Franchise Friday : Star Wars Movies Ranked

Franchise Friday: Star Wars Films Ranked

This week, inspired by the valiant return of Disney Plus' The Mandalorian, I’m ranking all of the theatrically released (Sorry Ewoks) Star Wars movies. I might as well get the most divisive franchise out of the way first afterall. It’s impossible to please everybody and this list is obviously based on my personal preferences as both a fan of cinema, and a fan of the Galaxy far, far away. So here we go, from bottom to top, Star Wars. 

12) Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)

The Clone Wars TV show has given us some of the best Star Wars story and lore in recent years. This film, released in cinemas to market the brand new show back in 2008, is not so memorable. The first couple seasons of the popular cartoon were a very different show to how The Clone Wars ended up, and this is a perfect example of the slightly directionless feeling of early Clone Wars. The premise is cute enough, Anakin and Ashoka must rescue and escort the baby son of Jabba the Hutt. Before Baby Yoda there was Rotta the Hutt. The only animated film to date for Star Wars, The Clone Wars movie suffers from its clearly stitched together and episodic structure. It’s obvious that these stories would’ve been better viewed as a few episodes of the show, rather than a feature length binge. Repetitive and badly paced battles sag the middle section, however without this movie we wouldn’t have some of the most important elements of The Clone Wars we know and love. This was the first appearance of Anakin's apprentice Ashoka, now a fan favourite character.

11) Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) 

Narrowly missing out on the bottom spot is Attack of the Clones. This will be a surprise to many who usually put this one above Phantom Menace. I disagree. Attack of the Clones has some of the worst written dialogue outside of Tommy Wiseau's The Room. It competes with said film for the most awkward and forced romance plot too. However it is undeniably entertaining in its action set pieces. Attack of the Clones gave us the great Count Dooku, one of Star Wars' many great villains. Episode II also marks the turning point of Lucas' over reliance on unperfected and overly ambitious cgi. It’s not aged well, and there’s so much blue screen work that almost every environment feels fake. That’s what separates this from some of the other least liked Star Wars films, it’s not a very well crafted movie. However, unlike The Clone Wars movie, I could happily sit and watch Attack of the Clones any time it’s on.  

10) Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)

What can I say that hasn’t already been said? The most divisive film in Hollywood. I don’t hate The Last Jedi as much as some. It has some wonderful filmmaking. Riain Johnson is a talented craftsman, but he doesn’t understand Star Wars as much as people think he does. Undoing the narrative threads of JJ Abram's Episode 7 was a poor choice. For a middle film in a trilogy, The Last Jedi leaves you feeling depleted, and with nothing to look forward to. For the sake of shock value, it tears down institutions and conventions for no real value. I don’t hate Luke Skywalker in this movie like some do, the idea of a broken and hopeless ex-hero is a story with great potential, but this potential isn’t delivered upon. It’s got some of the best single shots and cinematography in the whole series, yet substance wise, and plot wise, The Last Jedi is a guttural punch to the Skywalker saga story. 

09) Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

There was a time when this was the most hated Star Wars movie to date. Phantom Menace , for better or worse, completely reopened the universe of Star Wars to new characters and worlds. Some of those are hits, and some of those misses. Phantom Menace suffers from similar dialogue woes as most of the prequels, George Lucas has never been great on his own at writing convincing human interaction. However, the real charm of Episode I is that it was the last time Star Wars felt hand-crafted. It combined new technology like cgi Gungans and starships, with the same charming models and sets that made the original trilogy so welcoming. I will always advocate practical effects over computer, and Phantom Menace was a great achievement in film design. Even if the film itself has pacing and writing issues, the sheer craft and effort in every planet, creature and battle scene makes this an easy film to appreciate. Over time, as the damage of Jar Jar and Midichlorians dies down, the charm hidden within Phantom Menace ages like a fine wine.  

08) Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

I wanted to love this movie so much. To date, the final Star Wars movie chronologically. It was doomed from the start. Left with nothing to do after Last Jedi, Rise of Skywalker quickly invents a new plot for the series in the eleventh hour, resurrecting the ultimate baddie Palpatine. It’s rushed in just about every aspect. Rise of Skywalker tries to please as many fans as possible, and it’s admirable for trying, but by the end of the film you’re left wishing that Return of the Jedi's perfect end scene was left alone. Having Palpatine back was a smart move, even if it did feel under developed, it’s always great to see Ian McDiarmid chewing up his dialogue and being as evil as possible. It does feel grand in scale, but it doesn’t always feel like Star Wars. It’s also extremely risk free, with multiple instances of plot points that are dangled and quickly rescinded. They want to kill people off, but they can’t risk it, they want to make big changes to the canon, but they don’t risk it. If Last Jedi suffered for being too frivolous, Rise of Skywalker suffers for playing it too safe. That being said, there’s an attempt here. Certain moments and performances that are shining in the rough. Adam Driver remains the best served actor and character of this new trilogy, but for every Kylo Ren there is a Finn. A Finn who’s potential is wasted for eternity. Rise of Skywalker is a mess, but it’s a fun mess. It’s that imperfectly perfect balance between the poor writing of the prequels and the little glimmers of hope from this new trilogy. 

07) Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Perhaps the most underrated film in the franchise, Solo is considered by many a failure. In reality, it’s a good story that is confused about whether it wants to be a fan service vehicle, or a standalone adventure. The behind the scenes trouble is evident in the final product. Solo is a strange film structurally, and at times feels a little underwhelming to look at. However, at its core there is a familiarity and Star Wars-ness to it that elevates it from some simple space Movie. I do wish Solo had gotten a sequel, as I’m sure it would have been twice the movie. The plot points it sets up are easily more intriguing than anything that happens in this first attempt. Alden Erenreich, despite never really feeling like a young Harrison Ford, certainly feels like a young Han Solo by the time the credits roll. 

06) Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Who doesn’t love this film? The most exciting, dramatic, epic episode of the saga. I’d argue it’s the most easily watchable one. That being said, fan goggles have tricked us Star Wars lovers into thinking Revenge of the Sith is anywhere near the cinema levels of the original trilogy. It has many of the shortcomings of the other two prequels; hammy dialogue, sometimes dodgy CG and performances that are only as good as the words they’re portraying. However, Revenge of the Sith is just utterly enjoyable. It’s scenes are iconic, be it the heartbreaking Order 66 montage, or the epic 40 years in the making showdown between Anakin and Obi Wan. It’s impossible to hate this movie. It’s not a great feat of cinema, but as a Star Wars film it gave people pretty much everything they wanted, tying a nice little bow between the two trilogies and delivering on many unanswered questions. 

05) Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)

This film sold us a dream. A dream that we were finally going to get a faithful continuation of the Star Wars story. The feeling of excitement I had coming out of Episode VII was unmatchable. It’s bittersweet to look back on now, knowing how much the succeeding two instalments screwed that mythical pooch. Everything that Episodes 8 and 9 got wrong, Episode 7 got right. It was the perfect middle ground of the awesome action of the prequels, and the deeper story-driven Original Trilogy. The new characters felt developed and full of potential. Namely, a stormtrooper who ran away from his army, and the son of two legendary heroes who disappointed a galaxy and became the new evil overlord. Force Awakens injected so much life into the Star Wars universe, and despite the somewhat obvious repetition of certain elements from A New Hope, Episode 7 proved that you can make a good film and make a good Star Wars film simultaneously in the modern day. 

04) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Rogue One was the biggest experiment Star Wars ever took, and it paid off. The first spin-off film took a plot hole from the most famous movie of all time, and made an entire film justifying it, while also crafting an interesting and exciting new story. Rogue One is ridiculously exciting for Star Wars fans, and it proved to many that Disney had some understanding of what the fanbase wanted. The way this film takes familiar moments and adds depth to them is stellar, the final sequence is to date my favourite sequence in a Star Wars movie. For all the debates it caused, I think the Cgi Tarkin was a milestone in cinema. As someone who didn’t know it was coming, I was mind blown in  y seat watching Peter Cushing come back from the dead. Rogue One is the best of Disney's Star Wars, and it’s the closest they’ve got to matching the quality of the original trilogy. 

03) Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983) 

The quality gap between this and the first two Star Wars films is smaller than many claim. Return of the Jedi is a perfect finale to the Saga. Luke Skywalker finally becomes the hero we always knew he was destined to be. It’s that final realisation of what has been built up for 6 years in real time; the band of heroes who save the Galaxy. The drama of the final confrontation between Luke and The Emperor, and the redemption of Darth Vader, is great cinema. Return of the Jedi ties up every loose end, from Han Solo's imprisonment with Jabba, to Luke's unfinished business with Yoda. Unlike Rise of Skywalker, this third instalment couldn’t feel more in line with the vision of its predecessors. Yes, there’s some goofy bits thrown in, but that’s Star Wars. As for the Ewoks, who were once considered the worst thing in Star Wars (back when there was only 3 of these things), I can’t think of anything more Star Wars than a race of cuddly teddy bears who use Viet Cong style guerrilla warfare to overthrow a technological empire. 

02) Star Wars (1977)

This is the most important movie in the history of Hollywood. The origin of the blockbuster. George Lucas' vision that nobody expected to work. The perfect hero's journey narrative structure in visual form. An epic and ambitious retelling of the pulp adventure stories of the 1930's set in Space. I have no shame in saying that without this film, the industry wouldn’t look a thing like it does today. This movie gave us Jedi, Darth Vader, and X-Wings. Nuff said. As a filmmaking feat, I think in many ways this is the best of the best. For the fact that this movie was made with risk in abundance, destined to fail. It’s the biggest success story in cinema. But there is only one Star Wars movie that has ever topped it in sheer quality.

01) Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) 

It’s been said too many times. Empire is the best Star Wars movie. Taking the charming handmade quality of Star Wars and matching it with a bigger budget. Ive always found the middle part of a trilogy the most exciting. It’s the one that can take risks. The Dark Knight being another example, the middle film is where all the darkness and grit lives. It’s always more dramatically tasty to see your heroes suffer before you see them win. Add to that, this movie gave us Yoda. The lore expands, the action gets grander, and the twists and turns appear in spades. This is the ultimate Star Wars movie. When Darth Vader said “ I am your father “, things would never be the same.