Since today is May the Fourth, we thought I’d be fun to rank the “Star Wars” films, from worst to best.
In the last decade or so, the “Star Wars” franchise has been pumping out movies (and TV shows) that take place in a galaxy far, far away, but for this list, we are going to be sticking to the films that were released in the original Skywalker saga. So that means episodes one through nine.
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And please, tell me I’m wrong in the comments! Everyone has such different opinions on these movies, so I am here for a respectful (yet opinionated) discussion on how I am wrong.
9. ‘Attack of the Clones’
I was probably around 10 years old when this movie came out, and even then I knew it was bad. I honestly don’t think I’ve watched it since it came out, and that is for a reason. What was this movie? Anakin and Padme’s romance never felt believable, and maybe that was because there wasn’t much chemistry between the actors. Besides that, the plot was confusing and it lacked excitement. It did have a cool title, though.
8. ‘The Rise of Skywalker’
After multiple decades of films, iconic actors and revolutionizing the movie industry, the Skywalker saga of “Star Wars” ends with...this? It’s not that the movie was bad necessarily, but when fans are expecting a perfect ending that will blow minds, the ending of “The Rise of Skywalker” was just meh. If anything, it was just a big let down.
7. ‘The Phantom Menace’
Much like episode nine was supposed to be a massive movie-going experience, the same can be said about episode 1. Not only was it the return of the “Star Wars” franchise for original fans of the films, but it was going to be the backstory of (spoiler alert) Darth Vader himself. I remember going to see it in theaters with my dad, and he was so excited. While it’s fun to see young Obi-Wan Kenobi, a lot of it was just boring. And don’t even get me started on Jar Jar Binks.
6. ‘Revenge of the Sith’
Honestly, the prequel series is obviously not my favorite, but episode 3, “Revenge of the Sith,” is by far the best of the three. It’s dark and moody, and you get to see Anakin go full villain, which is fun if you’re a fan of Darth Vader. Also, that evil guy with the horns on his head became an iconic character in the “Star Wars” world.
5. ‘The Force Awakens’
I really don’t remember a lot from watching this movie, other than how freckin cool it was to have Mark Hammil, Harrison Ford and the forever iconic Carrie Fisher on the movie screen again. The plot was pretty predictable (if you didn’t see Kylo Ren/Han Solo moment coming, were you even paying attention?), it was emotional, climactic and full of nostalgia. Plus, the introduction of new characters like Rey, Finn and BB8 were great additions to the franchise.
4. ‘The Last Jedi’
This is probably the pick that seems the most out of left field, but I really, really enjoyed episode eight! It was the only movie from the last three that J.J. Abrams wasn’t involved in, and I think writer/director Rian Johnson does a great job here. Seeing Rey learn about the force from Luke is so cool, and the heartbreaking moments between Leia and Kylo are hard to watch, but so necessary. Then there is Laura Dern, who gives one of the best performances across any “Star Wars” movie or TV show. She absolutely breaks your heart in every way possible, and reinforces just how much the Rebels are risking to beat the evil.
3. ‘A New Hope’
Obviously the first three films were going to take the top three spots, and I’m really splitting hairs when it comes to ranking them. “A New Hope” is an iconic film, and changed movies forever. Even if it was just a standalone film, it would still be an achievement in cinema. The only reason it’s not higher than the other two is the amount of world building that has to happen. The two sequels don’t have to do much of that, which is why they are higher on the film for me.
2. ‘Return of the Jedi’
The only thing that really makes “Return of the Jedi” higher up on my list is the inclusion of Jabba the Hutt and the Ewoks. We get to see so much of the galaxy in “Return of the Jedi,” and after hearing about Jabba the Hutt for two movies, seeing him in the flesh is so much fun. His entire criminal enterprise is great to watch, as was watching Boba Fett fall into that giant sand Venus fly trap monster. The Ewok chase is iconic, and I kind of love their little feast with them at the end of the movie. It was a fun ending to an instantly classic movie franchise.
1. ‘The Empire Strikes Back’
It had to be this one, right? When so many other sequels fail, “The Empire Strikes Back” does not. Every thing about it is so iconic, from Han Solo bring frozen, to meeting Yoda for the very first time. Plus, the line of dialogue that changed movies forever, of course. It has to be one of the best plot twists in all of cinema, and we are forever grateful for it.
Do you agree with my list? Let me know in the comments below!
