TL;DR The consensus among fans is that "The Empire Strikes Back" is the best Star Wars movie due to its storytelling, character development, and iconic moments.
The Empire Strikes Back
"The Empire Strikes Back" consistently ranks as the best Star Wars film across multiple discussions. Fans praise its darker tone, complex character arcs, and memorable plot twists [1:2]
[2:4]
[3:1]. The film's ability to balance action with emotional depth makes it a standout in the franchise. Its position as the middle installment of the original trilogy allows for significant narrative development without needing to resolve all storylines
[4:4].
Return of the Jedi
While not as universally acclaimed as "Empire," "Return of the Jedi" has its supporters who appreciate the emotional climax between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader [1]. It offers a satisfying conclusion to the original trilogy, despite some criticism regarding certain elements like the Ewoks
[1:6]
[1:8]. Nostalgia plays a significant role in its appreciation, with many fans recalling the excitement of its space battles and creature designs
[1:2].
Rogue One
"Rogue One" is often mentioned as a favorite among newer entries in the Star Wars saga. Its gritty portrayal of war and sacrifice within the Star Wars universe resonates with audiences, earning it high praise [1:5]
[3:3]. Some fans even consider it one of the best films in the series, despite being a standalone story
[1:7]
[4:3].
Other Notable Mentions
Several other films receive mixed reviews but are worth mentioning. "Revenge of the Sith" is noted for its dramatic storyline and connection to the broader Star Wars mythos [2:4]
[3:4]. "The Last Jedi" divides opinion, with some appreciating its bold narrative choices and others criticizing its deviation from traditional Star Wars themes
[2:5]
[5:2]. Meanwhile, "A New Hope" remains a classic, praised for its groundbreaking introduction to the Star Wars universe
[5:2].
In summary, while opinions vary, "The Empire Strikes Back" emerges as the most celebrated Star Wars film, with "Return of the Jedi" and "Rogue One" also receiving significant acclaim.
I honestly think Return of the Jedi is the best Star Wars film. Sure, The Empire Strikes Back has the iconic twists and darker tone, but there’s something about Jedi that just feels perfect. It gives me this strong sense of nostalgia, especially when I watch the final showdown between Luke and Vader. That scene, with Luke’s anger boiling over and Vader’s struggle between the dark side and the good, is just so intense and emotional. It’s the moment that makes everything come together in the most satisfying fucking way. Jedi has the action, the heart, and a sense of closure that makes it, for me, the best of the franchise.
This used to be a popular opinion, if you take the discussion in “Clerks” to be representative of the cultural zeitgeist at the time — which is also accurate to my recollections of the pre-prequel 90s.
I think it has some of the highest highs, most notably everything involving the Emperor and the space battle, which is still gorgeous, epic and exciting.
It also has some of the best creature designs and sets, many of which still look great. I think the fight on the sail barge and the speeder chase are still a lot of fun.
On the flip side, it feels like two movies stapled together (Jabba + Death Star), which honestly is probably a bigger crime than the Ewoks, which are dumb, but I never thought they were as bad as Jar-Jar.
You could argue that the Hoth part of Ep5 is just as disconnected.
I really can't pick a favorite here. But Rogue 1 is definitely in the top 1 or 2.
I absolutely agree. Rogue 1 is EPIC
My hot take: R1 isn't the best Star wars movie, but it is the best movie that happens to be in the SW series
Considering they made Rogue One all to seemingly fill a plot hole years later, it did not have to go as hard as it did. Empire was always my favourite Star Wars movie but Rogue One pretty much dethroned it by a landslide. I was so optimistic where they were taking the franchise after Rogue One only to end up supremely disappointed.
I will say this is an unpopular opinion but I do think that movie is sometimes unfairly criticized by Star Wars fans. Vader choosing his kids over power is a great ending and the series should have ended there
Ewoks defeating the most powerful military in the entire galaxy with sticks and stones makes it all fall apart at the end, IMO
still a great time tho
and Han Solo being kept as a clown of a character instead of dying with dignity in Empire lol. Why was he even there?
I wish they went with the Wookies instead of Ewoks if that was the route they wanted to go but alas. Still a good movie and so much better than what came after smh
> Why was he even there?
