Star Wars Franchise Ranking

Over the past couple of months, I have been watching Star Wars films while working out. Now that I have finished, I wanted to share my thought and ranking of all 11 Star Wars films. Star Wars is my all-time favorite franchise. It is a shared interest with Mom and a film series we have been watching together since I was a little kid. It is pretty accurate to say I am a huge Star Wars nerd. I have posters, a Lightsaber in my office, a Millennium Falcon in my living room, several action figures, and Star Wars Lego sets and it all started with these movies. I enjoy all of these movies and can't wait for what comes next. With that being said, here are my thoughts and ranking of the 11 Star Wars films.

II. Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones

Attack of the Clones is definitely the worst of the Star Wars films. However, there are some cool moments in it. Once the story gets to Geonosis, the story gets really fun. I really enjoy the droid factory sequence as well as the entire battle across Geonosis. We get to see some action from Mace Windu as well as an epic lightsaber battle with Yoda. We also get the introduction of Count Dooku in this film, who is such a menacing villain. I also enjoyed the Obi-Wan subplot of the film and the investigation he goes on. As evident by this placement, there are a lot of things wrong with this movie. The worst part of this movie is the romance between Anakin and Padme. There is no chemistry between the two characters and some of their interactions just look outright creepy. I dislike the romance parts so much that I sometimes just skip past them. To be fair, some of the dialogue in this section is so awful that nobody could make it sound natural so not everything can be blamed on the lack of chemistry. I also found the pacing to be a bit off. We get this investigation from Obi-Wan but then have the story come to a complete halt during the romance scenes. We also don't even get to see the main villain until almost two hours into the movie. In the end, while there are some positive moments, the movie as a whole is not great and comes across as a bit boring at times.

Score: 6/10 Grade: C+

10. Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker

The Rise of Skywalker is probably the most disappointing film on this list. To its credit, the movie does have some good moments in the second half. The end battle is a lot of fun. We get to see some cool battle sequences as well as some lightsaber action with Rey and Ben. The movie also delivers some solid fan service moments that can't help but make you smile. Finally, I liked how they handled Kylo Ren's arc and how he decides to cope with the choices of his past. Unfortunately, on the whole, this movie is not great.

The movie as a whole feels like they were trying to course correct from the last film while also trying to please everyone but it ultimately costs the film its quality. With this film, it was very clear that Lucasfilm had no clear plan on where they wanted to trilogy to go and was just acting reactively based on what happened in the last film. So much of this film actively tries to undo what happened in the previous film instead of building on it. The movie also has way too much story to cram in and resulting in a planet-hopping story where there is no time given to breathe or tell a compelling story. The payoff in this movie also feels quite hollow as it doesn't really carry over things from the previous film and just the story of how J.J. Abrams wanted to end things. Finally, I felt that this movie just started making stuff up to achieve its end goal. Several force abilities just feel made up for a plot point. Overall, this movie tried way too hard to course correct and ended not only failing to provide a compelling story but also bringing down the whole sequel trilogy.

Score: 6.2/10 Grade: C+

9. Star Wars: Episode I- The Phantom Menace

The Phantom Menace is one of the weaker films but does not deserve all of the hate that it gets. There is a good amount of this film that I actually get enjoyment out of. I enjoy the whole beginning of the movie, everything on the trade federation ship is really cool. I also really enjoy the end battle sequence, both the palace battle and the duel with Darth Maul. Darth Maul is a really cool character, and while he doesn't say much, he is still a menacing presence. I also don't mind the pod racing section of the movie. I find a good deal of entertainment out of it. However, there are quite a few things that knock the movie down. One of the big issues is the overuse of CGI. It just makes the movie not look as good as the originals. I am also not a big fan of the Gungans, they add a bit too much misplaced humor. I was also not the biggest fan of kid Anakin. I would have preferred they introduced him as a bit older. It is just an odd choice to see the biggest villain in movie history as a 9-year-old child. Finally, there are quite a few sections that are really slow and boring. The movie spends a lot of time in senate hearings and council meetings and that is not why people watch these films. In the end, this is a fun but flawed film that definitely did not live up to the hype of a new Star Wars movie.

