Star Wars movie ranking after The Last Jedi
By Mike McNulty
Credit: Lucasfilm; original poster for The Empire Strikes Back (1981)
1. Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
The original Star Wars is a great film, but The Empire Strikes Back is what turned it into a modern-day mythology. In fact when some fans think of Star Wars, they think of Empire first. It does what sequels should do, of course. It’s bigger in terms of running time, effects, and budget. The characters from the first have further development, while seamlessly introducing as new ones like the charming scoundrel, Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams). What Empire also does is expand and build upon the larger universe and history it only hinted at in A New Hope.
It’s also the one Star Wars movie, other than A New Hope, with a near flawless narrative structure. Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and C-3PO pursued by Darth Vader and his Imperial armada provide the rousing adventure, suspense and romance audiences would expect. Luke’s training in the ways of the Jedi, however, winds up being some of the movie’s most compelling moments, especially since Mark Hamill is the only human actor in those scenes. Then, by the third act, both plots comic together in a fantastic lightsaber duel between Luke and Vader, culminating in one of the most shocking revelations in all of cinema.
Empire also, like the original Star Wars, took a huge leap forward in special effects, too. The battle of Hoth, with its giant Imperial walkers, still looks as impressive. The same goes for chase between the Millenium Falcon and Tie Fighters through a giant asteroid field–all done with stop-motion. Yoda, as performed and voiced by Frank Oz, makes you forget that you’re actually looking at a puppet. So good were the practical effects that, out of all the Special Editions, Empire was the least tinkered with.
Many consider The Empire Strikes Back the darkest and most somber of the original trilogy. It definitely is, at times, but fittingly so. Although not as popular as it’s predecessor when it released, Empire today is now considered the gold standard of Star Wars. It’s the film which makes the original trilogy one of the most beloved film series on all time.
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Agree with this list? Do you agree with where The Last Jedi is placed? How would you list the Star Wars movies from least favorite to most favorite? Reach out with your feelings and let your thoughts be known in the comments section.