The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Adventure, Action, Science Fiction
82Kernel Score — Universal Acclaim, 0 reviews
The Kernel take
A Universal Acclaim score of 82 on an $18M budget that's already grossed $538.4M worldwide suggests critics and audiences aligned on this one—a sequel that justified its studio's faith.
Director track record: Irvin Kershner
The Empire Strikes Back (82) sits well above Irvin Kershner's own 56-point average across his other 4 scored films — his best-reviewed work to date, exceeding his previous peak of Never Say Never Again (68).
Lead track record: Mark Hamill
The Empire Strikes Back (82) sits well above Mark Hamill's own 58.9-point average across his other 7 scored films — a strong entry in his filmography, though it trails his best-reviewed work, Star Wars (90).
Box office
Budget $18M · Box office $538.4M