Because, according to George Lucas, dead characters don’t sell toys.
He obviously must’ve changed his mind after Darth Maul came around.
Yoda preached all of empire strikes back to not judge his size for his strengths, or the size of the xwing stuck in the swamp after luke says it’s impossible to lift. Yodas whole teachings is it doesn’t matter how small you may be or how massive the obstacle may be, but that all that matters is believing in yourself.
The ewoks perfectly align with that teaching. They didn’t give AF about the empire’s mechanical strength. They believed in their tiny terrorist wood weapons
Nah new hope got nothing on return
Best - The Empire Strikes Back
Worst - The Rise of Skywalker
I'll give you my ranking of the series as well
The Empire Strikes Back
A New Hope
The Last Jedi
Return of the Jedi
Revenge of the Sith
Rouge One
The Phantom Menace
Solo
Attack of the Clones
The Force Awakens
The Rise of Skywalker
I'd agree with all of this besides switching The Last Jedi and New Hope around, and I'd put Force Awakens higher.
This is very similar for me. As time goes on more people are understanding The Last Jedi for what it is. I walked out from my first screening saying it was amazing. Only one of the sequel trilogy that I saw multiple times in Theatres.
I might move The Force Awakens to 6 but otherwise pretty much on the same page. Last Jedi is amazing.
The best: Empire Strikes Back
My personal favourite: Revenge of the Sith
The absolute worst: Rise of Skywalker
I resonate with this. Revenge is 4th on my ranking but it's the one I've always enjoyed the most, especially now I've seen Clone Wars
Worst: Attack of the Clones (Rise of Skywalker gets closer the more I think about it)
They are sort of on the same level for me, but I differentiate them in this way:
Attack of the Clones is the worst film of the franchise, but Rise of Skywalker imo does not possess the requisite elements to even be described as a "film".
It's just like a big theme park ride or something. It's nothing. I don't love or hate it; I don't even think about. I saw it in cinemas twice, and yet sometimes I will catch myself wondering when the sequel to The Last Jedi is ever going to come out.
I think Attack of the Clones is always worth a re-visit. It’s badly structured, but I’d argue that even the oddest moments in it are often purposeful and smart - I’m in the ‘Hayden isn’t that bad’ camp and I think he plays the creepy, sex-deprived, conflicted-with-the-Jedi-code teenager that is written for him quite well (it’s just not very pleasant to watch!). Don’t get me wrong, it’s one of the weaker SW films, but ROTS is just another level of bad compared to AOTC, which I find at times to be quite artful, if not always entertaining.
Nah cuz TROS as stupid as it is just has better execution unfortunately. AotC has bad acting, really bad dialogue and bad wonky visuals (look I wasn't there at the time but the OT still looks good so...), pretty much almost the entire time. It is a cartoonish film that's quite badly edited. The comedy is akward as is nearly everything about it
AotC is genuinely painful at parts, not in the way that dumb character writing in the sequels pisses me off but like chalkboard-screeching, cringe melodramatic romance scenes that are C movie level. It has the low points of entertainment in the franchise in those bad parts imo, avert your eyes bad rather than disney lame genericness bad. There's levels to this! Reylo kiss out of nowhere all they want but I've not seen worse romance on screen in any film than in Attack. That's a feat
TROS you have to admit has good acting (also some truly good chemistry that made it through), good visuals except for the riding on a ship, and not that atrocious dialogue (most of time) -a lot of this is what was the worst in AotC. So it just can't be lower than Attack if we have to be objective. Its main problem is what it does to the trilogy (which was already fucked), and corniness -where AotC has it beat by a country mile
Rise of Skywalker was a predictably dissapointing end and feels rushed, Attack of the Clones goes too far and doesn't even execute well on any of that. And it had no reason to be as bad as it was, flanked by better quality more interesting films. It is at least interesting to look at, and the story in theory makes sense
We are arguing over the bottom 2 movies though
It is and will always be this:
Best: Empire Strikes Back
Worst: Rise of Skywalker
For me, it’s Lucas’ insane desire to tie off every thread. i.e. Anakin builds the droids, everything is forced to fit together like a dopey puzzle, the ridiculous exposition regarding midichlorians, Jar Jar Binks, the inclusion of E.T., the ridiculous boring political theater, Jake Lloyd’s acting, etc.
