The Empire Strikes Back

How do you top the first Star Wars? You make this.

Everything that worked the first time is back and somehow sharper. The chemistry between everyone is locked in. The action rips. The story actually has somewhere to go, and the plot keeps building on this universe in ways that make it feel bigger every scene.

This is how you make a sequel.

And then there's Billy Dee Williams. The man walks in and owns the screen. Doesn't matter what side he's on or what he's doing, you're watching him.

The twist. Look, by now everybody on planet earth knows it. Doesn't matter. It still hits. That's how you know it's built right; it doesn't need surprise to land, it just needs to be earned. And it is.

I sat down with friends, fully expecting to enjoy myself, and it still smacked me harder than I thought it would. Days later I'm still thinking about it.

Nothing didn't work. Nothing. That's not me being lazy with the review, that's just the truth.

This is how you make a sequel.