Star Wars Movies: Which Episode is the Greatest of All Time?

Buy Return of the Jedi on Amazon

At risk of sounding like an original trilogy fanboy, the relentless Death Star gun battle as Luke, Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and the droids fight their way through tunnels and garbage disposals and hangars remains the best example of gunplay the series ever produced. So many strong reveals here, with the best the bit of female empowerment as Princess Leia takes control. The action and banter doesn't let up, making us fall in love with the characters we've just met instead of simply trying to wow with special effects.

The Rankings

6 PointsThe Force Awakens, specifically the scenes in the film's third act involving the First Order's final push, their capture of Rey, and the efforts to save her. Lots more going on here, but it uses the gun battles to put our old favorites and new heroes front-and-center.
5 PointsReturn of the Jedi, because the Endor stuff is pretty underrated.
4 PointsThe Phantom Menace; the ending is a beautiful mess.
3 PointsRevenge of the Sith, even though it lacks substance, there is a Godfather-like ambition in how Lucas handles the closing takedown of the Republic.
2 PointsThe Empire Strikes Back; while the Cloud City stuff is pretty good in this category, most of the film's more thrilling moments involve something other than a blaster.
1 PointAttack of the Clones, because visually there is just too much going on here, a complaint we'll probably raise again when discussing other aspects of all three prequels.

Best Character Moments That Left Us Verklempt

The Top Pick, 7 points: Return of the Jedi

Return of the Jedi may not be the best of the Star Wars saga or maybe it is, we'll have to tally the scores at the end but it definitely wins the Best Character Moments category for its poignant and emotional conclusion to the Vader story arc.What started as a dastardly and monstrous villain would become redemptive and, above all, human by the end.The moment that brings all this home is when Vader acts to save Luke from the Emperor's lightning bolts, sacrificing himself in the process.We still can't watch Vader looking from the Emperor to Luke, back to the Emperor without getting chills. David Prowse's body language in that moment packs such an emotional wallop that you almost feel his cold metal face mask bend with expression.

The Rankings

6 PointsThe Force Awakens, Han Solo confronts Kylo Ren.
5 PointsThe Empire Strikes Back, Luke I am your father.
4 PointsA New Hope; Han Solo returns to save the day.
3 PointsRevenge of the Sith, Mace Windu's death.
2 PointsThe Phantom Menace; Obi-Wan Kenobi cuts Maul down to size.
1 PointAttack of the Clones, none worth mentioning.

Most Shakespeare-Worthy Ensemble Cast

Top Pick: A New Hope (7 Points)

Episode IV had a terrific cast in the youthful Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, the rugged rising superstar of Harrison Ford, and the classical craftsmanship of Alec Guinness and Peter Cushing. While all but Cushing would return in at least some capacity for Episodes V and VI, they were often fragmented for sake of the narrative, and thus the chemistry just wasn't the same as it was here.

The Rankings

6 PointsThe Empire Strikes Back
5 PointsReturn of the Jedi
4 PointsThe Force Awakens
3 PointsRevenge of the Sith
2 PointsAttack of the Clones
1 PointThe Phantom Menace

Best Director, Which Rules Out the Prequels

Top Pick: The Empire Strikes Back (7 Points)

Buy Return of the Jedi on Amazon

Irvin Kershner stepped into a new and expensive sandbox to tell the darkest tale summer moviegoing audiences were ever told.The main hero is beaten and humiliated fair and square by the bad guy. The fan favorite is frozen in a block of carbonite. The rest of the protagonists are sent fleeing in defeat with not a single victory to speak of. The only thing they have going for them is that they're all technically still alive.Nothing played out the way a fun blockbuster was supposed to; yet with so many cards stacked against it, on paper, Kershner not only made it work, he helped establish the blueprint most multi-film franchises use today for their second acts.In a way, Empire is a film every bit as groundbreaking and influential as A New Hope, and that's difficult for a sequel to accomplish.

The Rankings

6 PointsA New Hope, Lucas was much younger and beholden to checks and balances, and it turned out pretty well.
5 PointsThe Force Awakens
4 PointsReturn of the Jedi
3 PointsAttack of the Clones
2 PointsRevenge of the Sith
1 PointThe Phantom Menace

Best Screenplay (Again With the Prequels)

Top Pick: Return of the Jedi (7 Points)

Return of the Jedi may have had its share of problems, but many of the criticisms leveled at it over the years are trivial at best. When you consider the feat that Lawrence Kasdan had to pull off with that script, tying up so many high-profile storylines, bringing a beloved trilogy to a satisfying end, and doing all that under the specter of George Lucas and a cast that had grown increasingly agitated with director Richard Marquand, it's a remarkable piece of work. Sure, it gave us Ewoks, but it also had the masterpiece of a farewell scene between Luke and a reformed and dying Darth Vader. Chills every time.

The Rankings

6 PointsThe Empire Strikes Back, how do you write a tale this dark and make it appealing? Somehow it works.
5 PointsA New Hope, fast-paced, fun, and the template for The Force Awakens
4 PointsThe Force Awakens, a smartly reworked copy of the original
3 PointsAttack of the Clones, fewest cringeworthy lines
2 PointsThe Phantom Menace, bad
1 PointRevenge of the Sith, less said the better

Best Visual FX, and Not Just CGI

Top Pick: The Force Awakens (7 Points)

The Force Awakens will be a contentious pick to some because there is nothing too groundbreaking here, but what director J.J. Abrams is able to use mixes the best of both worlds practical effects and CGI. As a result, it's a more seamless experience than what you'll see if you go back and watch the slightly dated original trilogy and the overkill messiness of the prequels.