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RotS all the way
Goated option and best of the prequels by far
FR
Stop the glaze, it’s a bad movie
I miss when ragebait was believable
😭🙏
agree
Rogue one is great and I watch it all the time
Empire
I love democracy
The empire strikes back is just perfection in every way
i grew up on the original 3 movies, no pre movies, i don’t want to know darth as a baby or jarjar binks so to me they are the best ones
I only like Rogue One and the rest of the franchise is mid at best
"Empire's just the middle child that didn't disappoint."
Many Star Wars fans see themselves as Jedi purists, naturally flocking to Vs. bills works that have zero midichlorian counts from the Marvel-Disney ownership. Their Force sensitivity truly lies in nostalgia!
Isn't it funny how "The Empire Strikes Back" feels like the galaxy's way of saying, "If you don't like what I did, just wait for a plot twist in the sequels"?
I'm going to try something I'd never bother to try on 99% of the Internet, I'm going to ask you guys for your Star Wars movie rankings.
I would like to know which is your favorites, right now, and not necessarily what movies you think are the most well made. For some people, the most well made movies == their favorites and that's fine. But sometimes we are attached to things despite having a hard time backing up why. That's the list I want to see.
If this goes well, it'll hopefully spur some discussion about why we feel certain ways about certain movies or moments, and we can celebrate each other's different (or same) point-of-views.
My ranking is pretty vanilla for my age:
5, 4, 8, 7, Rogue One, 6, 3, 1, Solo, 2
That's just what I'm feeling today. Tomorrow would probably be a different list.
/r/StarWarsCantina what are your movie rankings? Feel free to say why you have particular favorites if you're feeling it.
The Great:
Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi
A New Hope
The Good
Rogue One
The Force Awakens
Solo
The Average
Revenge of the Sith
The Clone Wars
The Bad
The Last Jedi
The Phantom Menace
The only one I consider bad and unmemorable would be Attack of the Clones. The rest go from great to good.
Tier 1: Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi
Tier 2: Last Jedi, Solo, Force Awakens
Tier 3: New Hope, Rogue One, Revenge of the Sith
Tier 4: Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones
This is for Star Wars if you couldn’t tell. I removed Empire strikes Back and Revenge of the sith since hose would be the most popular results and I want y’all’s opinion on the other movies
I loved AoTC
The world building, characters, duels, and setting up the Clone Wars. I know everyone likes to glaze RotS but AoTC is truly such an underrated film
same
Putting rogue one in the same poll option as the last jedi is criminal
There’s only 6 options on phone and I had wrap all the Disney stuff (including Clone wars) under the same wing because reddit
You know that the 'expanded polls' application is part of this sub?
Serious question:
Why would anyone like the Disney ones (excluding Rogue One)?
Well they were the movies I grew up watching so i feel more if a connection to them
I'm 13, so the sequels are the only ones I saw when they were new, but the first 6 are still superior and the sequels made by Disney are shit.
In addition to the fact that they're just terrible, they don't make any sense.
The lightsabers suddenly have blades made of lead (very heavy) and don't kill anyone, but they were previously very good at killing people and were just a hilt with a weightless lasery blade thing;
The part with the knife and the ruins of the Death Star doesn't make sense because the knife was made hundreds of years before anyone had even thought of making the Death Star.
There are more problems with it, other than those 2, which I will not say now. Maybe other people will reply and say some. I don't know.
I've written quite a lot here, haven't I? I apologise for the large amount of text, but I'm talking about what's wrong with the Star Wars sequels. There's a lot to say about them.
Rogue one
A new hope easily, rotJ is close 2nd
Link to least favorite poll-https://www.reddit.com/r/polls/s/eVz6ILgpNx
A new hope is the only one that stands on its own
These are probably the only real contenders. I do like Rogue One though
Not too dissimilar from mine considering what movies are in the top and bottom of the list, but I rearrange mine differently (and TLJ is fourth for me). Good to see another ROTS fan :).
Nice, here is mine!
Ours are nearly the exact same! except I would flip Rogue One and Phantom Menace.
