Groundbreaking in terms of it’s visual effects and nostalgic in the simplicity of it’s sci-fi serial story, Star Wars ticked all the right boxes for so many people. It’s hard to dissociate A New Hope from the cultural phenomenon it helped create, but when you do, it stands as an impressive film on it’s own. It’s a formula that every Hollywood and Bollywood blockbuster strives and more often than not fails to follow.
A cacaphony of sight and sound that could draw mass audiences and create a lasting impression. Lucas had the bold idea of using cinema for it’s absolute worth- more than just a storytelling medium but a theatrical one. The sheer audacity of his vision and his determination in executing it despite the naysaying from producers and supposed friends. However, it’s pretty damn impossible to ignore what he achieved with Star Wars in 1977. I’ll be the first in line to make fun of dorky George Lucas and his woeful attempts at writing dialogue or romance. The emotional crux of Empire lies not in the most memorable twist, but in the moments immediately following it - In Luke and Leia reaching out to each other, reconnecting a relationship that was lost, rekindling hope in the force after we thought it was lost. Often misinterpreted as playfully hostile or sassy, there’s a real and endearing sense of affection between them, particularly in the infamous “I love you”/”I know” line- shedding their previously petty flirtation and affirming their true feelings. As Han and Leia, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher create authenticity to their characters’ relationship. Mark Hamill not only fleshes out Luke’s character, but in his training with Yoda and his duel with Vader he establishes the profound nature of the force, and how every future character interacts with it. The performances here are some of the strongest in the entire franchise. A richly complex melodrama lies at the heart of Empire, giving a whole new meaning to the term “space opera”. There’s a wealth of world-building and character development here that in many ways makes Star Wars the living breathing universe it is now. Upon close consideration, I’ve come to the shocking conclusion that Empire is the best Star Wars film.
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