Happy May the 4th, a day better known in the galaxy as Star Wars Day! Since 1977, the characters created by George Lucas sparked a passionate flame of devotion from a fanbase who to this day have been so dedicated that the demand for a holiday to celebrate the franchise became official in 2011. Now, every year on May 4th you can find a Star Wars related way to celebrate the day, whether it be at a local Star Wars party across the globe, at the Disney Theme Parks or even just at home with newly released Star Wars content on Disney+. This year, it’s the ever anticipated offshoot of “The Clone Wars” – “The Bad Batch”.
Of course, none of these epic celebrations from over the years would even exist without the original crew of the Rebel Alliance and the evil forces they had to defeat, also known as The Empire. Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker would kickoff a saga of films that spanned over 40 years, now commonly known as the Skywalker Saga. With Disney and LucasFilm Ltd. confirming that “The Rise of Skywalker” was the conclusion of the story of the Skywalker family, it’s unknown exactly what the future of Star Wars films will look like, but it’s well known that the galaxy wouldn’t have a future if it wasn’t for the Skywalkers paving the way.
So, in honour of this epic holiday, let’s grab ourselves a glass of blue milk, pick up our lightsabers for battle as we rank the Skywalker Saga from worst to best.
9. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
“The Phantom Menace” had all the anticipation in the world ahead of its release, but the first film in this prequel series kicked-off with a whimper instead of a bang. Besides, the fun battles between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan and Darth Maul, there is not much to like about this movie. Jar Jar Binks is super annoying and Anakin Skywalker as a kid just isn’t interesting. Its biggest flaw however, is its lack of knowing what it wants to be. Is it a kids movie or a movie about intergalactic politics? That’s unclear, but what is clear is that “The Phantom Menace” is a muddled disaster.
8. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
“Attack Of The Clones” is better than its predecessor, but it’s still not a great movie. Once again, Obi-Wan’s story arc, who is sent on a quest to track down the source of an assassination plot, is the best part of this film. The rest is kind of messy, and Hayden Christensen’s first performance as Anakin is very stiff. Anakin’s romance with Padme is a highlight, but is overshadowed by very mediocre action sequences and lot of story arcs that don’t get any sort of conclusion. Do yourself a favour and watch “The Clone Wars” series instead. The character development in that show is 10 times better than everything else in this movie.
7. Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker
The final film in the Skywalker Saga had a lot of expectations to live up to. Instead of wrapping up plotlines in a satisfying conclusion, this film left Star Wars fans outraged. From the unnecessary return of Emperor Palpatine to the bait and switch “death” of Chewbacca, almost everything that happens in “The Rise of Skywalker”, wasn’t needed. The relationship between Finn and Rey is completely disregarded in favour of a forced “Reylo” kiss and one of the best new characters Rose is given absolutely nothing to do. If it wasn’t for the fact that the film has some of the franchise’s best action sequences, “The Rise of Skywalker” would definitely be considered the galaxy’s biggest failure.
6. Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
Long before there were prequels and sequels, “Return Of The Jedi” was actually considered the most controversial Star Wars film. While it still doesn’t measure up to the greatness of its predecessors, “Return Of The Jedi” does offer a satisfying conclusion in the battle of the Rebels and the Empire. The rescue of Han Solo at Jabba’s palace and the final battle between Luke and Darth Vader are the perfect opening and closing moments. It’s the middle part of the action with the cute Ewoks that sometimes takes away from the overall plot, but unlike the movies above, this small hiccup, doesn’t take away from the overall greatness of the final installment in the original trilogy.
5. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
There isn’t much competition, but “Revenge Of The Sith” is above and beyond the best of the prequels. Anakin’s journey to the dark side is completed in this chapter, and Christensen turns in a fine performance. Ewan McGregor’s journey as Obi-Wan is arguably the best of the film as he is forced to watch his friend and padawan turn his back on everything he loves. It’s an emotional journey with some of the franchises most epic lightsaber duels between Anakin and Obi-Wan, and Yoda and Palpatine respectively. There are a few eye roll moments like Padme dying of a broken heart, but overall it’s a really good movie that ends the pretty terrible prequels on a high note.
4. Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi
“The Last Jedi” didn’t get a ton of respect when it was first released, mainly because it diverted away from tradition. Now, looking back, it’s clear that this film shows the potential of what Star Wars could be without the pressure of recapturing the magic of the original trilogy holding them back. The film tells a lot of excellent stories that all come together in the end from Finn and Rose’s Mission in Canto Bight to Rey’s Jedi training. With so many stunning sequences including the throne room showdown and the Battle on Crete, “The Last Jedi” is a stunning piece of filmmaking whose legacy has only been tampered with due to so many loose ends not being addressed in the follow-up.
3. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
The film that started it all. “A New Hope” is a pioneer not only for Star Wars films, but the sci-fi/fantasy genre in general. It’s in no way the best in terms of special effects or technological innovation, but even 44 years after its release, “A New Hope” manages to tell such an impactful story with a collection of loveable characters you can’t help but root for. Simply put, “A New Hope” is a hero’s journey set in a world so creative and imaginative, which is why all these years later there are still so many stories to tell set within the galaxy. No matter how much time does pass, it’s safe to say that “A New Hope”, which is without a doubt a great movie, will always be a part of cinema history.
2. Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
“The Force Awakens” was THE movie that made this writer fall in love with the world of Star Wars. It’s fan service done right and a loving tribute to the originals. However, what makes “The Force Awakens” stand out is its seamless way of introducing a new crop of characters that we instantly care for like Rey, Finn, Poe and BB-8, while still giving older characters like Han Solo, Chewbacca and Leia Organa their time to shine. The action sequences are also next level, and the introduction of Kylo Ren as the villian provided a high level of emotion that never quite hit the mark in the follow-ups. Nevertheless, “The Force Awakens” will always be the Star Wars movie that fully has my heart.
1. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
It’s been said numerous times by numerous critics, but it deserves to be said again, “The Empire Strikes Back” is a cinematic masterpiece. The best Star Wars film ever created, and likely to never be matched, “The Empire Strikes Back” presents viewers with the most impactful, character driven work of the franchise. It has everything you want in a film and then some: romance, action, spirituality, war and the classic coming-of-age trope that never gets old. Of course, it all ends with arguably the greatest film reveal of all-time. “No, I am your father” will forever live in infamy and so will the magic of “The Empire Strikes Back”.
What’s your favourite movie from the Skywalker Saga? Let us know in the comments below or on one of our social media channels. And make sure to follow Frozen Mouse Fever for all your Disney needs.
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