Real bad guys wear black (but they hurt inside) - The ChThe Empire Strikes Backroni Reviews

STAR WARS: EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (named in homage to the matinee serials of the 1940s) is the finest film of George Lucas' "Trilogy," and it was re-released with enhanced special effects and added scenes in 1997. The evil EMPIRE that controls a huge, intergalactic federation attempts to smash the rebellion headed by Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) after the successful, initial raid that was the subject of the first film (STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE, known simply as STAR WARS). But, while the EMPIRE plans its offensive, the rebels are regrouping, as well. Most significantly, the young warrior Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is completing his training as a Jedi knight under the tutelage of the esoteric -- and, let's face it; cuddly -- Jedi master, Yoda (voice of Frank Oz). Improving on the spectacular special effects introduced in the first film and maintaining the sparks-and-action quotient, EMPIRE enhances the thematic blend of these films and expands the characterizations of their central players. Specifically, EMPIRE accelerated a New Age revival in popular culture with its metaphysical concept of "The Force," and it fleshed-out the spiritual dimensions of its arch-villain, Darth Vader (voice of James Earl Jones), in a way that was reminiscent of the great epic sagas of classical mythology. Even though the struggle depicted in these films is a military confrontation over the governance of the material world, there are thematic undercurrents about salvaging our humanity in a hegemony of machines. There is the question of whether spirituality has any use in a scientific society. When Luke makes his final approach to bomb the Death Star, the disembodied voice of the dead Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) urges him to use The Force. Heartened, Luke brushes aside his computerized visor and wings it, relying solely on his human, and spiritual, instincts. Still, the film remains thoroughly entertaining, with the exploits of the two lovable 'droids,' R2D2 and C3PO, providing comic relief while the fledgling relationship between Princess Leia and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) imbues the film with a romantic element. But, the dramatic wallop comes with the shocking revelations at the end of the film about the relationship of young Master Luke to the villain, Lord Vader. The soap-opera-like disclosure is seized upon by the film-makers to add pathos to the great fiend, for instance, when Luke dreams that he unmasks Vader to find his own face behind the dehumanizing, machine-like facade. The great thing about these films is that, even if you don't get the thematic messages embedded in them (which, at some level, everyone is bound to understand), there is so much more to them. Even a child will enjoy these movies, and it is a fact that children seem to cherish them most. (Carlos Colorado)