As someone who's extremely tepid on Star Wars I thought Return of the Jedi had some of the strongest scenes in it, anything with Luke and Vader. It felt like just as I was finally starting to jive with Star Wars it was wrapping up the most interesting part of the story so far.
as RoTJ fan( its my fav one) i agree.
I love ROTJ and it was my favorite as a kid but when you watch it back to back with VI and V, it’s glaringly not propulsive and perfunctory imo. Some all timer scenes (the opening 30 minutes, the land speeder chase, the last 30 minutes) but the middle is by far the worst stuff of that original trilogy. Weirdly dull and like spinning its wheels until the final fight. I think Han dying in V like Harrison wanted would’ve solved a lot of problems, he has nothing to do in VI
I don't come close to agreeing with this list, apart from no1. But whatever!!
Missing one but that's ok, most people forget it
Alright. Me and my family have decided to rank all cinematic films released over the years. 4 of us (me, my mother, brother, and uncle) has each ranked the films by our preference and used an average to find their placement. Remember this is OUR opinion, and thus yours will most likely be different. We used 11 of the main films (we excluded Clone Wars since it worked better as a show which we also covered), and I will put the average score of each film with it's placement (this is the score of all our placements/rankings out of 11). So lets begin:
11th Place: The Last Jedi/Episode 8- most polarizing one of all time, and arguably the most hated. Pointless plot lines that never go anywhere. Throws everything away that Force Awakens did. Thats not Luke. The infamously debated Hyperdrive issue. Cool showdown with Luke/Kylo. Average Weighted Score: 10.
10th Place: Rise of Skywalker/Episode 9- complete dumpster fire. Horribly put together. Only bests Last Jedi because its fun to make fun of. Average Weighted Score: 9.5.
9th Place: Attack of the Clones/Episode 2- Lucas writing in a nutshell. I don't blame Hayden for this. Jango was cool and thats pretty much it. Average Weighted Score: 9.
8th Place: Solo- was a development mess. This movie could have been something better. The main leading robot and Glover were great. But its not actively offensive. Average Weighted Score: 8.75.
6/7th Place: Phantom Menace: Episode 1/Force Awakens: Episode 7- these are the only 2 that mathematically tied, but honestly Force Awakens is the better film. Episode 1 had podracing, Maul, and Duel of Fates and thats it. Episode 7 is mainly hated on for being one of the "sequels". Average Weighted Scores: 6.75.
5th Place: Revenge of the Sith/Episode 3- this is where the movies are officially great in my eyes. Best duel in the entire series. One of the darker entries. Grevious. Only held back by writing (no George), and CGI being a little outdated. Average Weighted Score: 4.75.
4th Place: Return of the Jedi/Episode 6- perfect end to Star Wars honestly. Speeder bikes and final duel are a yes. Only downfall is the obvious Ewok. Just no. Average Weighted Score: 4.5.
3rd Place: Rogue One- the perfect blend of nostalgia and something new. Great characters (mostly), greatest final battle in the franchise in my opinion, and then Vader. Wow. Average Weighted Score: 2.25.
2nd Place: A New Hope/Episode 4- it started it all. Nothing else to say. Average Weighted Score: 2.
1st Place: Empire Strikes Back/Episode 5- we all saw this coming. It has Hoth. It has Cloud City. Yoda it has. "I am your father...". Average Weighted Score: 1.75.
That is it. I wrote a book. Honestly it wasn't close for the worst three, and best three. But I would love for y'all to debate in the comments. I'll shows another time since we did that too.
In my opinion 11. Last jedi 10. Solo 9. Rise of Skywalker 8. The force awakens 7. Attack of the clones 6. The Phantom menace 5. Return of the jedi 4. Rouge one 3. Revenge of the sith 2. A new hope
If I rank for myself;
I born in early 2000s, the first thing i watched about SW was The Clone Wars in CN when i was 6-7, so i loved prequels. Thats why Revenge of the Sith is number one, special place.
Sequels was really bad, not felt like Star Wars really, felt like a ripoff, except Force Awakens, but it wasn't that great too, but it was alright. I don't bully or talk bad about people that liked Sequels, brcause that was the thing people done to people like me that loved Prequels. But still, Sequel trilogy are the worst thing that came about Star Wars, i am sorry.
Edit: wrote rise instead of revenge when talking about episode III, corrected that.
