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AdventureActionScience Fiction Editor's Pick

The Empire Strikes Back Review (1980) — 85% Celluloid Score

Directed by Irvin Kershner · 1980 ·

LLM fact sheet (.md)

Answer Summary: Is The Empire Strikes Back worth watching?

The Empire Strikes Back (1980) earns a 85% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

Quick Verdict: What is the Celluloid Score for The Empire Strikes Back?

Calculated from 4 available inputs: Celluloid editorial rating, Metascore, Letterboxd and IMDb. Audience sentiment is shown separately and never changes the composite. See how we calculate scores.

85%
Celluloid Score Recommended

4-input transparent breakdown

89% Editorial Rating
91% Audience snapshot · excluded
83 Metascore
★★★★☆ Letterboxd 4.1
8.7 IMDb /10
Watch Trailer
Runtime
2h 4m
Streaming
Disney+, YouTube TV
Language
English

Where to watch

  • Disney+
  • YouTube TV

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home

Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home

Where to watch The Empire Strikes Back by country

Country Streaming on
India Disney+ Hotstar
Indonesia Disney+
Japan Disney+
Malaysia Disney+
South Korea Disney+
Thailand Disney+
Turkey Disney+
United Kingdom Disney+
United States Disney+, YouTube TV

Subscription availability, refreshed from TMDB. Rental and purchase options may differ.

Why this score?

  • Celluloid's editorial rating is positive (89/100).
  • Audiences widely enjoyed it (91%).
  • Metascore signals universal acclaim (83/100).
  • Letterboxd diarists rate it highly (4.1/5).
  • IMDb users score it 8.7/10.

Best for

  • Viewers who want a well-regarded adventure, action, science fiction pick

Not ideal for

    Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy

    Streaming availability, artwork and title metadata courtesy of TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

    Is The Empire Strikes Back worth watching?

    Yes — The Empire Strikes Back earns a 85% Celluloid Score. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.

    Celluloid Verdict

    IMDb Top 250 #15 (8.7/10) — The Empire Strikes Back remains one of the most highly rated films of all time.

    Celluloid editorial verdict

    Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

    What is The Empire Strikes Back about?

    The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.

    Watch the Trailer

    Critic Reviews

    critic The Empire Strikes Back

    The Empire Strikes Back (1980) Review

    Irvin Kershner's The Empire Strikes Back (1980) remains a defining Adventure landmark from United States, with scores that still shape how audiences discover the title.

    Strongly recommended — holds up for new and returning viewers.

    Kaiser Khan Founder & Editor

    The Empire Strikes Back stills

    Official production imagery supplied through TMDB, kept with the movie instead of split into a thin gallery page.

    The Empire Strikes Back production still 1
    The Empire Strikes Back production still 2
    The Empire Strikes Back production still 3
    The Empire Strikes Back production still 4
    The Empire Strikes Back production still 5
    The Empire Strikes Back production still 6

    Images courtesy of TMDB. TMDB does not endorse or certify Celluloid.

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