Now that I have watched all the Episodes of “Star Wars” it is time for rating them from worst to best. In these summaries I’m going to briefly go over what worked and what didn’t, as well as what made a certain episode better than another. I will also be posting links to the actual reviews, which I will post to each summary will contain the spoilers. George Lucas really did create an amazing world, 7 films, countless shows and spinoffs and more films, games, books and comics to come. What an amazing ride through both great and horrible storytelling this Episodic journey has been. The only films being reviewed here are them in relationship to their theatrical releases as I hate what Lucas did to his art with the Original Trilogy special Editions and Prequeling them up and the deleted scenes add nothing to the Prequels. This is only the films as they appeared in the theater and the only way I will watch them.
7) Episode II: Attack of the Clones
“Attack of the Clones” is a jumbled mess of reference that makes no sense and has no coherency or focus. There isn’t a main character to speak of and the character of Anakin is just a winy brat, creepy stalker and murder and with that we see none of the friendship he was supposed to have with Obi-Wan. To go with this the dialogue related to the love story is crap and the acting is wooden from everybody. There is no reason to watch this film as it isn’t needed in regards to Anakin’s fall (Only Episode III is needed) and in it Obi-Wan was the only character I liked.
Final Score: 3 / 10
6) Episode I: The Phantom Menace
The reason “The Phantom Menace” isn’t lower on the list is due in large part to performances by Veteran actors like Neeson and McGregor. Darth Maul is a pretty great Dragon for Darth Sidious too. What keeps it from being good though, as it is still a terrible film are some of the issues all the Prequels have. The dialogue feels stilted and unnatural, the tone is all over the place and serious scenes are ruined by Jar Jar being contrived comedic relief and a supposed hero in nearly every scene in the film. Without the performances by the great actors this film would be worse than “Attack of the Clones,” and that is saying something. This was George Lucas’s warning to us that when he’s in charge of a project, the film will most likely suck as there will be no one to reel in his tendencies like in the Original Trilogy.
Final Score: 5 / 10
5) Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
“Revenge of the Sith” isn’t good but it is fun. It is here there are echoes of great ideas and there is finally focus as well follow Anakin and witness his fall to become Darth Vader. What brings it down though is I still don’t believe the love story and Anakin’s transformation is way too quick. The problem of excess and tone is on full display too as the final fight goes on way too long and General Grievous, who is supposed to be the big bad Separatist leader is a joke who is impossible to take seriously. McGregor does put in another great performance as Obi-Wan, just as Ian McDiarmid clearly has a lot of fun in the role of Darth Sidious. This is the Prequel film that feels the most like the Original Trilogy, even if it can’t fully capture what made the Original great.
Final Score: 7.3 / 10
4) Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
“Return of the Jedi” is when George Lucas’s prequel problems begin. We spend way too long in Jabba’s palace which makes the Empire seem useless, especially since Darth Vader is ordered to just sit around and the Empire stupidly builds another Death Star that is even more vulnerable than the one prior, and the Empire’s greatest troops fall to Ewoks. What keeps this one from being worse than “Revenge of the Sith” though are the character moments. We get to see that Luke has come into his own as a Jedi, Darth Vader’s redemption arc is completed, the Leia and Han relationship is completed and Luke and Leia’s relationship changes with the new revelation Luke discovers at the beginning of the film. These great moments just put it above “Revenge of the Sith,” and keep it from being a total mess like the Prequels.
Final Score: 7.5 / 10
3) Episode VII: The Force Awakens
“Star Wars” is great again! “The Force Awakens” has some of the best new characters in any science fiction (Kylo Ren, Rey and Finn) and manages to set up great arcs for them and made me invested in what happens to them. The First Order actually feels like a threat and the action, dialogue and story are all solid. What keeps it from being better from being higher on the list is it is derivative of the Original Trilogy, from the First Order having a Super Weapon to countless other things. The villains outside of Kylo Ren were pretty weak too and didn’t really do much in relationship to our heroes. It is really those factors that keep it from being perfect, though I am excited to see how this new Trilogy unfolds. J.J. Abrams has set the stage for so much more to be explored in regards to the world and characters.
Final Score: 9.4 / 10
2) Episode IV: A New Hope
“A New Hope” truly is a classic and is the hero’s journey done right. Luke is the orphan pulled into events outside of his control who steps up to become a hero when the Empire destroys what reasons he had to stay where he was. From here things unfold as we see Grand Moff Tarkin played by the amazing Peter Cushing destroy Alderaan and torture Leia and Darth Vader arrive and show just how powerful the force and the Empire’s power is. We also meet Obi-Wan who is the old wizard avoiding the world until Leia and Luke pull him back into it and Han Solo, the rogue who becomes a hero over the course of the film. This is the film that inspired so many other Sci. Fi. films (Including “The Force Awakens”) and is a classic. The only issue is we spend way too long with the droids at the beginning and Leia could have gotten more character development.
Final Score: 9.6 / 10
1) Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
“The Empire Strikes Back” is where we see the Empire’s full might in action. Whether it is crushing the Rebels on Hoth and chasing them to the ends of the galaxy or Darth Vader completely destroying Luke in their duel and his capture and torture of Luke’s friends…the tone here is dark and in the dark we see hope and wonder as Luke is trained by Yoda in the ways of the force and Han and Leia’s friendship naturally becomes a romance. The film is perfect as every new scene advances characters and their relationships and the Empire and Darth Vader show why they are the villains as they succeed in almost everything they do. In this our heroes only win when they survive, and that adds stakes to all the events that occur. The writing and cinematography are also the best “Star Wars” has ever been and thus far it is the only perfect “Star Wars” film.
Final Score: 10 / 10
It was a joy going back to watch these in the lead up to “The Force Awakens,” and I look forward to Disney’s eventual re-releasing of the Original Trilogy in it’s Original Theatrical form. George Lucas created something wonderful and inspiring with this Universe. There will no doubt be countless more Episodes and films so eventually I will be returning and making another list like this. But until then, may the force be with you, always.