10 Problems Nobody Wants To Admit About The Original Star Wars Trilogy
3. The Empire Strikes Back Doesn't Have A Proper Ending
The Empire Strikes Back is often thought to be the best of all the Star Wars films. As great as it is, though, it should be noted that the second episode in this beloved saga takes a few liberties in the narrative department - mainly in its ending. If you happen to believe that motion pictures should exist as self-contained entities, with their own beginnings, middles, and endings, then Empire falls short. Quite simply, it culminates on an uncompromising cliffhanger than refuses to play fair, leaving our characters - and the audience - in limbo.
As writer/director Joss Whedon so brilliantly outlined during a discussing of the film:
"Empire committed the cardinal sin of not actually ending. Which at the time I was appalled by and I still think it was a terrible idea. It's not an ending. It's a Come Back Next Week, or in three years. And that upsets me. I go to movies expecting to have a whole experience. If I want a movie that doesn't end I'll go to a French movie. Thats a betrayal of trust to me. A movie has to be complete within itself, it cant just build off the first one or play variations."