When George Lucas released a movie about a moisture farmer’s journey to save a princess and destroy a planet-killing weapon, nobody expected it to be an instant box office hit and a worldwide sensation. Against all odds, the original 1977 Star Wars movie became one of the most iconic and influential films in cinematic history. Even more impressive, Lucas’s unique vision would develop over the next 42 years into an illustrious nine-film epic, known today as the Skywalker Saga.
The Star Wars universe’s influence on the art of cinematic storytelling is undeniable. The Skywalker Saga, or the nine episodic films of the Star Wars franchise, has been particularly impactful in reshaping how stories are told and received through film. For example, its visual effects revolutionized the industry of filmmaking and opened the doors to new possibilities for movie production.
“George Lucas introduced digital film to the world,” said Ian Arenas, the film teacher at Lick-Wilmerding. “If he hadn’t championed it, we wouldn’t be as far along with the digital production of film as we are today. Ultimately, I believe that will be [Star Wars’s] biggest impact in terms of how it has changed cinema.”
While the revolutionary visual effects brought fans to the theater in 1977, the stories themselves were what made Star Wars such an extensive and prevalent franchise. Today, Lucasfilm, which is now owned by Disney, is still hard at work at creating unique Star Wars stories. The company puts out an impressive variety of media: spinoff movies, animated series, video games, books, toys, theme park rides and more. All of this content is part of the same story and exists on one timeline. Matt Martin, a Creative Executive at Lucasfilm, sees crafting Star Wars stories as a challenging, yet exciting endeavor.
“There is no one consistent method for building a Star Wars story,” said Martin. “There are key things that tend to work and things that don’t work, but in general we find the sweet-spot as we go while working with new creators or building stories for specific platforms and mediums.”
Due to its prevalence in popular culture, Star Wars has undoubtedly touched millions of lives. Its stories have changed the way individuals see the world and interact with their peers.
“Star Wars has been a key part of my life since I was a kid, and it’s been my livelihood for over a decade,” said Martin. “But from a more personal level, I think deep down the lessons that George [Lucas] was trying to teach with these films—about choice, right and wrong—had a huge subconscious effect on me that affects the choices I make every day.”
Star Wars has played a huge role in the lives of many in the Lick-Wilmerding community. Gabriela Ruiz de Mejia, an Associate College Counselor at LWHS, has been a Star Wars fan for as long as she can remember.
“When I first came to the U.S., one of the first things I remember was Star Wars. One of my first toys was an R2-D2. In 1999, when the prequels came out, my first date with my husband was to go watch Episode 1,” said Ruiz de Mejia. “Star Wars has been a really great way to bond as a family. We love the Skywalker Saga, but we also see so much other potential that exists in this fictional galaxy far, far away.”
As a way of looking back at the Skywalker Saga as a whole, I’ve ranked and reviewed each of the nine episodic films. The following is my take on the best — and worst — of Star Wars.
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Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back
The Empire Strikes Back didn’t earn its reputation as a near-perfect film by repeating the structure and narrative of the movie that preceded it. Instead, this movie took significant storytelling risks and deviated from the fans’ expectations, adding to the character arcs in new, exciting ways.
The movie redefined science fiction by breaking away from the genre’s tired format, where the villain is inevitably defeated and the protagonist ends up victorious. Throughout the story, we see the characters struggle to keep fighting as the Empire gains control of the galaxy. By the end of the movie, Luke is devastated by Darth Vader’s infamous reveal, Han is frozen in carbonite and Leia is aboard the Millennium Falcon unsure of where to head next. Director Irvin Kershner humanizes these beloved characters by portraying them as vulnerable and subject to failure, adding a necessary level of depth and realism to the Star Wars universe.
The plot itself is constantly thrilling; practically every scene, from the asteroid field battle to Luke’s training with Yoda, draws you closer to the screen. The final lightsaber battle is exciting and well-acted, especially due to the shocking twist that changed the Star Wars saga forever: “No, I am your father.” The visual effects in this episode are astounding — Hoth, Dagobah, and Cloud City are all stunning and feel realistic.
Needless to say, The Empire Strikes Back is a timeless classic that will continue to set a precedent for what all science fiction films should be: grounded in reality and emotion.
Episode 4: A New Hope
Written and directed by George Lucas, Star Wars, later renamed A New Hope, was the movie that started it all. Unlike the darker and more introspective Episode 5, A New Hope is a fun, light-hearted movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Through effective dialogue and film editing, Lucas builds the world of Star Wars in an intriguing way. He introduces unique concepts, like lightsabers, the Force and droids, throughout the story to draw in the audience.
