AdventureActionScience Fiction

The Empire Strikes Back

- The Star Wars saga continues.

The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.

Release Date : 1980-05-20

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Lucasfilm Ltd.

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes BackThe Empire Strikes Back: StarWars IIStar Wars: The Empire Strikes BackStar Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes BackStar Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back - Despecialized EditionThe Empire Strikes Back (Despecialized Edition)Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Special EditionStar Wars 4K80Star Wars V DespecializedStar Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Episode V)Star Wars V - The Empire Strikes Back

Cast

Character Name : Luke Skywalker

Original Name : Mark Hamill

Gender : Male

Character Name : Han Solo

Original Name : Harrison Ford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Princess Leia

Original Name : Carrie Fisher

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lando Calrissian

Original Name : Billy Dee Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : C-3PO

Original Name : Anthony Daniels

Gender : Male

Character Name : Darth Vader

Original Name : David Prowse

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chewbacca

Original Name : Peter Mayhew

Gender : Male

Character Name : R2-D2

Original Name : Kenny Baker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Yoda (Voice)

Original Name : Frank Oz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Obi-Wan Kenobi

Original Name : Alec Guinness

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boba Fett

Original Name : Jeremy Bulloch

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boba Fett (voice - uncredited)

Original Name : Jason Wingreen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lando's Aide

Original Name : John Hollis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chief Ugnaught

Original Name : Jack Purvis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Snow Creature

Original Name : Des Webb

Gender : Male

Character Name : Performing Assistant for Yoda

Original Name : Kathryn Mullen

Gender : Female

Character Name : Emperor (uncredited)

Original Name : Marjorie Eaton

Gender : Female

Character Name : Emperor (voice)

Original Name : Clive Revill

Gender : Male

Character Name : Admiral Piett

Original Name : Kenneth Colley

Gender : Male

Character Name : General Veers

Original Name : Julian Glover

Gender : Male

Character Name : Admiral Ozzel

Original Name : Michael Sheard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Captain Needa

Original Name : Michael Culver

Gender : Male

Character Name : Captain Lennox

Original Name : John Dicks

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bewil

Original Name : Milton Johns

Gender : Male

Character Name : Commander Nemet

Original Name : Mark Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cabbel

Original Name : Oliver Maguire

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lieutenant Venka

Original Name : Robin Scobey

Gender : Male

Character Name : General Carlist Rieekan

Original Name : Bruce Boa

Gender : Male

Character Name : Zev Senesca

Original Name : Christopher Malcolm

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wedge Antilles

Original Name : Denis Lawson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Derek "Hobbie" Klivian

Original Name : Richard Oldfield

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dak Ralter

Original Name : John Morton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wes Janson

Original Name : Ian Liston

Gender : Male

Character Name : Major Derlin

Original Name : John Ratzenberger

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cal Alder

Original Name : Jack McKenzie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rebel Force Head Controller

Original Name : Jerry Harte

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tamizander Rey

Original Name : Norman Chancer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jeroen Webb

Original Name : Norwich Duff

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tigran Jamiro

Original Name : Ray Hassett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Toryn Farr

Original Name : Brigitte Kahn

Gender : Female

Character Name : Wyron Serper

Original Name : Burnell Tucker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Imperial Officer (uncredited)

Original Name : Bob Anderson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stormtrooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Lightning Bear

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stormtrooper / Snowtrooper / Rebel Soldier / ... (uncredited)

Original Name : Richard Bonehill

Gender : Male

Character Name : Holographic Imperial Officer (uncredited)

Original Name : John Cannon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Officer M'kae (Captain Needa's Communications Officer) (uncredited)

Original Name : Mark Capri

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cloud City Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Martin Dew

Gender : Male

Character Name : Snowtrooper Gunner (uncredited)

Original Name : Peter Diamond

Gender : Male

Character Name : Snowtrooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Stuart Fell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Snowtrooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Doug Robinson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Snowtrooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Tony Smart

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bossk / Bespin Security Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Alan Harris

Gender : Male

Character Name : Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)

Original Name : James Earl Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rebel Pilot (uncredited)

Original Name : Mac McDonald

Gender : Male

Character Name : General McQuarrie (uncredited)

Original Name : Ralph McQuarrie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stormtrooper / Imperial Comms Officer / Rebel Soldier (uncredited)

Original Name : Ralph G. Morse

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wampa (uncredited)

Original Name : Terry Richards

Gender : Male

Character Name : Echo Base Trooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Treat Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hoth Rebel Commander (uncredited)

Original Name : Shaun Curry

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stormtrooper/Snowtrooper

Original Name : Alan Austen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stormtrooper/Snowtrooper

Original Name : Jim Dowdall

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hoth Trooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Tom Egeland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stormtrooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Alan Flyng

Gender : Male

Character Name : Imperial Officer / Stormtrooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Trevor Butterfield