8-11 is basically my brother. Revenge* of the Sith gets better over time. Why Return of the Jedi over 5?
6 is over 5, because of the ending. Anakin was my favorite character alongside Ahsoka Tano when i was a kid, because of TCW, and i watched prequels before OT, and seeing Anakin defeating the Emperor and turning to the Light Side again was great. Yes, i never felt that "No, i am your father!" feeling, but this was a great feeling too.
This is closer to my list.
Am I the only one who puts phantom menace at 1?
The death of Qui-Gon Jinn still hits me hard.
it's a draw w EP 3 for me
You had me until the Ewok slander.
Haha sorry! They are cute. But I didn't like that they easily beat up the Empire. 🤣
If you read The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire it emphasizes that the title force was worn and battered by the time episode six rolled around.
I will take not terrible haha. How does your's look?
Mine would be--Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, Return of the Jedi, Empire Strikes Back, Rogue One, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, The Clone Wars movie, The Force Awakens, Solo, and then Rise of Skywalker and Last Jedi.
No explanation needed for Empire Strikes Back.
The Last Jedi is the most original of the sequel trilogy.
Attack of the Clones though, it’s the most unique of the entire franchise. Obi Wan’s investigation. Anakin as a padawan. The final battle with the clones finally showing up. It’s actually peak Star Wars.
I’m sorry but Revenge of the Sith blows Attack of the Clones out of the water. Hell, it’s probably my favorite Star Wars movie to watch.
Revenge of the Sith is a banger for sure. Probably still second to Empire Strikes Back though.
Revenge of the Sith is alongside A New Hope and the Empire Strikes Back as the three best Star Wars films, with Return of the Jedi just behind them.
I think Empire Strikes Back is a huge step ahead of the others. It's head and shoulders above the other star wars movies imo.
Bang on about the original trilogy, so off base about the prequels, and does anyone even care about the Sequels. Seriously though, interesting take, disagree, so have an upvote
Id argue that Last Jedi is better than anything from the prequels and ROTJ
I also have Last Jedi as my #3 Star Wars film, you're not alone!
You’re incredibly, unimpeachably correct about the prequels. I flip-flop on it being better than ROTJ, though—but it probably is.
So you like every single Star Wars movie and TV show? Every one? You must or how can you call yourself a Star Wars fan?
Phantom Menace is punishing to sit through for it's entirety, except the dual of the fates, which is admittedly incredible on many levels. Even the podrace is tedious to me.
No its not. It dives into the politics that made star wars it what it is today. The only “bad” part is some of the overly cheesy dialogue. And don’t mention CGI, this is a 2000s movie not 2015
Obviously empire strikes back is the best of the original trilogy.
Attack of the clones is the worst of the prequels. In theory, overall plot wise without looking at writing or acting, I could see it being the best. The premise is amazing. In execution it’s comparatively awful. Revenge of the sith is miles better.
Sequels go either way for me between the force awakens and the last Jedi. I enjoy the force awakens more, but it’s very unoriginal and quite literally follows the same formula as a new hope. The last Jedi is wayyyy more original but suffers from a slow first half and the entire canto-bight planet sequence being bad and boring.
Best Star Wars movie
Key Considerations for Choosing the Best Star Wars Movie:
Cultural Impact: Consider how the film influenced pop culture and the Star Wars franchise as a whole. "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope" (1977) is often credited with revolutionizing the sci-fi genre and filmmaking.
Story and Character Development: Look for films that offer strong narratives and character arcs. "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) is frequently praised for its darker themes and character depth.
Visual Effects and Innovation: Evaluate the advancements in visual effects and technology. "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" (1999) introduced groundbreaking CGI, though opinions on the film's overall quality vary.
Fan Reception: Consider audience and critical reception. "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" (2015) received a warm welcome, revitalizing interest in the franchise for a new generation.
Personal Preference: Ultimately, your favorite may depend on personal nostalgia or connection to specific characters or storylines.
Recommendation: Many fans and critics often cite "The Empire Strikes Back" as the best Star Wars movie due to its compelling story, character development, and iconic moments. It deepens the lore of the Star Wars universe and leaves a lasting impact with its cliffhanger ending. However, your choice may vary based on what aspects of the saga resonate most with you!
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