Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

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Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

PG

1980

2h 7m

Sci-Fi

Adventure

Action

Fantasy

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Popcornmeter

93%

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174 Reviews

97%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

The adventure continues in this "Star Wars" sequel. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) face attack by the Imperial forces and its AT-AT walkers on the ice planet Hoth. While Han and Leia escape in the Millennium Falcon, Luke travels to Dagobah in search of Yoda. Only with the Jedi master's help will Luke survive when the dark side of the Force beckons him into the ultimate duel with Darth Vader (David Prowse).

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Critics Consensus

Dark, sinister, but ultimately even more involving than A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back defies viewer expectations and takes the series to heightened emotional levels.

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David Denby

New York Magazine/Vulture

Apr 24

A Wagnerian pop movie -- grandiose, thrilling, imperiously generous in scale, and also a bit ponderous... The throwaway wit and the recondite references to old movies have been replaced with solemn reverence.

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Jack Mathews

Detroit Free Press

Apr 24

The Empire Strikes Back will deserve whatever it earns. Despite the inevitable loss of exhilaration moviegoers will experience from a second installment, it is an extraordinarily broad audience entertainment.

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Peter Travers

Gannett Westchester Rockland Newspapers

Apr 24

After 10 minutes into The Empire Strikes Back, I realized that I was getting more than I bargained for. This film was not a sequel at all, but a freshly conceived movie marvel.

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Lane Mills

InSession Film

Jun 9

A+

A New Hope was first but there wouldn’t be a Star Wars as it stands today without The Empire Strikes Back.

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Robert A. Masullo

Sacramento Bee

Apr 24

An audio-visual super-duper-spectacle, worth every penny of the $22 million it took to make. The continuation of the Star Wars saga is a cornucopia of treats that move along so briskly you're afraid you'll miss something if you blink.

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Khris

09/26/2020

watching it in a theater proves that a movie thats 40 years old is still better than the sequel trilogy

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Suzan L

07/11/2020

Nice to be back at the movies with safety measures in place. Classic films being shown, so I got to see Empire Strikes Back in the theatre for the first in years.

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Chris P

@Xiao_Proxies 4d

The Empire Strikes Back isn't just a sequel-it's a cinematic elevation. Rarely does a second chapter in a saga surpass the original, but here, it doesn't just match A New Hope-it deepens, darkens, and perfects everything that came before. From the snowy battles of Hoth to the swamps of Dagobah and the sleek betrayal on Cloud City, this film delivers an atmosphere of tension, maturity, and emotional weight. The rebellion feels fragile. The Empire feels truly menacing. The stakes are real, and the character arcs take center stage. Luke Skywalker begins to face the true cost of being a hero. Han and Leia's relationship blossoms with genuine charm and conflict. Darth Vader evolves into more than just a villain-he becomes mythic. And of course, that twist. That moment. Arguably the most famous plot twist in cinema history. Even people who've never seen the film know it. That's how deeply this film has etched itself into pop culture.

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Guilherme M

@RT21202523 5d

Maybe the best Star Wars film out there. Every aspect of this movie is amazing, the fights are epic, the story is amazing and develops well, I can't even believe it's just three years apart from A New Hope (that's also a great film, but nothing compared to The Empire Strikes Back). After watching this I'm definitely involved into the star wars franchise (I'm watching in the 4 5 6 1 2 3 7 8 9 order). Not forgetting to mention it is one of the, if not the most classic and memorable Star Wars film, featuring the iconic "Luke I am your father" speech. It's a 11/10. Would watch again.

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Zane M.

@RT31220546 Apr 9

This movie is great. It has great action, beautiful scenery (Bespin), and does an excellent job continuing on from the original as well as continuing to set up for the trilogy’s end. The score musical score is 👌.

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Matthew P.

@mattyp1977 Apr 6

The best of the Star Wars franchise.

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Irvin Kershner

Director

Mark Hamill

Luke Skywalker

Harrison Ford

Han Solo

Carrie Fisher

Princess Leia

Billy Dee Williams

Lando Calrissian

Anthony Daniels

C-3PO

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Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back: Trailer 2

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Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back: Teaser Trailer 1

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Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

The adventure continues in this "Star Wars" sequel. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) face attack by the Imperial forces and its AT-AT walkers on the ice planet Hoth. While Han and Leia escape in the Millennium Falcon, Luke travels to Dagobah in search of Yoda. Only with the Jedi master's help will Luke survive when the dark side of the Force beckons him into the ultimate duel with Darth Vader (David Prowse).

Director: Irvin Kershner
Producer: Gary Kurtz
Screenwriter: Lawrence Kasdan, Leigh Brackett
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Rating: PG (Sci-Fi Action Violence)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 21, 1980, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Nov 19, 1982
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 10, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $291.9M
Runtime: 2h 7m
Sound Mix: Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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