a light saber and given only 2 choices, join Vader or die! Just as he has given into his death by letting go of the rail, Vader tells him " Obe Wan never told you what really happened to your father," Luke " he told me enough, he told me that you killed him!" Vader" No, Luke I am your father!" This sends Luke over the edge literally! He releases his grip and plunges to what seems to be his demise! By this time Leah, Chewie and the driods have escaped with the aid of Lando and are being chased by a band of Stormtrooper pilots! Luke has managed to fall out of a garbage chute and hang on with his one hand to some kind of antenna! He calls to Leah, " Hear me, Leah hear me." Princess Leah makes them turn the Falcon around and comes across Luke at the last minute to save his life! They pull away and Luke is lead to a bed to rest, being called by his fathjer and in turn calling back to Obe Wan as to why he did not tell him! Finally as looks like the Falcon might be taken R-2 fixes the hyperdrive and they make into light speed and back to safety! They are back in the safe hands of the rebel alliance and Luke has just received his first mechanical hand, much like his fathers, this is certainly a foreshadowing into the future for him as he must still grapple with the good and bad side of the force. He, Leah and the driods look on as Chewie and Lando gas up the old Falcon to go and find Han. The music is qued and they drive away! Leaving our band of hopefulls to face an uncertain future! Too bad George didn't employ the same director for the next installment! Cheers! Stacey :)