With the release of the final episode of the Skywalker Saga, the time has finally come for us to rank all of the Star Wars movies. Included on our list are all the live-action Star Wars movies released so far. Except the Holiday Special. We didn't include that because it's non-canon, and also because it's vastly superior to anything else on this list.
So, without further ado...
11) Episode II, Attack of the Clones, 2002
The awkward middle child of the prequel trilogy, Attack of the Clones only proves that maybe George Lucas didn’t have everything all planned out in the way many fans think he did. For most of its runtime, Episode II hops between the adventures of Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan, with whom we get to see the true origins of the Empire’s rise, and Hayden Christensen’s Anakin, whose budding romance with Natalie Portman’s Padme is made all the more awkward by the fact that his character was about six the last time we saw him. Lacking the committed performances and thrilling lightsaber duels of the other prequels, but retaining their overdone CGI, Attack of the Clones comes in dead last on our list.
10) Episode I, The Phantom Menace, 1999
As kids, we didn’t mind the kid Anakin and if we’re being totally honest with ourselves here, we didn’t really hate Jar Jar either. Despite not quite reaching the heights of the other films or contributing much of significance to the overarching story of the saga, Episode I still manages to deliver some childhood joy. Although Liam Neeson’s role in the franchise ended rather abruptly here, The Phantom Menace still left the foundations for many great things to follow, from introducing audiences to the intimidating Darth Maul, who would later find more screen time in both Clone Wars and Rebels, as well as giving us that extraordinary lightsaber duel and Duel of the Fates. A worthy, if flawed entry.
9) Solo, A Star Wars Story, 2018
Largely the product of a company thinking that just about anything with the Star Wars brand would sell, Disney and Lucasfilm found themselves learning a rather pointed lesson: while anything with the brand will certainly sell, not everyone will be happy to buy it. Solo achieves the rather dubious distinction of being the only film that isn’t required viewing for any prospective fan. While it has both good performances and effects, it mostly consigns itself to ticking things off a list and explaining how Han Solo, originally played by Harrison Ford, got everything from his attitude to his trusty blaster. Cinema audiences gave it a lukewarm reception to the tune of under $400 million, ultimately costing Disney several million dollars and forcing the cancellation of the other anthology films.
8) Episode IX, The Rise of Skywalker, 2019
The film to complete the saga simply wasn’t up to the task. After being roped in once again to follow up both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, director JJ Abrams understandably opted for something safe. The result? A middle of the road, disappointing finale filled with poorly executed rewrites and retcons, and artificial, inorganic character drama that offers no real consolidation or conclusion. While it remains technically stunning and delivers a generous amount of fanservice and magic, The Rise of Skywalker is deeply flawed, and ultimately falls far short of the spectacular conclusion the saga deserved.
7) Episode VI, Return of the Jedi, 1983
The third and final episode of the original trilogy is ever so slightly undercut by the fact that roughly half of it involves watching our heroes ally with an army of sentient teddy bears armed with spears. However, Return of the Jedi comes in just above Rise of Skywalker for retaining clarity of vision and narrative coherence when it came to completing Darth Vader’s redemption arc, as well as for featuring the very first appearance of Ian McDiarmid as the Emperor, a role he would reprise in the prequels. Episode VI might not be the best third episode, but it serves its function and manages to be more than halfway decent at the same time.
6) Episode III, Revenge of the Sith, 2005
The third and final prequel is easily the best of its trilogy. Bringing an end to an era of Star Wars, Revenge of the Sith is exciting and action-packed, having finally allowed the prequel trilogy to find solid ground under its feet. Before Disney bought Lucasfilm and continued the saga, Episode III was an excellent way to bring things full circle. While it still suffers from some of the wider problems with the prequels, including wooden acting and overwrought CGI, it has many of the prequel trilogy’s best moments, and as a source of memes it’s found a wickedly funny second life. The best third episode in the saga.
5) Rogue One, A Star Wars Story, 2016
Offering a stark contrast to the rest of the saga with its war film style and tone, Rogue One delivered on a story that many fans had always wanted to see. Despite the slow first act during which the story meanders from place to place, Rogue One soon kicks into top gear, transforming the original 1977 film into the second half of an extraordinary story. Jammed full to bursting with fanservice, powered by an ensemble cast including Felicity Jones and Mads Mikkelsen, and offering a faithful recreation of the Star Wars universe as seen in the original trilogy, the film transforms a few words in the 1977 film’s opening crawl into a practically essential watch for all Star Wars fans.
4) Episode VIII, The Last Jedi, 2017
If Episode VII went all the way back to the roots of Star Wars, then Episode VIII took it way out into uncharted territory. Unpredictable, unconventional and fresh, Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi acts as a phenomenal closing chapter to the story of Luke Skywalker, now a jaded former hero living in exile, who comes out of hiding one last time to pass vital wisdom on to the troubled young woman whose destiny is to take his place. Generous in its exploration of the Force, The Last Jedi also allows the saga to target the previously unmentioned third party in the war between light and dark: the war profiteers and capitalists making money from playing both sides. An extraordinary chapter of the saga, with Johnson paying homage to much-loved characters and stories without delving too far into creating power fantasy fan service.
3) Episode VII, The Force Awakens, 2015
A film so quintessentially Star Wars that it was bashed for copying the original 1977 film, The Force Awakens loses none of its power to enthrall and excite despite feeling familiar. After all, we asked for more Star Wars, and we got it. A rollercoaster ride from start to finish, Episode VII was made not only for veteran fans of the franchise but also to capture the imaginations of a new generation, delivering compelling new characters, stunning breakout performances and awe-inspiring set pieces. A deeply engrossing, emotional and entertaining tale, and one which serves as an excellent seventh chapter of the saga.
2) Episode IV, A New Hope, 1977
Spectacular enough to spawn everything else on this list and more, A New Hope is not only excellent science fiction, but a ground-breaking film in its own right. From inventive practical effects to gripping performances, it has everything in spades. Its distillation of the classic tale of good and evil, and its heroes like Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and villains like Darth Vader, remain cemented in the collective psyche of science fiction writers and fans even now. Even 40 years on, this iconic film retains its power. No Star Wars fan has ever forgotten the feeling of watching Luke Skywalker wielding a lightsaber for the first time, and just how much we wished to be in his shoes.
1) Episode V, The Empire Strikes Back, 1980
Episode V’s name has become a byword for extraordinary sequels that surpass their predecessors and rightfully so. We get the continuation of the classic hero’s tale: watching Luke train with fan favourite character Yoda on the swamp moon of Dagobah while also remaining witness to the iconic science fiction romance between the princess and the scruffy smuggler. Empire does what all fantastic sequels should: take the raw material of its predecessor into new territory, refining, exploring and expanding on it in order to create something of its own making. It’s so good in fact that it just about edges out the original film for the top spot on our list.
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