Gender : Male

Character Name : Female Hoth Control Room Tech (uncredited)

Original Name : Mercedes Burleigh

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ugnaught (uncredited)

Original Name : Jane Busby

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dengar (uncredited)

Original Name : Maurice Bush

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stormtrooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Tony Clarkin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ugnaught (uncredited)

Original Name : Mike Edmonds

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rebel Technician on Hoth (uncredited)

Original Name : Walter Henry

Gender : Male

Character Name : AT-AT Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : Paul Jerricho

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hoth Rebel (uncredited)

Original Name : Joe Johnston

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stormtrooper / Chewbacca / Treva Horme / Solomahal (uncredited)

Original Name : Steven Meek

Gender : Male

Character Name : Snowtrooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Peter Roy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hoth Rebel Technician (uncredited)

Original Name : Stephanie English

Gender : Female

Character Name : Imperial Crewman (uncredited)

Original Name : Michael Leader

Gender : Male

Character Name : Willrow Hood (uncredited)

Original Name : Egbert Sen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Emperor (uncredited)

Original Name : Elaine Alexander

Gender : Female

Character Name : Snowtrooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Colin Hunt

Gender : Male

Reviews

Ian Beale

@IanBeale

2021-06-23

**Overrated ** An enjoyable film - just not as engaging as parts IV and VI. The argument that Jedi was ruined by little furry creatures is laughable as this instalment features a _little green muppet_. I was expecting Kermit and Miss Piggy to show up. Once we get the impressive Hoth battle over with the film meanders and crawls along - padding out its running time with predictable romantic sparring and an extended and dull sequence on Degobah. Things finally pick up again at Cloud City but not enough to justify the worship this film receives. I much prefer _Return of the Jedi_ to this one - at least Return of the Jedi gets the emotional juices flowing. This one leaves me as cold as the snow on Hoth. - Ian Beale

mindfroth

@mindfroth

2021-06-23

A masterpiece of cinema. The film transcends the franchise, seamlessly combining elements of myth, science fiction, fantasy, war film, romance, bildungsroman, epic and tragedy in a way that its sequels have been unable to replicate. It is a move without a moment of fluff. Cut anything and the film would suffer. Story, character, effects, cinematography, music, screenplay, acting, editing and action are all superb. One of the most artistically poignant films ever made. And because its style cannot be replicated, it will continue to appreciate with age. This was a time when George Lucas still had integrity, as evidenced in this 1980 Rolling Stone interview (he has since contradicted much of what he espouses in both word and deed): https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/the-empire-strikes-back-and-so-does-george-lucas-19800612 Here's a blog article shows Empire's cinematic chiasmus, or narrative symmetry: https://dejareviewer.com/2014/05/20/cinematic-chiasmus-the-empire-strikes-back-is-a-perfectly-symmetrical-film/ My favorite version is the Team Negative1 Renegade Grindhouse Edition, an unrestored 35mm scan complete with damage and dust. The Despecialized version is okay too. All official releases are desecrations. People may say that Star Wars is dead, but The Empire Strikes Back is deathless.

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

It's a dark time for the rebellion; and us the audience as well. Luke, Leia and Han are fighting with the rebels in the hope of defeating the Imperial forces. But Luke gets a calling to the planet Dagobah, where under the tutelage of Jedi Master, Yoda, he hopes to become a Jedi himself, but that also brings him closer to his, and Leia's, destiny. Lets tell it as it is, The Empire Strikes Back is a better film than Star Wars, not as impacting of course, but most definitely better. Technically, in story telling and in tone, it holds up well today and certainly warrants the amount of times it crops up in best sequels debates. That it's not actually a sequel is irrelevant, it is of course the filler in a wonderful sci-fi sandwich, because as second instalments go, Empire has few peers. With Empire Strikes Back we get all the whizz bang adventure strewn heart of Star Wars, but George Lucas (stepping aside for Irvin Kershner to direct) has also fleshed the story out with a serious dark tone that oddly becomes a bedfellow to the romantic fun on offer, where new and engaging characters (and creatures) add spice to this wonderful fantastical broth. Aided by the considerable writing talent of Leigh Brackett (The Long Goodbye, Rio Bravo, The Big Sleep), Lucas took the bold and ingenious step of giving the bad guys the upper hand, in fact it could be argued that he was taking a considerable risk with his ending. Forcing his viewers to wait for the final chapter (three years later), after tantalisingly setting us up with a corker of plot twist (one which is still to this day as potent as it was back on release), Lucas pulled perhaps one of the cheekiest carrot dangles in cinema history. Though more famed for its dark undertones, Empire is for sure still a very fun movie, C3PO goes into camp overdrive and Han Solo ups his quip quota by some margin. Then of course there is Yoda, in himself a comedic joy. The action sequences beg for repeat viewings, a battle on the ice laden planet Hoth is a marvel and the choreography for Skywalker's fight with Darth Vader is out of the top draw. But ultimately it's with the dark side that the picture excels. Complex and amazingly posing moral quandary's, The Empire Strikes Back is quite an experience, one that will forever hold up to repeat viewings for this particular viewer. 10/10

