Star Wars movies best to worst

The best because it wraps up the story arc of the first six episodes (prequels included) very well emotionally and in every other way. To me this movie truly represents everything that Star Wars is about. You have great action sequences from Jabba's Palace to the multiple battles on and above Endor and on the Death Star. You have the lightsaber battle between Vader and Luke and here the battle has an even greater emotional depth. Emperor Palpatine, the true villain of the first six episodes also has his story arc completed along with Anakin/Darth Vader, not to mention Yoda. This movie also has a lot of exposition about The Force and the central role the Skywalker family has in the Star Wars Saga. This movie enhances the prequels in that it references the back story from them and also enhances the other two original trilogy episodes by concluding that story. The Sequel Trilogy in my view MUST find a way to tie everything together the way Return of the Jedi did.

A very close second place that is pretty much perfection, the only completion it needs is the next movie. This movie is really the perfect sequel (or continuation if you count the prequels) in that it does something different by raising the stakes and doing brave story developments. Everything from start to finish is simply excellent from the Battle of Hoth to Luke training with Yoda on Degobah to the finale at Cloud City. Darth Vader's reveal to Luke is probably the greatest movie cliffhanger of all time.

A wonderful introduction to the characters and story lines we all love. Sets everything up and one could easily start from here or watch the prequels first and that is part of the beauty of it. The only completion it needs are the next two films. This movie actually has a rather simple story, perhaps the simplest of all the movies but it is the characters and character development that really make this film. You get just enough exposition to understand the importance of events such as the destruction of Alderaan. It works as both a great introduction to the Star Wars universe (as it was for most) but it also is great to watch it right after watching the prequels, especially Episode III as the back story is hinted at here.

An epic movie, not a perfect movie but a very broad and epic story that not only redeems it's own flaws but the flaws in all three prequels in my view. The emotional and political drama is simply amazing as are the action sequences and plot elements. Only comes short of a perfect rating because of a few flaws inherent in each of the prequels but they are hardly noticeable here at all. Right now I place it above The Force Awakens simply because it's story is more epic, I clearly understand what is going on in the galaxy and what is at state politically and for The Force.

The best of the Disney Star Wars films and it runs the danger of becoming perhaps the most underrated Star Wars film. Great action and good character development. It has better space battles and dog fights than either The Force Awakens or The Last Jedi. It shows you can make a film that is nostalgic for A New Hope without copying it too much (The Force Awakens) and still tell a new story.

I will limit spoilers in this comment for now for the benefit of those who have not yet seen the movie. Suffice it to say I really liked this movie and I think it is the best of the Sequel Trilogy. In my opinion it wraps up the nine episode story arc in a satisfactory way. It is still beneath the entire original trilogy and Revenge of the Sith because this movie did hold back on a few key things I thought there should have been more of. These flaws hold it back a little on this ranking.

Episode VII: The Force Awakens I can say is a good Star Wars movie without reservation but I don't think it reaches greatness the way some people do. Starting with the negatives, I wish there was a bit more exposition of what has been happening in the galaxy over the past 30+ years, that would give more impact to for instance the Starkiller base destroying that planet (that we learn is Hosnian Prime after the fact). The new planets introduced are mediocre and not as interesting as planets introduced in the original and prequel trilogies (and this is true of the entire sequel trilogy). The positives are the return of Han Solo, Chewbacca, Leia and Luke in that order of time on screen. The new characters I like but not quite on the level of the old characters, at least not yet. Kylo Ren is a decent villain and they set up potential with Snoke, or at least an air of mystery about him that is intriguing. Honestly though it is Harrison Ford as Han Solo that steals the show in this movie, he nailed his performance and honestly his presence is the only reason I rank this movie above Episodes I and II. So in short a good movie but because it tried to emulate Episode IV too much it actually is a reminder to me how that film and the other originals still did everything better.

I respect that this movie did some bold things with the plot. Where The Force Awakens played it too safe this movie is almost the opposite extreme where there are too many plot twists and some worked and some didn't in my opinion. The scenes between Luke and Rey are actually my favorite parts of the movie (sans Luke chucking the lightsaber) and the part where Yoda's force ghost shows up is perhaps the highlight of the entire movie. The throne room scene where Snoke is killed is epic too even though it might have wiped the slate a bit too clean. However this movie also has some negatives, the movie is just plain too long, the whole chase in space with Admiral Holdo and the journey to Canto Bite is just filler and overall it makes the movie feel unbalanced, there are just large segments I feel like fast forwarding and it leaves a mixed aftertaste in my mouth. On balance though I still think this is a good film and a hair better than The Force Awakens.

A good movie with a decent amount of story and action. The one major problem is that there is almost kind of too much going on and the plot can be a little hard to follow. At the same time though the fact that there is more going on, including the action scenes like the chase through Coruscant and the finale on Genosis, the plot twists with the clone troopers and Count Dooku are ultimately what make it slightly better than Episode I in my opinion. Yes it is dragged down by the awkward dialogue and plot of the love story. Still it improved upon it's predecessor and is closer in tone to it's successor albeit the latter is significantly better at it.

This is a good Star Wars movie. I think it is rather over criticized by many. The problems people talk about; Jar Jar, young Anakin, the child like aspects of the film, etc. are mostly found in the first half of the movie. When the action moves to Coruscant it becomes quite good and the plot elements there redeem the film. The finale is quite good like the lightsaber duel with Darth Maul and if you pay attention closely it is clear what the title "The Phantom Menace is referring to".

A decent fun film with plenty of action but also a few good character moments and humor. The plot is a bit complicated but it is a fun ride. It is almost hard to rank it with the other films because it is the least epic of all the star wars films, it is a heist film in space, it's ranking at the bottom does not mean that I dislike it because I actually do like it but it is my least favorite of all the live action theatrically released Star Wars films and if this is the weakest link it is a testament to just how good the franchise is. Also given the success of the Mandalorian I actually wonder if Solo might have been more successful as a live action TV series in that vein. I can almost see this movie as the story arc for an entire first season, something that is almost a cross between the Mandalorian and Young Indiana Jones; i.e. the pilot about Han escaping Lady Proxima, an episode about Han in the Imperial Army, an episode about him meeting Chewbacca for the first time, and a few other episodes culminating in the finale we saw in the movie with Crimson Dawn and revealing Darth Maul and Han winning the Falcon from Lando as the season finale. Then season two could have been where this movie left off with Crimson Dawn and Darth Maul. So I like the story and the story potential here but I just don't see it as cinematic.