Star Wars - Skywalker Saga Ranking Part 3 - Movie Thoughts (Chapter 40) ✨

Hello everyone,

Today is the third and final installment of my Star Wars ranking. I've realised that I forgot to mention I've already published some thoughts on the sequel movies on here, which you can read here if you are interested in some more general ideas. For this top three, it's probably going to be controversial but these are also the ones I have the most personal connection to. I know and fully understand that Star Wars aren't the most amazing or high-brow films ever made, but it's fun to get lost in the absurdity for a while and watch people fight each other with lightsabers. I have a soft spot for them and always will, even with all their issues both on and off-screen....

(**disclaimer: the following thoughts are 100% my opinion, you do not have to agree with them - film is inherently subjective and everyone's perspective is valid! Also, there are probably spoilers in the following, read at your own risk. Now onto some thoughts....**)

As with yesterday, the framing of this list is deliberate. I’m not out here trying to say that the order in which I have ranked these films is somehow right or objectively the best. This is my list, so I make the rules. Taking things like construction, plot and direction into consideration, much of the criteria that went into this ranking also related to investment and visceral instinct of what was more enjoyable to watch.

3. The Force Awakens (2015) – Episode VII

Source: IMDB

This film will probably have a special air for fans whose love for Star Wars was either ignited or re-ignited with this 2015 installment; the first under the mighty Mouse House. A strong combination of nostalgia with exciting new characters, there was excellent potential in this for a new generation to connect to Star Wars again. Its plot was eerily similar to that of ANH with planet genocide at the hands of a planet killer and a rag-tag group of rebels who set out to destroy it. The main tenets are back with a vengeance; a new wrinkly old guy on the throne calling the shots and the battle between powerful dark dictators and a hopeful band of rebels being hunted. Nostalgia worked amazingly well within the arcs of returning characters. While Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) was a physically absent myth and symbol of hope, Leia (Carrie Fisher) was still a wise and badass general, and Han (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca were still scoundrelling around before being pulled back into the war. The spark of the new characters was also exciting to invest in. Force sensitive scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley) was a kick-ass female protagonist, wisecracking pilot Poe (Oscar Isaac) was fun and reformed stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega)’s struggle with leaving the First Order was a cool idea to watch play out. Perhaps the most intriguing was the new red lightsaber-wielding villain in black Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) was dramatically revealed to be the son of HanLeia, and his scene with Han on the bridge was a particularly shocking sucker punch. J.J. Abrams’ first contribution felt familiar in plot points or returning symbols, yet there was enough exciting new stuff to get audiences excited about the potential for a new chapter whilst also creating a solid, cohesive film.

2. Return of the Jedi (1983) – Episode VI

Source: IMDB

The ‘originals’ are widely accepted to be the best and most cohesive trilogy, but the final one, Episode VI, will always be the most charming and rewatchable. There’s a lot of heart baked into this film that goes under the radar and contributed to some of the more powerful moments. Although the opening sequence on Tatooine was a little long, it adequately picked up where ESB left off and the action-packed takedown of gross worm Jabba the Hut and his ship was amazing to watch and totally satisfying. The ewoks were some of the most adorable creatures ever, and the entire Endor sequence was both engagingly wacky and enthralling. Luke’s characterisation was the most mature and confident of the original trilogy, and his arc dealing with Darth Vader was compelling to watch. The strong connection between the trio of Han, Leia and Luke was also really endearing, and the reveal of parentage and personal feelings was done well. It was set up more like a standard mission to complete plot, but there’s something really easy to watch about the events that isn’t too ridiculous or too intense. Visually, it looked dynamic with graphics that still hold up today. Whilst the mechanics of director Richard Marquand’s ROTJ felt slightly simple and familiar, its heart and whimsical quality pushed it up the ranking. It wrapped up the whole thing really well with an overwhelming sense of hope and optimism, and truly encompassed everything that was fun, heartwarming and dynamic about the original trilogy.

1. The Last Jedi (2017) – Episode VIII

Source: IMDB

Rian Johnson’s masterpiece of a Star Wars film will always be a standout for so many reasons. It worked both as a daring and beautiful part of the franchise, but also as a complex and intriguing character piece that just happened to have lightsabers and X-Wing’s in it. Whilst fanboys joyfully rip into the horrific mistakes this film supposedly made, a lot of other critics and fans alike have recognized its intelligence and visual spectacle. Firstly, the sheer amount of female characters was amazing to see on-screen in a variety of different kick-ass roles; with Daisy Ridley, Carrie Fisher, Kelly Marie Tran, Ngo Thanh Van, Laura Dern, Gwendoline Christie and Billie Lourd all giving great performances across the subplots. Visually, it looked beautiful with sleek camera angles and panoramic views of land and space settings alike. The striking red and whites of Crait to the marshy island refuge of Ahch-To and metallic edges of First Order ships, everything was vibrant and full of energy, as well as being pumped full of extra meaning and significance by Johnson’s amazing attention to detail as director/writer. Strikingly well balanced, the depth of growth and evolution was fascinating and added real substance to the struggles that these characters in a space opera was going through.

Kylo Ren was unmasked and exposed emotionally in an intriguing way that eliminated any whiff of one-dimensional villain territory. His connections with Rey and the infamous throne room scene showcased the complex vulnerabilities of the pairing and their individual struggles with self-identity. Although nothing is confirmed romantically, the development of their connection was an unexpected emotional pull. Finn’s growth and interactions with Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) were interesting thematically even if the conceptual understanding of the codebreaker/casino storyline seemed periphery. The exploration of both these fresh, non-‘legacy’ characters was fascinating in terms of seeing the flaws of the galaxy and the war from another perspective outside politics or the Force, and the sequences with DJ (Benicio del Toro) were also really thought-provoking. Luke’s arc was intriguing because it once again proved the Jedi are not perfect Gods who have no flaws. His grumpy old man tendencies were difficult to watch at times, but what he went through was really important for him to finally face his mistakes. There’s a lot going on, yet everything worked together to create a cohesive and thrilling rollercoaster of emotional challenges. But more importantly, TLJ felt like more than just another Star Wars film; asking different questions about the mythology that dared to be different in order to properly make a commanding statement.

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At its core, Star Wars is a silly space opera that looked amazing and captivated a cult following over the last 40 years. There are flaws everywhere in the films and there have been fan and creative problems within the off-screen discussion of this saga. No matter where anyone’s relationship to Star Wars began and/or ended, they will always carry such a powerful and important place in pop culture phenomenon.

Thanks for reading,

Love and droids, porgs, and ewoks, Emily ✨