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

_**Fun, imaginative, iconic space adventure with a kick-axx cast**_ "Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) was the anticipated follow-up to the initial mega-hit blockbuster from 1977. It’s an epic, but simplistic space fantasy about an evil empire and the noble souls who dare to fight it. The main cast features Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and the voice work of James Earl Jones (Darth Vader), Frank Oz (Yoda) and Clive Revill (Emperor). This is an amusing, inventive, iconic space adventure with a stellar cast. While I prefer the adult-oriented space science-fiction of Star Trek, I can’t deny that this space fantasy grants you an entertaining two hours with lots of sci-fi action, space ships, a snowy planet, asteroid caves and mysterious swamps. I also appreciate the mind-powers angle. It doesn’t hurt that Fisher is in her prime and easy on the eyes, not to mention Ford and Williams are at their charismatic best. Even the more obscure Hamill shines in his boyish youth. Then there’s RD-D2, C-3PO and Chewbacca. The film runs 2 hours, 7 minutes. GRADE: B

r96sk

@r96sk

2021-06-23

Terrific, again. 'The Empire Strikes Back' follows up on the greatness of 'Star Wars' with a highly enjoyable sequel. This one feels like a big moment in the franchise, at least to someone who doesn't know what's upcoming, as we get sizeable moments alongside some cool character reveals. Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher continue to impress in their respective roles, as does James Earl Jones. Elsewhere, Billy Dee Williams and Frank Oz make for strong additions. There are, once again, fun roles for Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker. I'd say its predecessor has aged better - though that's not to say this film looks even the slightest bit bad, as it still looks fantastic throughout. The plot is as great as before, as is everything else really - namely the music, for one. I think I prefer the 1977 film over this, but there's barely anything separating the two in my thoughts to be honest. Both are awesome!

GenerationofSwine

@GenerationofSwine

2023-01-14

So, I was almost 1 when this movie dropped and, well, it started the opening night tradition. OK, well, how to do this? I guess we will start with the hate. I like to address the hate in movies, especially ones that are well regarded and loved. Now, I'll excuse it for the people that just don't like Star Wars. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But then there are the people that really hate Empire because of...reasons. And those reasons are Revenge of the Sith. I'm sorry, panning Empire because of loyalty to the prequels--misplaced as it is--doesn't make I-III any better. It just makes you petty. Now, why its loved and, I'll admit, I am one of those fanboys that really do love this movie. For starters, Empire went dark. It was the really the episode that the good guys lost and, that made it unique among, well, among just about every movie not made in the 1970s. I guess that is what made the 70s such a wonderful time for movies. We could use a little more of that. We could use a lot more of that. We use a lot more gritty in cinema. And, we could use a lot more "lived in" Everything looks too clean. Empire had that. And then it had that big, legendary, reveal that made all those kisses between Luke and Leia utterly wrong once the second big reveal hit in 1983...which explained that look Han gave Leia when she told him in the next installment. Moving on... We have the Battle of Hoth, which, yeah, nerd awesomeness with kind of a WWI trench warfare v tanks feel and a WWII Evacuation of Dunkirk feel with the rebels on the run and the Empire forcing its way across the galaxy with brute strength. And that prolonged time on the Falcon, well, that was just brilliant for character development and, incest blocking. So, really, honestly, there was way too much to love not to put Empire on the throne.

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-06-07

I have reviewed this film before but I thought that it deserved an extra special mention. Yesterday, this was the first film I saw in a cinema since we were all confined to barracks - and boy what a cracker. Where to start with the superlatives? It's fantastic - right from the opening bars of John Williams' score; on through the three mini-adventures rolled into one, we are treated to a marvellous feast of well-written, snappily directed, entertaining action packed adventure. Picking up from the first film, our rebels are holed up on a frozen planet being relentlessly pursued by Darth Vader. When one of his probes discovers their icebound base, they've got to get the hell out of there. Now sure, the CGI suffers a bit after 40 years; and can someone please tell me what the point of these lumbering Imperial Walkers is? They are like metal polar bears that constantly trip over their own shoelaces, but aside from those most minor of criticisms we have a great story; characters that we care about (personally, I'm an huge Vader fan) and who develop plausible, credible personalities; the detailed animations of "Yoda" are superb to see again on the big screen and it builds excellently to a sword fight the like of which has not been seen since "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938). It is, I think, better then the first film and for my money is the best sci-fi film ever made. Made for the big screen - and brilliantly made at that!