‘LEGO Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out’ Review
Features the voices of: Lloyd Floyd, Matt Sloan, Lisa Fuson, John Armstrong, Tom Kane, Sam Witwer, Anthony Daniels, Kenneth Colley, Brian Blessed | Written by Michael Price | Directed by Guy Vasilovich
A follow-up to 2011’s The Padawan Menace, LEGO Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out is the second Star Wars parody to come courtesy of the folks at LEGO. This time round the heroes of the Rebel Alliance, including heroic Luke Skywalker; swaggering Han Solo and steadfast Princess Leia, have no time to celebrate their victory over the Empire as a new Imperial threat arises. But as Jedi-in training Luke embarks on this next mission, he discovers that his celebrity status as a “Death-Star-Blower-Upper” can be a double-edged lightsaber when he’s constantly mobbed by crazed fans. Meanwhile, Darth Vader and Darth Maul are locked in a hilarious “Sith-ling” rivalry as they compete for the Emperor’s approval.
Featuring characters, locations and vehicles from across the entire LEGO Star Wars universe, blending prequel and original films and characters – including Darth Vader, Han S0lo, Luke Skywalker, the Gungans, Watto, Darth Maul and more – in a fantastically funny 21-minute standalone special that ups the humour ante considerably providing more laughs in it’s short running time than many a Hollywood comedy! And for Star Wars fans there are a ton of in-jokes including references to just WHO shot first, and THAT shock news from The Empire Strikes Back…
A huge improvement over the first LEGO Star Wars short, The Empire Strikes Out has a lot more (self-referential) fun with the concept and the idea that yes, this is “LEGO” Star Wars, not an official franchise production – which makes it all the more watchable in my opinion. Kids will love it, LEGO fans will love it and best of all even Star Wars fans will love it!
**** 4/5
Distributed by Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, the DVD includes an exclusive collectible Darth Vader LEGO minifigure. LEGO Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out is released on March 18th.
