Hollywood studios judge the success of their tentpole blockbusters based on their opening weekend box office figures. But the true mark of a movie’s success is whether or not it stands the test of time. If audiences are still revisiting it after four decades, like the original Star Wars trilogy (although those films never had a problem on their opening weekend), then the filmmakers must have done something right.
Not every Star Wars movie is a timeless gem like the original three. There are some Star Wars films that stuck the landing and can be enjoyed over and over again, like Revenge of the Sith, and others that don’t hold together as a cohesive story, like The Rise of Skywalker.
Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)
The final chapter of the sequel trilogy, The Rise of Skywalker, doesn’t hold together as a cohesive story, let alone the culmination of the entire “Skywalker saga.” It’s always great to see Billy Dee Williams in the role of Lando Calrissian, and the movie has some thrilling miniature effects. But, ultimately, the plot has too many MacGuffins and too little logic to stick the landing.
The final battle is a big, flashy mess of CGI that fails to connect on an emotional level; Ben Solo’s redemption is entirely unearned; and the “Rey Skywalker” ending has no bearing on the core themes of the saga.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
The movie that killed the “Anthology” sub-series, Solo: A Star Wars Story, was the first box office bomb in the franchise’s history. It’s a finely made space adventure with some fun set-pieces, but this mediocre, middle-of-the-road sci-fi action blockbuster doesn’t go the extra mile to warrant rewatches. Solo squanders an opportunity to do a full-blown Star Wars western with an executive-pleasing by-the-numbers approach.
The Han Solo origin movie also squanders an opportunity to explore Han in full antihero mode. The script gives him a generic “hero’s journey” arc ahead of the much more subversive and unique hero’s journey that awaits him in the events of the original trilogy. Solo is more of an origin story for his things, like his jacket and his dice (and, in one bizarre sequence, his surname), which doesn’t connect on an emotional level beyond superficial nostalgia.
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack Of The Clones (2002)
Arguably the weakest prequel movie, Attack of the Clones is let down by its heavy-handed portrayal of Anakin walking the line between the light and dark sides. He goes from one extreme as a traditional protagonist to another extreme as a remorseless mass murderer.
Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan is always watchable, Padmé gets in on plenty of the action, and Jango Fett is an awesome side villain, but Attack of the Clones gets too bogged down in unresolved mysteries to revisit on a regular basis.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
The middle chapter of the sequel trilogy, Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi, is gorgeous to look at, thanks to dazzling cinematography and masterfully crafted visual effects, but it’s dragged down by a bloated runtime and a meandering second act.
This movie has one of the slowest chases ever put on film between the Resistance chugging along and the First Order following them, always just out of range. Whether The Last Jedi’s bitter, cynical, defeatist Luke Skywalker is mischaracterized or not, it’s not a lot of fun to watch a childhood hero give up the fight against evil.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
The first of many wildly polarizing Star Wars movies, The Phantom Menace, is dragged down by trade disputes and Senate hearings. But it’s a great origin story for Anakin, introducing the boy who would be Vader as a seemingly incorruptible little kid.
Qui-Gon Jinn is perhaps the most memorable one-movie character in the saga, and The Phantom Menace has a few standout sequences, like the podrace and the “Duel of the Fates,” that fans always get a kick out of.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
J.J. Abrams’ initial Star Wars sequel, The Force Awakens, was criticized for loosely remaking the 1977 original instead of exploring new character archetypes and narrative frameworks. The rebadged Rebels/Empire/Death Star storyline made the galaxy’s timeline feel inconsistent with history repeating itself after just a few years.
But, despite its narrative missteps, The Force Awakens is still a ton of fun, with a generous helping of eye-popping action sequences. It’s always a joy to see Harrison Ford as Han and Carrie Fisher as Leia, even if the divorce storyline feels like a betrayal of the characters’ legacy.
Rogue One (2016)
The first “Anthology” movie, Rogue One, has some muddled storytelling in the first and second acts. But this shaky plotting is redeemed with a cast of exciting new characters and a jaw-dropping third act that builds to a shocking ending.
The finale of Rogue One – which kills off every major protagonist in quick succession – was unheard of in the franchise-driven modern blockbuster landscape. Rogue One also has some of the franchise’s most breathtaking Vader action (particularly the climactic hallway massacre, which can be revisited countless times and remains just as effective).
Return Of The Jedi (1983)
Return of the Jedi is widely regarded to be the weakest entry in the original trilogy, but it’s up against two of the greatest movies ever made – it’s still a timeless masterpiece in its own right. The last movie in the original trilogy rehashed the Death Star storyline long before J.J. Abrams did. But George Lucas made it work in Jedi, because he raised the stakes with a shield generator to destroy and a lightsaber duel in the throne room.
Jedi has plenty of highlights: the speeder bike chase, Yoda’s refreshingly understated death scene, the whole opening act at Jabba’s palace. This movie ends the saga perfectly with Vader sacrificing himself to save his estranged son from the Emperor’s wrath. The infamous Sith Lord isn’t redeemed for decades of evil, but Luke’s belief that there’s still good in his father is validated.
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith (2005)
The third and final Star Wars prequel is easily the strongest entry in the trilogy. Revenge of the Sith still has its own faults, like ham-fisted political commentary and a disappointingly mundane arc for Padmé, but it’s a riveting Star Wars adventure with Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan in top form.
Revenge of the Sith is jam-packed with spectacular set-pieces that Star Wars fans can enjoy time and time again, from the opening space battle to the explosive climactic duel between Obi-Wan and his fallen apprentice.
Star Wars (1977)
Lucas’ original masterpiece is still a high benchmark for adventures across a galaxy far, far away. 1977’s Star Wars is a perfectly constructed archetypal story that still influences new generations of filmmakers to this day.
The tale of a bright-eyed farm boy leaving his humble beginnings behind to join the Rebels’ war against the Empire, and his journey toward mastering the Force and blowing up the Death Star, will never get old.
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Along with The Godfather Part II, 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back is one of the go-to examples of a sequel that’s even better than the first one. Empire is darker and edgier than the original, and it also digs deeper into the characters and their relationships.
Luke finally confronts Vader face-to-face (well, face-to-mask), while Han and Leia’s love story is one for the ages. Star Wars fans will never tire of rewatching unforgettable moments like Yoda lifting Luke’s X-wing out of the swamp and Vader revealing his paternal connection to the young Jedi.