Top 10 Best Star Wars Movies

The Top Ten
1 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

The original Star Wars movies to me will always be the best. What I like about Empire is not just its serious tone. Its action is also one of the best I've seen. The antagonist is threatening and serious. The protagonist is likable, along with the supporting characters such as Han, Chewbacca, Leia, and C-3PO. The story itself is also entertaining to watch. I find it funny that it got mixed reviews when it first came out. Now it's regarded as one of the best movies ever made. The Original Star Wars Trilogy is honestly one of my favorites.

I'm just going to assume that not everyone has seen this movie because if everyone had, the vote should have been unanimous. This is the greatest film of all films: Star Wars, The Godfather, all of them! While Star Wars: A New Hope is a definite second, this is not only the greatest Star Wars film but the greatest film because it features the best Star Wars character, Darth Vader, in the prime of his character arc.

I feel A New Hope only demonstrated his power so we could be excited for an inevitable final fight, but this movie showed just how evil he really is. Then, Luke loses. He didn't just get his hand cut off, and it wasn't the classic 'hero's weapon flies out of his hand but he wins anyway' kind of thing. He lost! And then Darth Vader says, "No, I am your father." Best twist ever. And it ends with us truly wanting more. I hope the upcoming Star Wars film will be as good as this one, but that would be one heck of a feat. Empire is the best movie ever made.

2 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

The final entry in the prequel trilogy, which ran from 1999 to 2005, has to be acknowledged. I must say I agree that this is the best entry. It is not perfect, but I enjoy it either way. It tells a story about manipulation, desperation, and one of the most important events to occur in this fictional universe. It also showcases the birth of one of the most beloved Star Wars characters of all time: Darth Vader, along with Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa. And it combines these events with the original timeline. This is definitely another favorite of mine.

Even though I love all Star Wars movies in different ways, this one stands out for me. From the nonstop action to the raw emotion, this movie brings, it just can't be beaten. In this film, you can see and feel Anakin's struggles as he draws closer and closer to becoming Darth Vader. I don't know about everyone else, but I didn't seem to have a huge problem with the acting in this movie. The amount of greatness and emotion it brings overshadows any flaws anyway. The movie starts with Anakin and Obi-Wan being best friends, and by the end, they are mortal enemies. I feel it did a perfect job of filling in everything in between. For me, this movie should be number one because even though The Empire Strikes Back is great, it gets boring and repetitive at times. I also feel that Obi-Wan's words to the burning, fallen Anakin were way more emotional than "I am your father". Overall, this movie, to me, was perfection and set up A New Hope perfectly.

3 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

This movie was so well thought out. The entire movie had you thinking, "What's going to happen next?" The scenes were unbelievable, and the actors were so amazing. Palpatine played the best role he's ever had, and Vader unmasking himself was unforgettable. Luke was a very good character, and the fact that he could take what he did was awesome. He almost got eaten by the Rancor, nearly fell and got eaten by a giant worm, took on a lightsaber duel, and then was almost killed by Emperor Palpatine near the end. Not only that, but the music was amazing. Good job, John Williams. And George Lucas deserves credit too for creating Star Wars in the first place.

Star Wars is the greatest saga of all time and the most popular, and this is the greatest of all Star Wars movies! How can you forget the final and opening scene? The most anticipated unmasking of Darth Vader, who finally turned good, is unforgettable. I like how they edited it when the new ones came out. Before, they had another man to represent Anakin's spirit at the end. But they edited it to include Hayden Christensen, and that was so good. The mastermind of George Lucas is amazing. I think he became the richest man in Hollywood or something after this. The 20th century thought George Lucas was crazy when he wanted to make the Star Wars franchise. Now, it is one of the most loved of all.

4 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

After watching each Star Wars movie over the course of two weeks, I felt that the original Star Wars was still the best one. It serves as an excellent introduction to the Star Wars galaxy and never feels as if it delivers too much exposition. While the characters may appear to be simple, their motivations are clear, and each one is memorable. I also noticed that every scene from this movie is iconic and serves a purpose in telling the story. Overall, I would say that this movie is a real masterpiece as it's been frequently listed among the greatest movies of all time and should at least be in the top 3 of this list.

Star Wars - Possibly the most iconic and well-known movies of all time. A+

The Empire Strikes Back - A great improvement over the original, but I have a special spot for Episode IV, so I can't decide which one I like better. A+

Return of the Jedi - Not as great as the first two but still a well-made and exciting movie. A-

Phantom Menace - Bad script and no character development but good action sequences. C-

Attack of the Clones - A slight improvement over Episode I, but I can't remember much about this movie. C

Revenge of the Sith - Great lightsaber battles and an improvement in script and characters, but it didn't reach the heights of the original. B

5 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

The plot was a rehashing of Episode IV, not just a reference to it. The movie did lack creativity in its plot, which is a problem. That being said, the characterization and acting were better than anything ever done under Lucas. I'd also like to point out the reason for the strategy of an uncreative plot: Star Wars fans hate new things. Look at the treatment of the prequels, The Last Jedi, and the indifference to the anthology films. Abrams had little choice but to do what he did, and the backlash came much later than it would have if something original had been attempted. As fans, we need to encourage creativity. Otherwise, we'll keep complaining about the rehashing of old plots. We need to stop creating lose-lose scenarios for writers and directors.

