"Star Wars" is something many have come to love over the years. I can remember watching "A New Hope" on VHS tapes at my great aunt and uncle's home. I love each one of the movies and each shares a special place in my heart. That being said, comparing and ranking movies is quite fun. So, from worst to best, here is my personal ranking of all of the films in the "Star Wars" world.
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of The Clones
"Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones"
So let's start with the hunk of junk that was and is "Episode II". I'm not even sure if it deserves to be called a hunk of junk—maybe a hot mess. Anyway, out of all the prequel movies, this one's CGI was the most obvious and annoying to me. The Battle of Geonosis is, to me, one of the cheesiest of them all. You also take into consideration the wooden lines and dramatic acting that just does not feel... Well, "Star Wars". However, props to the Coliseum scene and final lightsaber battle. But fewer props for chopping Jango Fett's head off… That was a cool character, man!!!
"Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace"
"Now this is Pod Racing," said, like, one child actor ever! Let's get to the gist of it. This movie introduced one of the most interesting characters in "Star Wars", just to die right away. (To all of you saying Boba Fett is the most interesting, hold on. I'll deal with you later.) DARTH MAUL! The guy barely talks and he is terrifying! He eventually comes back in "The Clone Wars" TV series, but COME ON! If you watch "Rebels" and you have seen "Solo: A Star Wars Story", then you wouldn't understand. This movie also gave us Jar-Jar Binks… George, "yousa was in big doo-doo" after this one. For those who don't know, Jar-Jar is the most despised character in the "Star Wars" fandom. I rank this movie above "Episode II" for its lightsaber duel and great musical score.
"Star Wars: The Clone Wars" movie
Fans consider this when ranking due to its theatrical release. Many fans also put this movie at their lowest rank, but I have it here. Why, you ask? The animated movie gives us a not-so-whiny and not-so-dramatic Anakin. It places Anakin with a Padawan, Ashoka Tano. Tano, back then, was considered to be a bad character, but I loved her. After the end of the "Clone Wars" TV series, she had become beloved by the fans. Ashoka would even get a novel and return to the "Star Wars: Rebels" TV series. As much as I enjoy this film, it does not compare to what is yet to come...
"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"
This movie was sort of a risk for Disney. I say "sort of" because they are rich and a "Star Wars" film will make them money no matter what. The very first "Star Wars" story told us of the rebels who stole the Death Star plans, mentioned in the opening crawl in "A New Hope". This is ranked at number eight because of the abrupt reasoning for the title of Rogue One, the not-so-memorable score, and (SPOILER) all of them die! The film did give us the famous Vader hallway scene that still haunts me to this day. Oh, and computer-generated Carrie Fischer saying "hope," at the end... I miss her so much. RIP.
"Star Wars Episode IX: The Last Jedi"
Next, we have the most debated film in the franchise. The fact that I put it in the middle is almost ironic.
The fanbase was split. The critics were kind of "meh" about the film. Did I like it? Yes! It had beautiful imagery and music, Admiral Holdo's sacrifice, and one of the coolest lightsaber fights (even though they never hit one another). Luke Skywalker was great. Yoda was great. Everything was great for me, except… Rose didn't seem to really have a point. That Canto Bight adventure was weird and that DJ stuff was kind of weird, too. Like most "Star Wars" fans, I can talk about "The Last Jedi" forever. It comes in at number seven on my personal list.
"Star Wars Episode VI: The Force Awakens"
"Star Wars" was back! Well.. Unless you watched the "Clone Wars" TV series or read the books and comics, "Star Wars" was just back with new movies! The hype around "The Force Awakens" was why most remember and love it. For many, it was their first time watching a "Star Wars" movie. I was one of those fans chomping at the bit to see more trailers and hear news about the new story and characters. It didn't bother me that Rey was so strong in the force after I thought about it. (That can be a whole other talk, though.) I get all the feels when the lightsaber flies into Rey's hand. I'm shaking, I'm crying, I'm cheering, and I'm wanting her to slay that whiny little Kylo Ren.
"Solo: A Star Wars Story"
This is the most recent of the franchise and the second "Star Wars Story" movie. There was a lot of bad talk around this movie. I wasn't there in the trailers but on the screen, it was amazing. That was the young guy who would become the scruffy looking nerf herder we'd all come to love. That was the swindler that would steal the show in "The Empire Strikes Back"! The thing that made this movie better than those lower was the Chewbacca/Han scenes and Darth Maul coming back to the big screen… His reintroduction probably confused many, but this sold me. As someone who watches everything "Star Wars" and reads some of the books, this connected it all. (It did cause me to explain to almost everyone I know that Maul was still alive. It didn't matter. I love doing that kind of stuff.)
"Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith"
Bring on the hate! How could "Episode III" be this high? I'll tell you: For many, this movie is cloaked in poor line delivery, but is just the best of the prequel films—nothing more. I'm here to tell you that I love this movie. I was either eight or nine when this movie was released, and to me, this was "Star Wars"! I remember so many things about this movie. I quote this movie a lot and if you are one of my close friends, I have probably quoted it to you. The climactic battle, the opening space battle, Anakin's fall, and the rise of Palpatine are all amazing. This was truly the "Revenge of the Sith". As Vader and Palpatine look off to the in-progress Death Star, my eyes were locked on the screen!
"Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope"
Here it is—the movie that started it all. Luke Skywalker is a hero but he didn't start out that way. He was a farm boy from nowhere! To me, I was sort of just like him. Luke dreamed of flying and exploring the stars. We meet Han Solo, the smuggler who shot first. Han doesn't always do the right thing, but in the rebels' desperate time of need, he became a hero. Princess Leia was an incredible and strong female character who stole many scenes from her male counterparts. Princess Leia also delivered one of the most remembered lines: "Help me, Obi-wan Kenobi. You are my only hope." (I just teared up a little bit. This film meant a lot to me growing up.)
"Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back"
What can I say? The second movie of a trilogy is usually the best, and that holds true for this one. Then why is it second on my list? Well, it's just my opinion. I'll explain more when we get to number. The story of the heroes being brought to their very lowest is interesting. It leaves many asking this: What will they do next? "Episode V" left me saying "I can't believe Vader is Luke's father. How will they get Han back? Did Leia and Luke really make out? Ewww…" A twist that shook the world was the revelation that Darth Vader was Luke's father. The movie gave us a great fight both between Stormtroopers and a lightsaber duel.
"Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi"
"I am a Jedi. Like my father before me."
That is my favorite line in all of "Star Wars". "Episode VI" had ewoks, but it also had the question of "will we one day turn into our parents?" It also asked if there was still good in those who have done so much evil? It proved that no matter what, good will rise above evil. This was the climax of the incredible trilogy that would give me role models and a perspective that I did not yet have at my young age. "Return of the Jedi" was and will always be the best of these films.
So there it is: My ranking of all the theatrically released "Star Wars" films. I love to talk about "Star Wars"—from how it relates to cultural to just talking about the immersive lore that has captivated me and many others.