The chemistry between the main characters is undeniable, each of them bringing something unique to the table: Luke’s boyishness, Leia’s wittiness, Han’s mischievousness, Chewbacca’s loyalty and Obi-Wan’s infinite wisdom. The logical, easy-to-follow plot drives fundamental character development and gives dimension to each of the protagonists.
Sequences on Tatooine with Luke, Obi-Wan, R2-D2 and C-3PO are hilarious, thought-provoking, and representative of all that is great about Star Wars.The Mos Eisley Cantina scene is beautifully bizarre. The X-wing attack on the Death Star is thrilling and masterfully directed with innovative visual techniques. And even though the movie ends in a satisfying way, you’ll still be left anxious to find out what happens next to Luke, Leia and Han.
There’s no question that A New Hope is a masterpiece of cinematic storytelling and an iconic movie for the ages. If it hadn’t been so well-executed, popular culture would be in a completely different place today.
Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith
After two deeply disappointing prequel episodes, Revenge of the Sith finally told the story all fans wanted to see: Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader.
The tragic aspect of this movie, Anakin’s gradual descent into madness, is what drives this film forward. In all of his interactions with Emperor Palpatine, actor Hayden Christiansen convincingly portrays a man who is losing control of everything around him and clings to any form of power he can find. The opera house scene on Coruscant, where Palpatine tells Anakin about the dark side of the force, is especially fantastic.
Despite its strengths, Revenge of the Sith suffers from the same problems that plague the rest of the Prequel Trilogy. The dialogue, especially between Anakin and Padmé, is almost unbearable. The CGI, while better than Episodes 1 and 2, doesn’t hold up as well as the visual effects from the Original Trilogy. Episode 3 is also terribly paced — every exciting action sequence is followed by a dull moment or boring conversation.
Due to its very memorable moments and great overall story, Revenge of the Sith will be remembered as the best of the Prequel Trilogy and a great film for hardcore Star Wars fans.
Episode 6: Return of the Jedi
Despite the promise of Return of the Jedi, which set out to cultimate the arcs of both Luke and Anakin Skywalker, it wasn’t as well-executed as most fans had hoped.
The first act of the film is well-written and entertaining. At the beginning of the movie, the problems the characters left off with in Episode 5 are resolved: Leia saves Han from Jabba the Hut, while Luke has matured into a more talented and patient jedi. The fight sequence at Jabba’s Palace is one of the best hand-to-hand combat battles in the original three films, despite Boba Fett’s ridiculous death in the sarlacc pit.
In the second act, the film isn’t as engaging as the rest of the Original Trilogy. The ewoks, while adorable, take up too much of the runtime and are unrealistically talented at killing stormtroopers. The script becomes overly-reliant on exposition and lacks depth and emotion.
Towards the end, though, the trademark feeling of the Original Trilogy is restored. The tension between Luke, Vader and Palpatine on Death Star II is riveting. Anakin’s revival and subsequent death are powerful and emotional moments. Cutting between the celebrating galaxy and Anakin’s funeral is a fantastic way to end the trilogy and honor the legacy of the Skywalker family.
Despite some forgivable flaws concerning its plot and writing, Return of the Jedi is an amazing movie that serves as a satisfying ending to not only the Original Trilogy, but the first six episodes of the saga.
Episode 7: The Force Awakens
Though the direction he took was more derivative than original, The Force Awakens is a charming, light-hearted and nostalgia-filled film whose plot delivers on almost every level.
The main trio in this film, played by Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac, is effortlessly charismatic. The palpable chemistry between the characters they play — Rey, Finn and Poe — is reminiscent of interactions between Luke, Leia and Han from the original movies. Adam Driver is truly menacing as Kylo Ren, and Harrison Ford plays Han Solo, Ren’s father, naturally. The script is well-written and the humor lands throughout the film, especially with BB-8.
Where The Force Awakens falls short is in its lack of originality. While the plot was well-executed by the great performances, Episode 7 didn’t do enough to expand the Star Wars universe in new and exciting ways. It had all of the same driving plot points as Episode 4: a recluse on the desert planet who becomes a Jedi, a planet-killing weapon with one flaw that the rebels exploit, an evil leader from the Skywalker bloodline, and the tragic death of the old, wise character.
On the surface, Episode 7 is an entertaining experience and a great tribute to the films that came before it. In hindsight, though, the movie’s apparent lack of an original narrative wasn’t a good sign for the rest of the Sequel Trilogy.
Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker
As a standalone Star Wars film, The Rise of Skywalker is a solid movie that fans can’t really complain about. J. J. Abrams creates a fairly cohesive plot that entertains the audience throughout. The plot may feel rushed and confusing at times, but Abrams does a good job of fixing the mess of Episode 8 and telling the story that should have been told from the beginning.
There are plenty of highly-entertaining moments, from Han Solo’s emotional conversation with his son, to Luke Skywalker’s appearance as a force ghost on Ahch-To, to Rey and Kylo’s thrilling battle on the remains of the second Death Star. The final interaction between Palpatine and Rey, who is revealed to be his granddaughter, is intense and well-acted, and the cameos from the well-known Jedi were a great idea by Abrams. Even though it was expected by all fans, ending with twin suns of Tatooine was the perfect, nostalgic way to end the saga.
Episode 9 does have its flaws, though, especially when you consider its role in the Sequel Trilogy. The convoluted plot and lack of meaningful character development in The Rise of Skywalker reveal that Disney had no idea where it was going after Episode 7. J. J. Abrams and Rian Johnson seemed to tell conflicting stories in their respective films. For example, Johnson never foreshadowed Palpatine’s return and relationship with Rey in Episode 8, but Abrams forced it into Episode 9 anyway. Whereas the story of the Original Trilogy was carefully devised and methodically organized, the Sequel Trilogy is a messy and incoherent story, especially due to Episode 9’s apparent inability to honor the films that came before it.
Episode 8: The Last Jedi
Even though it heavily features Luke Skywalker, one of the most beloved movie characters ever, Episode 8 is chaotic, boring and woefully dissatisfying. The Last Jedi attempts to capture the same emotional, dramatic undertone as that of Episode 5, but the poor writing and unexciting plot prevent it from doing so.
Luke’s character arc in this film isn’t convincing or compelling. It’s hard to buy that the most hopeful fighter in the galaxy became so pessimistic and annoying, all because of a single incident with Kylo Ren. It’s an interesting, original take on Mark Hamill’s iconic character, but it tarnishes Luke’s legacy instead of extending his character in a positive direction.
Thematically, this story is all over the place — by the end of the movie, many of the characters and plotlines feel completely pointless. Particularly, the Canto Bight sequence with Finn and Rose is completely expendable and feels irrelevant to the plot’s main conflict.
Regardless of its disappointing script, The Last Jedi is arguably the most beautiful Star Wars film, especially due to masterful direction from Rian Johnson for the scenes on Crait and Ahch-To. This film’s cinematography and sound editing are also top-notch. Yet, the lackluster script of Episode 8 failed to wrap up Luke Skywalker’s story in an exciting and satisfying manner.
Episode 2: Attack of the Clones
Though the plot of Attack of the Clones is slightly more interesting and dynamic than that of The Phantom Menace, Episode 2 is still riddled with the same terrible dialogue, unrealistic visuals, inconsistent pacing and laughably-horrendous moments.
For all the things that Star Wars is, romantic is not one of them. The scenes between Anakin and Padmé on Naboo feel completely inauthentic. The out-of-touch writing and poor performances from Hayden Christiansen and Natalie Portman cause these failed attempts at portraying romance. Their dialogue tries to be profound but comes off as creepy and bizarre.
The fight between the clones and the battle droids on Geonosis is confusing and visually-unappealing. The final battle which features Dooku, Yoda, Anakin and Obi-Wan doesn’t reach its full potential.
Despite the resounding negative characteristics, highlights from this movie include Sir Christopher Lee as Count Dooku and the fight between Obi-Wan and Jango Fett at the Kamino cloning facility. The more linear, followable plot sets it a notch higher than Episode 1; but ultimately, Attack of the Clones is a poorly-written and poorly-executed film that probably shouldn’t have been released.
Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
With its inconceivably horrible acting, visual effects, and plot, The Phantom Menace is without a doubt the worst Star Wars film in the saga. There’s no question why this movie received more backlash than any other Star Wars film in history. Quite frankly, it’s almost impossible to sit through without feeling an urge to get up and leave.
The plot is convoluted and uninteresting. Following Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi on their political excursion to negotiate with the Trade Federation isn’t entertaining and lacks the characteristic suspense and excitement that make the other Star Wars movies so unique. Jar Jar Binks is annoying and impossible to take seriously. The atrocious acting by Jake Lloyd as a young Anakin Skywalker makes this film seem more like a middle school play than the first installment in a nine-film saga.
Due to Lucas’s failed attempt at fully-digital graphics, Episode 1 lacks the realism and beauty of the visuals in the Original Trilogy. The only two bearable moments in this movie are Darth Maul’s fight scene and the pod-racing sequence. The Phantom Menace will forever live in infamy.