The first in the Star Wars franchise not helmed by George Lucas, Star Wars: The Force Awakens manages to maintain a balance of emotions between an ensemble cast - a combination of actors from the original trilogy and newcomers of the current sequel trilogy. It's a classic telling of a Star Wars adventure, devoid of Gungans, Ewoks, flat dialogue, and an overabundance of inferior CGI. Director J.J. Abrams employs a story you are familiar with insofar as the theme elements but shows us a few new tricks with storytelling that we haven't seen before in this galaxy far, far away.

The Force Awakens is not one for those who expect constant continuity of plot, as there are quite a few plot gaps with this film taking place three decades after the conclusion of Return of the Jedi. However, it is rather an emotional powerhouse that rises above any shortcomings. Any plot hole or slow-moving portion of this movie is overcome by its ultimate outcome.

The Force Awakens is a cinematic adventure that feels like an official Star Wars movie, not an off-brand counterpart that tries to imitate a Star Wars movie, as some may be led to believe. There is familiarity and several Easter eggs paying homage to the original trilogy, but rest assured, The Force Awakens is its own movie, not a rehash of A New Hope.

This movie is arguably better than Return of the Jedi and sits atop the top three best Star Wars movies, only bested by The Empire Strikes Back and A New Hope.

6 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

This is a great movie, up there with the best. I loved VII, but this has it beat because it's not too similar to the originals, it's not as predictable, and it's more mature and gritty. It shows the hardships and sacrifices of war, and that not everyone will make it out okay. Vader was used brilliantly. He wasn't overused, but his scenes were epic. The character development could've been better, but I enjoyed each character and was sad to see them die. K2 and Jyn were the saddest deaths, in my opinion, but they were moving. It showed how willing they were to put everything on the line to fight against the Empire. Overall, it was an amazing movie and will forever be one of my favorites in the Star Wars franchise.

This is the most polished movie ever made for Star Wars. The plot is great, the character development is impressive, the acting flawless, and the visuals impressive (they put a lot of effort in here. It visually works quite well with the originals). Moreover, the dialogue isn't awkward, which is rare for a Star Wars film. It also has the intangibles: emotion, a message, and effective humor. Episode IV is still my favorite, but this is a close second because there's simply nothing not to like. It's just a perfectly crafted film.

7 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Something I think a lot of people don't realize (in my opinion, at least) is that the prequels are honestly what made Star Wars, well, Star Wars. They introduced great lightsaber duels, new and awesome planets - not that the originals didn't have them, but the prequels had more. They laid the foundation of the clone armies, presented a young Obi-Wan, and introduced characters like Jango Fett, Grievous, and Maul. This movie and its two sequels are what made Star Wars so iconic, honestly, in my opinion.

This is why I respect the prequels as much as the originals. The prequels certainly aren't that bad. Each of the prequels has some really amazing and awesome scenes, even the two most hated ones of the franchise, this and Ep. II. We've all heard of the duel between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon versus Darth Maul, one of the greatest Star Wars battles ever. Or the friends on Tatooine. So many iconic places and elements started with this movie. And the special effects skyrocketed with this movie. In my opinion, it's impossible to give this a negative rating. I'm going full star, 5 out of 5.

8 Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones is so underrated, with some amazing action scenes, and is one of the most important films in the saga. Everything that happens after this is because of the events in this movie. Sure, there are some cheesy "emotional" scenes and the acting is sub-par, but the acting is of low quality in the ENTIRE SERIES! The debate between the Originals versus Prequels will go on forever. The points people make against the prequels are usually valid for the originals as well, but nostalgia clouds their vision. All six movies are great, and Episode II is the underdog and the best of them all.

One of the most wrongfully despised Star Wars movies, in my opinion, is Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones. People tend to remember and think only of the romance when this movie comes to mind, acting as if everything else was just as poor, which is not the case. Even then, the romance served a purpose, unlike the Finn x Rose Tico subplot in Episode 8. While the duel between Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Count Dooku isn't nearly as entertaining as the final battle with Maul, this movie has many other amazing parts.

Let me introduce you to Jango Fett, perhaps the greatest Star Wars character ever created. I smiled every time he was on screen. Not only does he look badass in that armor, and his battle scenes are amazing, but he is also essentially the reason behind everything in the original trilogy. He created the clone army, which the Sith Lords took advantage of, and thus the Galactic Empire was born. I mean, this is certainly not a bad movie at all.

9 Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

This is one of my favorite Star Wars movies, second only to Rogue One. It had a lot of very intimate and compassionate scenes between Kylo and Rey. For some reason, it gave me a chilling parallel nostalgia of Anakin and Padme. I'll admit the CGI about Yoda was a little odd but still fairly decent. The plot was incredible. It's nice to see some good in Kylo Ren for once. I believe he gets to be redeemed in the next movie.

