Star Wars from best to worst.

There is a debate going on as to whether or not this is the best or the original Star Wars is the superior movie. To my mind there is no contest. It is in this movie that the characters that were introduced in the first film truly came to life and became people that I was invested in. The interactions were just so crisp and the stakes while comaratively smaller than the first film felt bigger because of just how personal they were. Hands down the best Star Wars film and a strong contender for best film of all time.

I still remember watching the Death Star trench run for the first time and not being able to sit still because of how thrilling I thought it was. There is a reason why you could argue that this is the most iconic movie in history. From the visuals (that sparked a new category in the Oscars), to the plot, to the pacing and all the way to the absolutely iconic characters. This is absolutely one of the best movies of all time.

My absolute favorite as a kid. There are a few cracks in the surface with this one. The cutesy ewoks and the almost episodic feel of the plot. The beginning in Jabba's castle goes on for too long but without it we wouldn't have the rancor battle or Princess Leia in her gold bikini. When the movie is at its best, however, it easily matches anything seen in the previous two movies.

The final part of Lucas' prequel trilogy and it is the only of any Star Wars movie not of the original trilogy to even come close to being a good movie. Much of it is action but there are some important emotional beats that sink in and that conclusion is simply breathtaking.

Basically, this is episode IV given a fresh coat of paint. The acting is good, the pacing is fresh and the effects are amazing. But it is a skin deep experience and if you really want to watch a great Star Wars movie with the beats and plot points of this movie, simply watch A New Hope again.

I think I would have put this movie above TFA if not for the fact that this movie really only works properly once. So much of the plot and story is based around subversion of audience expectation, that once you see it again and have that immediate experience taken away there is much less to enjoy. It is an absolutely gorgeous movie, however, and Mark Hamill was simply stunning as Old-Man-Luke.

I almost considered putting this below Solo. This is a movie that functions purely on a conceptual level. The emotional beats are so weak because the characters are so two-dimensional, that by the time the emotional climax rolls around I was so uninvested for it to be virtually pointless. There were some cool action scenes and that final Darth Vader scene almost salvages this mess.

Wow! What a bland movie. I think this movie was so bland that I actively forgot it while I was watching it. A movie that serves as more of a checklist than a coherent story. It adds almost nothing to the overarching narrative and succeeds in nothing more than bland entertainment for its two hour running time.

This might rise (pun intended) or fall on this list. I am as of yet undecided as to what I think about this movie. There is nothing to truly hate about the movie but also nothing to truly love. It just plays so incredibly safe.

This is probably the most despised of the Star Wars movies and for good reason, but while I think Episode II is worse that doesn't mean this is good, by any stretch of the imagination. The biggest crime that this movie commits is being fairly inconsequential to the overall narrative. You could simply start at Episode II and what you missed would be negligible. I will say that this movie also represents one high for the franchise. John Williams' score is almost good enough to warrant a recomendation to see the movie based on it alone.

Although initially seen as a minor improvement on Episode I, time and repeated viewings have convinced me that this movie is by far the worst of the Star Wars franchise. The dialogue is at its worst, the pacing is tedious, the action uninspired and the effects become more dated with every passing day. Only Ewan McGregor’s performance slightly redeems this absolute mess of a movie.