Score: 6.5/10 Grade: B-

8. Solo: A Star Wars Story

Solo is the lowest of the two Star Wars spinoffs. There is some fun to be had here but it definitely feels like Disney was playing it safe when making the story. The story itself is pretty interesting as it is a bit of a heist film in the Star Wars universe but there is nothing really in it that stands or makes it feel like a Star Wars adventure. There are also a lot of fun characters that are introduced. Woody Harrelson and Paul Bettany are fun to see here. I think Donald Glover was the perfect person to play Lando. He does a great job of capturing the energy and you can really see him as a younger Lando. Honestly, a spin-off with young Lando would probably be more interesting than Solo was. I really enjoyed the Kessel sequence both in the mines and the flight escape sequence. Both moments are really fun and are the portions that are the closest to capturing that Star Wars magic. Where this movie goes down is with the casting of Han Solo. I do not think that Alden Ehrenreich was a good pick for Han Solo. I did not think that he captured the role well at all nor matched the personality that Harrison Ford had. Seeing him just really takes me out of the movie as I just don't see him as Han Solo. Along the same lines, I don't think the movie captures the magic of Star Wars. The movie itself feels very bland and generic. Overall, while I had some fun with this one, the casting of Han Solo really takes me out of the movie and fails to recapture the magic of Star Wars.

Score: 7/10 Grade: B

7. Star Wars: Episode VIII- The Last Jedi

The Last Jedi is probably the most divisive of the Star Wars franchise. A lot of people really liked its new ideas and different take on Star Wars, while other people hated it and thought it "ruined their childhood". I find myself in the middle of the two sides. I don't think it's the best Star Wars movie, but it definitely isn't the worst either. This movie has some really high highs that are some of the best in the franchise but also some really low lows that are some of the worst in the franchise. This film has some very exciting moments and a lot of battles that are really well done. I also thought that the lightsaber duel with Kylo Ren and Rey on the star destroyer was one of the best in the series. Finally, I didn't hate the direction the film took Luke as much as everyone else does. It seems like a natural place for his character to be after he shares what happened in his past. The main issue I have with this film is that there are too many lapses in logic and issues on a plot level. The main example of this is Holdo not telling anyone her plan. It creates a false sense of conflict that would have easily been avoided had she told everyone what was going on instead of thinking they were going to die. It also causes this whole pointless side plot with Finn and Rose that has no impact on the overall story. I also had an issue with how Rian Johnson tried to undo everything the last film set up. It really hurt the overall cohesiveness of the trilogy and made it really difficult to write the third film. In the end, this film has some pretty high highs but also some significant issues that keep it from being higher on this list.

Score: 7.5/10 Grade: B

6. Star Wars: Episode III- Revenge of the Sith

Revenge of the Sith is easily the best of the prequel trilogy. It has some fantastic battles throughout the film. The movie has an amazing space battle at the beginning along with the rescue of the Chancellor. The movie also has a really great second half. Essentially everything after Anakin's turn to the dark side is really well done. The movie also delivers a lot of emotional moments both between Anakin and Padme as well as between Anakin and Obi-Wan. We also get a lot of cool lightsaber battles. The fight between Anakin and Obi-Wan is probably the best lightsaber battle in the whole franchise. I really like the overall story. The journey of Anakin to the dark side is so compelling as well as being able to glimpse some of the Clone War. After watching the Clone Wars TV show, I actually like the movie a lot more as the show gives a lot more background to Anakin's turn and you see that it was things built up over time. The only big issue I have with this film is the pacing. After the opening rescue, the movie slows down to a crawl with a bunch of council melodrama. It picks up again when Obi-Wan leaves for Utapau but that middle hour is a bit of a slog to get through. Overall, this is a great film and end to the prequel trilogy. If the middle would have been a bit more exciting, I think this movie would be even higher.

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

5. Star Wars: Episode VII- The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Forces Awakens is my favorite of the new trilogy films. I really enjoy this movie as it is a great return to form for Star Wars films. It feels like such a homage to classic Star Wars more so than trying to be like the prequels. It has such a great story with a bunch of fun new characters. Both Finn and Kylo Ren add layers of complexity to the story and their individual characters. This is such an exciting movie and feels like a roller coaster ride of excitement from beginning to end. The movie also has quite a few funny moments mostly coming from either Finn or Han Solo. I also found the film to have some very emotional moments specifically in the final act of the film. Finally, I really like the character portrayal of Kylo Ren. There is so much conflict in him and at the time it really set up some great potential for his character to go. The biggest hold-up I have of this film is that it is a bit derivate of A New Hope. There are quite a few plot points that follow the original film and you can tell it's not exactly an original story. However, it is done in a way that feels more like a love letter than a remake so in some sense it kind of works. Overall, this is a great Star Wars film that really set the expectations high for what could come next.

