Light Fuse, Stand Back

After having watched The Empire Strikes Back over the weekend, I think I've got to come out and say this: For space-based science fiction, Star Trek beats Star Wars, hands down and on all fronts - characters, plot, vision, space and space travel - I can't think of any way in which the Star Wars universe is superior (well, other than Carrie Fisher in a slave-girl get up, but that's a gimme).

Especially given the way the Star Wars saga has spun in, looking back at ESB I am even more agitated by George Lucas' delusion that he is some kind of modern day cross between Homer and Sophocles. It just ain't so, George.

At least I did have one nice surprise - Lucas' tinkering with the reissued ESB isn't anywhere near as bad as his reworking of the first movie (which had always been my favorite of the lot).

Even given the awfulness of Star Treks I, III and V, I'd still take the Trek cycle over its Star Wars counterpart if made to choose between them. And that's before the last of the Star Wars movies comes out - I have every expectation that this one is going to be as big a stinker as the last two.

UPDATE: As our Llama Military Correspondent points out, Natalie Portman's six-pack abs almost make the last movie worth watching.