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.