Although, SPOILER, I think we can all agree that the best scene in the movie was Kylo and Rey touching hands. Then, just as abruptly, awkward Uncle Luke comes in to interrupt the moment and destroy the cave. That was hilarious.

This is a great movie. What I really like about this movie is how they take a lot of risks to surprise the viewer. While people complain that they ruined Luke's character, I thought that what they did to him was a great idea because it gave me a new way to look at the character that makes him interesting. I think it's better than the Gary Stu the fans wanted him to become. Also, I'm sorry, but Rey isn't a Mary Sue because she does make errors sometimes, and Rose is a great character.

Now, let's hope that Rise of the Skywalker will be at least a good movie to finish this very good trilogy. And let's hope they will not reveal that Rey is a Skywalker just because the fans complained that revealing she is the child of no one important was a disappointment because that would be stupid. I hope that it's not the reason why the movie is called The Rise of Skywalker. Seriously, which Skywalker is rising? I thought Luke was dead.

10 Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker

This is the only sequel that was actually a good movie. It was very predictable, but many of those moments seemed like fun tributes to the rest of the series, rather than uncreative plot recycling. It certainly wasn't flawless. Its biggest flaw was really just that Episode VIII was so bad. Episode VIII was just kind of terrible, and then BAM! The grand finale of all Star Wars! If Episode VIII had been better and built some tension leading up to this movie, it would have been a lot better.

This movie was pretty emotional and exciting for me. Yes, it had flaws. The characters are hard to understand compared to the original trilogy characters and the prequel characters. But once you look into them and see their story, you will enjoy this movie a lot more. If you liked Ben the most out of the sequel trilogy, I think you will mostly like this movie. That is if you can accept the flaws.

A very entertaining movie! It brings back a lot of nostalgia from the old Star Wars movies and has some great action scenes. I like how it shows more of Poe, Finn, and C-3PO, who were basically used as nothing characters in The Last Jedi, and Palpatine's return was very good. The start was a little bit messy, and they had the opportunity to do a lot more, but overall, it is a great movie and you shouldn't listen to the critics. 8/10

The Contenders
11 Solo: A Star Wars Story

This movie was nothing special, but there's not much to dislike either. People are just being nitpicky, which is a significant no for any Star Wars film. No film will satisfy fans who insist on having things their way and don't allow writers to attempt to write. Does it matter where Solo got his last name? No. So, if it doesn't matter, why care if or how they explain it? It changes nothing.

Also, Alden Ehrenreich did a great job. He captured what a younger Han Solo would be like incredibly well and didn't try to simply copy Harrison Ford. People evolve over time, and I absolutely believe that Ehrenreich's character could evolve into Ford's, which is no easy feat.

THE BEST non-original Star Wars movie. I loved it. It filled me with nostalgia from when I was 6 (now I'm 14) and my dad dug his old Star Wars tapes out of the attic, and I watched A New Hope for the first time. Definitely the first one in which I can really see a good use of the new CGI.

12 Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Star Wars: The Clone Wars reveals the utter triumph and potential of Star Wars. Let's admit it: the first two - Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones - were lackluster. The third was okay, but Anakin was a whiner. The fourth featured Luke as the whiny hero, and Obi-Wan lets himself be killed.

The fifth and sixth almost defeat this one. They represent the peak of George Lucas's career. The seventh, though it hasn't been released yet, also sounds promising.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars introduces many memorable new characters, such as Ahsoka Tano, Cad Bane, Lux Bonterri, and Duchess Satine. The villains - Darth Maul, Savage Opress, Palpatine, and Asajj Ventress - are remarkable. Also, lesser-known characters, such as Kit Fisto (a personal favorite), have their episodes.

The clones, such as Captain Rex, are imbued with character, and when they die, you feel sad.

This series also unveils the brilliance of Palpatine's plot, revealing each small step toward becoming the Emperor. With each season, Anakin's character grows darker. He is compelling - not a little whiner who can't do anything right.

The only problem is that sometimes the series is so frustrating. You watch Palpatine manipulate the Jedi left and right, and nobody notices. You want to scream, "He's the traitor! Get him!" Of course, he wins in the end, since we know most of the Jedi die and he becomes the Emperor, not being killed until the sixth movie.

13 Ewoks: The Battle for Endor

Definitely the best thing to come from Star Wars. Wicket is my favorite character in all of Star Wars, and learning new stuff about Ewoks is just great. Honestly, I hope we get more content like this. I would think a Gungan version of this would be definitively the greatest movie ever made.

A lot of people don't like this movie, but it was actually the first Star Wars movie I ever saw. I watched it when I was really young and loved it! I still love it to this day and will always consider it one of the most underrated movies.

For me, this is the best Star Wars movie out there!

14 Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure
15 Star Wars Holiday Special

I laughed so hard. This is the worst thing to happen to Star Wars, even worse than Jar Jar Binks.

Growing up, I remember when we used to gather around every Christmas to watch this movie. I don't really like the episodes I-VIII that much, as they don't have that good of a story. The Holiday Special, on the other hand, is phenomenal.

Watch this on YouTube, starting at 28 minutes into it. You'll be very surprised.

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