**Commentary** - The Empire Strikes Back was not the most financially successful movie, not just outside of the original trilogy, and ranks [11th](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/fr3125251845/) in terms of lifetime gross compared to A New Hope in 7th position. - However, current reviews give Empire Strikes Back scores of 8.7/10 on IMDb, 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and 5/5 in Empire, higher on all platforms than any other Star Wars movie. - It is still considered the best movie by so many people as a result of multiple factors. - Empire Strikes Back contains some of the greatest and most defining cinematic moments of Star Wars, and of cinema in general, including the introduction of Yoda, the loss of Luke’s hand, and some of the most recognizable quotes such as “I am your father”. - It had a [bigger budget](https://screenrant.com/star-wars-movies-ranked-budget/) than A New Hope, so its visuals were more impressive as well as funding the input of co-writer Lawrence Kasdan. - It is considered the most thoughtful in terms of character development. - The narration is also considered superior, with a clear protagonist and antagonist, allowing watchers to feel more emotionally invested in the characters. - It is the only film in the trilogy with plot twists and true shocks, which many appreciate.