Star Wars: The Last Jedi is Better Than The Empire Strikes Back

WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for director Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, in theaters now.

Divisive as the general audience reception may be, the latest addition to the Star Wars saga, The Last Jedi, has been met with near-universal praise by critics, with some going as far as to call it the best Star Wars film to date. Naturally, some may find this surprising since The Empire Strikes Back has long been considered the cream of the crop when it comes to Star Wars films, but nevertheless, the notion of Episode V being usurped by the Rian Johnson-helmed Episode VIII certainly gives us a lot to think about. Which of the two really is the greatest Star Wars film? Is it actually possible that there’s a new gold standard in the galaxy?

If we’re speaking in terms of theatrical release, The Empire Strikes Back is technically the second Star Wars film, and as such, it’s arguably one of the greatest direct sequels in cinematic history. While A New Hope is full of optimism and ends in a decisive, albeit temporary victory for the Rebels, The Empire Strikes Back is a journey full of twists and turns that introduces true, unparalleled darkness into the saga.

The film also introduces an incredible array of breathtaking new surroundings unlike anything fans could have imagined after spending the bulk of Episode IV traversing through the stars. From the icy tundra of Hoth to the pristine towers of Cloud City to the dark swamps of Dagobah, The Empire Strikes Back shows just how vast and diverse the Star Wars Universe truly is.

The scenery isn’t the only element of the saga that Empire expands upon, though. Some of the most iconic secondary Star Wars characters, including Yoda, Lando Calrissian, and Boba Fett, all make their franchise debuts in Episode V. Plus, we’d be remiss to leave out the villainous Emperor Palpatine, whose enigmatic introduction accompanies the bone-chilling revelation that the evil Darth Vader isn’t actually the one pulling the strings.

And speaking of Darth Vader, no Star Wars film will ever be able to recreate the magic of the reveal that the armor-clad Sith is actually Luke Skywalker’s father. It’s a truly incomparable moment, both in terms of shock and scope, and for many fans, it’s what sets Empire apart from the other saga films.

Meanwhile, you have The Last Jedi, which many assumed would be nothing more than a cheap retread of Empire after witnessing the echoes between A New Hope and J.J. Abrams’ The Force Awakens. And admittedly, there are some similarities, such as the naïve youth receiving training from an aging Jedi Master and the familial revelations that weigh heavily on the protagonist.

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However, Rian Johnson doesn’t dwell on what he needs to do to surpass Empire, or any Star Wars movie for that matter. Instead, Johnson takes all of our preconceived notions about the 40-year-old franchise and launches them into hyperspace, casting expectation after expectation to the wayside in favor of dynamic character development, organic humor, and profound moments that challenge our understanding of the Star Wars Universe.

Flipping the script on the aforementioned Vader/Luke revelation, Johnson uses the identity of Rey’s parents – who we learn were no-name junkers who sold her for drinking money – to snuff out the trope of a character’s lineage being a defining trait. And rather than setting the stage for the throne-bound leader of this trilogy’s evil faction to make an even bigger splash in the next film, a la Emperor Palpatine, Supreme Leader Snoke is killed off and ultimately used as a means of propelling Kylo Ren into the position of primary antagonist in Episode IX.

These aspects of The Last Jedi, of course, are in addition to Johnson doubling down on the new characters, creatures, vehicles, and locations we’ve come to expect ever since Empire. Ahch-To, Canto Bight, and Crait are equally stunning in their own rights, Rose Tico adds even more heart and diversity to the new generation of characters, and the porgs prove that cute, cuddly, and comical doesn’t always need to equal annoying.

Looking beyond the plot, the dialogue, and the character beats, you also have to take into consideration the technical aspects of The Last Jedi compared to The Empire Strikes Back. Obviously, filmmaking capabilities have improved immensely since 1980, so to try and judge Episodes V versus VIII based on cinematography and visual effects would be a fruitless (not to mention unfair) effort. For the sake of argument, though, both films make excellent use of practical effects, but while Empire’s VFX were impressive in the context of their generation, The Last Jedi is home to some of the most visually stunning shots we’ve ever seen in a Star Wars film, such as Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo ramming Snoke’s Mega-class Star Destroyer at hyperspeed.

Strictly looking at The Last Jedi and The Empire Strikes Back in the purest sense, though, which one is the better Star Wars film? Well, the fact remains that while Empire is a legendary movie that’s truly worthy of the praise it receives, The Last Jedi takes far more risks, features far better fight choreography, and the actors deliver far better performances in their respective roles. (In fact, The Last Jedi may very well be Mark Hamill’s greatest outing as Luke Skywalker). Both films are incredible cinematic achievements, but all things considered, The Empire Strikes Back falls just short of The Last Jedi, which manages to pack way more story and heart into its runtime than Episode V.

Now in theaters nationwide, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is written and directed by Rian Johnson, and stars Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Daisy Ridley as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Andy Serkis as Supreme Leader Snoke, Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux, Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata, Benicio Del Toro as ‘DJ’, Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, Laura Dern as Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo, and the late Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa.