S_Matt said:
This one's usually quoted as being the best of the series (and I personally think it is) but I still think that the adulation for it is a wee bit out of proportion to the actual merits of the film. There is an element of hyperbole to statements concerning the quality of this film.
I like Empire the most but one can't ignore the fact that it was the previous film that invented *everything* about the look and feel of the Star Wars universe. Star Wars exists without Empire. Empire could not exist without Star Wars.
Discuss.
Interesting after seeing Ep I, II, IV, V, VI back-toback at the Imax in 2003 or 2004 (ROTS wasn't out yet) I definitely came away with the impression that Star Wars is the most rounded and best paced flick of the trilogy. However, Empire remains the "best" one for me because it has Hoth and Asteroids and Boba Fett and Carbon Freezing and no really dumb humour in it. And that music at the end is so emotional, how can you not be moved by that after everything that has led us to that point (including the first movie) and then there's obviously going to be a sequel, so how exciting is that?! And is Vader really Luke's father? I mean, really?
Empire contains all my favourite Star Wars scenes. It benefits greatly from being the middle one.