Score: 8.5/10 Grade: A-

4. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rogue One is surprisingly the best of the Disney-era films as well as the best since the original trilogy. It has a really interesting story and adds a different angle to the rebellion that isn't seen in the main films. This is an example of a spin-off done right. It has a story that is connected, but it is largely about a group of new characters. This film also has some great battle moments. The battle on Scarif is so much fun with both the land and space access. The movie is also really thrilling as these are all new characters and you are unsure which ones are going to make it. The movie also has a surprisingly emotional ending with the direction some characters go in. I also like how this movie manages to fill in some gaps in the original Star Wars film and explain how the rebels can attack the Death Star. Finally, that final scene with Darth Vader is absolutely amazing. It shows how cool of a character he is and is one of my favorite movie scenes.

The only issue I have with the film is that the characters are a bit forgettable. They don't have anything unique to them asides from a single defining character trait. The only names I remember are Cassian Andor, Jyn, and K2SO. The others I couldn't tell you with a gun to my head (The Blind Guy? Shooty Mcblaster Man? The Pilot, The Forrest Whittaker Character? The Ben Mendelson Villain?). In the end, this is a fantastic spin-off that is almost as good as the original trilogy.

Score: 9/10 Grade: A

3. Star Wars: Episode VI- Return of the Jedi

Nothing comes even close to these original three films and they are basically equally amazing but something has to come in 3rd place. This movie is one of the best examples of a trilogy capper and closes out the story of our heroes so well. This movie has so many great moments that pay off plot lines from the past three films and really give the main characters great arcs. We get to see Luke go from a farmer to a Jedi and Han go from a smuggler to a rebel hero. The third act is one of the best final battles in any Star Wars film with the space battle being one of the best-ever space battles put to film. The movie also does a great job of balancing all of these different action sequences with the space battle, the forest battle, and the lightsaber battle. All three get equal time and none feel overshadowed by the other. I also really liked Darth Vader's arc in the film. It felt like a natural direction for him to go in. Finally, I think The Emperor is such a fantastic villain and a great addition to the story. He is powerful and sinister and a great mastermind behind the villains in these films. The only issue with this film is that it does feel a bit like two separate stories. We have the opening story with Han's rescue and then the main story with the battle of Endor. It felt like the first part was just trying to tie up the loose end of the previous film more so than add to the current story. But even so, I am really nitpicking here. Overall, this is a fantastic Star Wars film and a great conclusion to the trilogy.

Score: 9.5/10 Grade: A+

2. Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back

These top two films are tied for the top spot and their order could change on any given day but I had to put something in the number two spot. Empire Strikes Back is an example of a sequel done right. It takes everything the people loved about the original film and actually builds on it. We get to explore several new worlds in Hoth, Dagobah, and Bespin as well as be introduced to several new characters with Lando and Yoda. This movie also challenges the idea of what a sequel can really be. The first movie gives us a happy ending but this film turns that on its head and gives the rebels huge losses, separates the heroes, and ends on one of the biggest cliffhangers in movie history. The battles in this movie are also so much fun. The huge Hoth battle is just so cool to see and the space chase with the Millennium Falcon is just so exciting. This movie also gives a good hero's journey for Luke as this film is essentially his origin story to becoming a Jedi. additionally, the score in this movie is just so good. All of the John Williams scores are great but this one is just next level. Finally, this movie has one of the greatest plot twists of all time and really sets the precedent on how to do a mind-blowing twist. In the end, this is a perfect movie and an amazing sequel. It is not only a great Star Wars movie but it is also one of the greatest sequels of all time.

Score: 11/10 Grade: A++

I. Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope

As of today, the original Star Wars movie is my favorite but honestly, it is tied with Empire Strikes Back. This is a classic and iconic film that everyone has heard of. It has so many iconic characters, quotable lines, and memorable scenes. The movie was great breaking in its time in terms of special effects and really shows the true meaning of movie magic. It is just so refreshing to see a movie use such practical effects instead of creating everything with CGI like it is done today. This movie is such an inspiration for so many other films out there. This movie also does a fantastic job of world-building. It establishes so many new planets, introduces us to the empire and rebels, and gives us an idea of what the Jedi used to be. At its core, this movie is a simple story with a classic heroic rescue. The simplicity of the story really helps in being able to invest in the world and explore everything out there. All of the characters are just so much fun. Our six main characters are so iconic and likable and Darth Vader is arguably the greatest and most famous villain in all movies. This movie also has a really great space battle at the end that is just so exciting and leaves me on the edge of my seat no matter how many times I see it. Finally, just like the last film, the score is absolutely fantastic. John Williams is a real master when it comes to writing music. Overall, this is a perfect movie, a fantastic Star Wars film, and a true staple of film and nerd culture. Without this film, movies would not be where they are today.

Score: 11/10 Grade: A++