And so it is, then, that The Empire Strikes Back proves itself to be the resounding champion of the Star Wars saga. Not content with mere spectacle (though it has an abundance of that, too) the film instead looks to fill the frame with darkness and despair, a to-the-bone bleakness which marks the film out as something deeper, something more concerned with tragedy and family and legend than it is with any kind of space western. There is humour, of course - and there are flaws, too - but overall this is a stunning film, one that stands head-and-shoulders above the rest of the franchise to be something more akin to a masterpiece. Its not quite there, but its close enough. A great sci-fi film, a great sequel, a great blockbuster, The Empire Strikes Back is many things, all painted in the arctic blue of melancholy that colours its aesthetic and drives its narrative. Its band of characters are all on paths and all paths, for now at least, lead to Desolation Row. This isnt a space opera, this is the gutter outside, and our heroes are lying in it, staring at the stars above and wondering where it all went wrong.
