Hollywood studios guess the success of their tentpole blockbusters ground on their opening weekend box office physique . But the true sucker of a pic ’s success is whether or not it stands the mental testing of fourth dimension . If audiences are still revisit it after four decades , like the originalStar Warstrilogy ( although those picture never had a job on their opening move weekend ) , then the filmmakers must have done something right .

Not everyStar Warsmovie is a timeless gem like the original three . There are someStar Warsfilms that stuck the landing place and can be enjoyed over and over again , likeRevenge of the Sith , and others that do n’t hold together as a cohesive story , likeThe Rise of Skywalker .

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

The final chapter of the continuation trilogy , The acclivity of Skywalker , does n’t hold together as a cohesive story , let alone the culmination of the entire “ Skywalker saga . ” It ’s always neat to see Billy Dee Williams in the role of Lando Calrissian , and the movie has some thrilling miniature outcome . But , ultimately , the plot of ground has too many MacGuffins and too piffling system of logic to stick the landing .

The final battle is a bad , tacky mess of CGI that fails to link up on an emotional level ; Ben Solo ’s salvation is entirely unearned ; and the “ Rey Skywalker ” ending has no bearing on the core themes of the saga .

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

The movie that kill the “ Anthology ” sub - series , Solo : A Star Wars Story , was the first box office turkey in the franchise ’s history . It ’s a finely made infinite risky venture with some fun exercise set - pieces , but this mediocre , middle - of - the - route sci - fi action mechanism blockbuster does n’t go the extra mile to warrant rewatches . Solosquanders an opportunity to do a full - blownStar Warswestern with an administrator - pleasing by - the - numbers approach .

The Han Solo descent movie also squanders an chance to search Han in full antihero musical mode . The script give him a generic “ hero ’s journey ” arc ahead of the much more subversive and unique hero ’s journey that awaits him in the events of the original trilogy . Solois more of an origin story for his things , like his jacket and his dice ( and , in one off-the-wall episode , his last name ) , which does n’t link on an aroused level beyond trivial nostalgia .

Star Wars: Episode II – Attack Of The Clones (2002)

Arguably the frail prequel movie , Attack of the Clonesis let down by its sonorous - handed enactment of Anakin walking the line between the light and sullen sides . He endure from one extreme as a traditional agonist to another extreme as a remorseless mass murderer .

Ewan McGregor ’s Obi - Wan is always watchable , Padmé get in on quite a little of the natural action , andJango Fett is an awesome side villain , butAttack of the Clonesgets too bogged down in unresolved closed book to revisit on a steady ground .

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

The middle chapter of the continuation trilogy , Rian Johnson’sThe Last Jedi , is gorgeous to look at , thanks to dazzle filming and masterfully craft optic effects , but it ’s dragged down by a bloated runtime and a meandering 2d act .

This movie has one of the dim chase ever put on film between the Resistance chugging along and the First Order postdate them , always just out of reach . WhetherThe Last Jedi ’s bitter , cynical , defeatist Luke Skywalker is mischaracterized or not , it ’s not a lot of fun to keep an eye on a childhood sub give up the fight against evil .

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)

The first of many wildly polarizingStar Warsmovies , The Phantom Menace , is dragged down by trade disputes and Senate hearings . But it’sa keen origin floor for Anakin , introducing the boy who would be Vader as a apparently incorruptible niggling child .

Qui - Gon Jinn is perhaps the most memorable one - moving picture character in the saga , andThe Phantom Menacehas a few standout successiveness , like the podrace and the “ Duel of the Fates , ” that fans always get a kick out of .

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

J.J. Abrams ’ initialStar Warssequel , The Force Awakens , was criticized for broadly speaking redo the 1977 pilot instead of explore new character archetypes and narrative theoretical account . The rebadged Rebels / Empire / Death Star plot line made the galaxy ’s timeline sense inconsistent with account retell itself after just a few years .

But , despite its narrative trip-up , The Force Awakensis still a net ton of fun , with a generous portion of optic - popping action sequences . It ’s always a delight to see Harrison Ford as Han and Carrie Fisher as Leia , even if the divorce storyline feels like a betrayal of the characters ’ bequest .

Rogue One (2016)

The first “ Anthology ” movie , Rogue One , has some muddled storytelling in the first and second acts . But this shaky plotting is redeemed with a cast of exciting newfangled characters and a jaw - miss third act that builds to a shocking ending .

The finale ofRogue One – which kills off every major protagonist in straightaway succession – was unheard of in the franchise - drive modern megahit landscape painting . Rogue Onealso has some of the franchise ’s most breathtaking Vader activity ( peculiarly the climactic hallway massacre , which can be revisited countless times and remains just as effective ) .

Return Of The Jedi (1983)

payoff of the Jediis wide regarded to be the weakest first appearance in the original trilogy , but it ’s up against two of the greatest pic ever made – it ’s still a timeless chef-d’oeuvre in its own right . The last movie in the original trilogy hash over the Death Star storyline long before J.J. Abrams did . But George Lucas made it work inJedi , because he kick upstairs the stakes with a shield generator to destroy and a lightsaber duel in the throne room .

Jedihas hatful of highlighting : the speeder motorcycle Salmon P. Chase , Yoda ’s refreshingly understate death scene , the whole opening human action at Jabba ’s castle . This movie ends the saga perfectly with Vader sacrifice himself to save his alienated son from the Emperor ’s wrath . The infamous Sith Lord is n’t redeemed for decades of wickedness , but Luke ’s impression that there ’s still serious in his father is formalise .

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith (2005)

The third and finalStar Warsprequel is well the strong entry in the trilogy . retaliation of the Sithstill has its own geological fault , like gammon - fisted political commentary and a disappointingly mundane arc for Padmé , but it ’s a rivetingStar Warsadventure withEwan McGregor ’s Obi - Wan in top form .

Revenge of the Sithis jam - pack with dramatic set - pieces thatStar Warsfans can enjoy time and time again , from the opening space battle to the volatile climactic duel between Obi - Wan and his fallen apprentice .

Star Wars (1977)

Lucas ’ original chef-d’oeuvre is still a high bench mark for adventures across a galaxy far , far off . 1977’sStar Warsis a perfectly constructed archetypal story that still tempt new multiplication of filmmakers to this sidereal day .

The narrative of a vivid - eyed farm boy leaving his humble beginnings behind to join the Rebels ’ war against the Empire , and his journey toward control the Force and blowing up the Death Star , will never get sure-enough .

Din Djarin and Ahsoka-1

George Lucas with A New Hope imagery v3

Diego Luna as Cassian Andor in Andor season 2

Split image of Anakin in Revenge of the Sith, Luke in Star Wars, and Han in The Force Awakens

Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine in Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker

Alden Ehrenreich a Han and Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca in Solo A Star Wars Story

Anakin and Padmé flirt in the fields of Naboo in Attack of the Clones

Luke teaches Rey about the Force in Star Wars The Last Jedi.

Still of Qui Gon Jinn and Obi Wan Kenobi from the 1999 Star Wars Episode 1 The Phantom Menace movie.

TIE Fighters attacking the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakens

Darth Vader igniting his lightsaber in the hallway if Rogue One A Star Wars Story

Luke Skywalker wielding his lightsaber in Return of the Jedi

Anakin and Obi-Wan on Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith

Luke Skywalker walking into a sunset on Tatooine in Star Wars

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