The Rankings

6 PointsA New Hope, because of the giant leaps forward it made compared to what was available at the time.
5 PointsThe Empire Strikes Back, because it could just as easily be Return of the Jedi here but Empire's darker look is more striking and visually enticing.
4 PointsReturn of the Jedi, which is a matter of taste when compared to Empire.
3 PointsAttack of the Clones, fewest cringeworthy moments.
2 PointsRevenge of the Sith, because that lava lightsaber duel is laughable.
1 PointThe Phantom Menace, hokey and fake-looking under an advanced facade.

Droids We Liked the Most

Top Pick: The Force Awakens (7 Points)

The Force Awakens gives us a glimpse of series favorite R2-D2 while indulging a bit more in the annoying C-3PO, but it's series newcomer BB-8 that steals the show with his cute dimensions and personality. This film could have used a bit more R2, but he shows up when it matters, and that puts TFA over the top.

The Rankings

6 PointsA New Hope, because this was R2 at his best.
5 PointsThe Empire Strikes Back, because of R2 and you get to see C-3PO blown apart.
4 PointsReturn of the Jedi, because the droids get more to do.
3 PointsAttack of the Clones, which contains the most memorable R2 activity from the prequel trilogy.
2 PointsThe Phantom Menace, because it was a rush seeing our old, familiar friends once more after a layoff of close to two decades.
1 PointRevenge of the Sith, because there was too much bad stuff in front of and behind the camera to get excited about droids.

Aliens to Have a Beer With

Top Pick: A New Hope (7 Points)

The Mos Eisley spaceport scene is a classic that's hard to top. Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens come close, but these weren't the types of characters we were used to seeing when Star Wars hit in 1977. George Lucas does a terrific job in giving us a wide assortment of aliens in this scene, and is able to paint a broader picture of the universe as a whole despite the small, isolated location.

The Rankings

6 PointsThe Force Awakens; sure J.J. is just copying Mos Eisley for the most part, but he does a great job of dropping both familiar faces and new races into our view.
5 PointsReturn of the Jedi; Jabba's place, the Sarlacc, Rancor, Ewoks, need we say more?
4 PointsRevenge of the Sith, more Wookies!
3 PointsAttack of the Clones, overkill.
2 PointsThe Empire Strikes Back, under-kill.
1 PointsThe Phantom Menace

Settings We're Sad Weren't Real

Top Pick: The Empire Strikes Back (7 Points)

The set design of Cloud City ranks second to none. Both interior and exterior shots are stellar with dark blues and fiery reds contrasting against the bright, almost hospital-like sterility of its main halls. Empire also has the swampy Dagobah and the snowy Hoth along with some of the most exhilarating space sequences to boot (asteroid belt, anyone?).

The Rankings

6 PointsThe Force Awakens; good blend of A New Hope and Empire.
5 PointsReturn of the Jedi; Endor made for a memorable and relentless battleground, and who didn't want that Ewok Village play-set as a kid?
4 PointsA New Hope, limited scope but at least it was all real.
3 PointsThe Phantom Menace; of the prequels, this was the most reminiscent of the original trilogy.
2 PointsAttack of the Clones; took chances, but too much CGI.
1 PointRevenge of the Sith; too busy, and as with AOTC, too fake.

Tearjerking Moments We Can't Un-see

Top Pick: The Force Awakens (7 Points)

Watching Han Solo die is there really any counterargument? Even though you totally see it coming from about the halfway point of the film on, it sucks saying goodbye to one of the OT's best characters. What's worse, you always kind of envisioned Han going out in a blaze of glory; this, however, was heartbreaking, understated, and wonderfully played by Harrison Ford.

The Rankings

6 PointsReturn of the Jedi; Vader and Luke's farewell, Yoda's death.
5 PointsThe Empire Strikes Back; Han and Leia's goodbye.
4 PointsA New Hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi sacrifices himself in front of Luke.
3 PointsThe Phantom Menace; Qui-Gon Jinn's death.
2 PointsRevenge of the Sith; Padme.
1 PointAttack of the Clones

The Uplifting Moment That Turned Us Into Giddy Schoolchildren

Top Pick: A New Hope (7 Points)

Luke's final run through the Death Star trench at the end of A New Hope is as happy as this series gets for both characters and fans. With Vader still alive, the coolest character will be back to fight another day. The decisive victory for the Rebel Alliance promises a universe of hope and possibilities to come. The final sequence is filled with close calls, surprises, and exhilaration. You can almost feel your breath leave your body when those torpedoes find the auxiliary port, and it's hard not to stand up and cheer when Han Solo saves the day.

The Rankings

6 PointsReturn of the Jedi; sheer happiness until we find out what happened shortly thereafter in The Force Awakens.
5 PointsThe Phantom Menace; almost too happy, but then it had to be for the darkness to come.
4 PointsThe Force Awakens; sure we lost one major character, but Starkiller Base is no more, Rey is now Force-Ready, and Kylo Ren got his butt handed to him.
3 PointsAttack of the Clones, just because the heroes survive without any major casualties.
2 PointsThe Empire Strikes Back; nothing much uplifting about it, but it's a hell of a film.
1 PointRevenge of the Sith; as dark as it gets.

The Ending That Was Absolute Perfection

Top Pick: The Empire Strikes Back (7 Points)

It would have been easy to go with A New Hope here, but Empire gets the nod because it's just such a unique situation that a movie ending particularly a Hollywood ending has to overcome. You've just seen your good guys utterly defeated; almost destroyed.The film has very little time left to turn things around and deliver the happy ending you're used to. How are they going to pull this off?The answer: by not taking the easy way out. The only thing the Rebels still have to cling to at the film's conclusion is hope, and so it is with that that audiences must make do.Blockbusters are not supposed to leave you with more questions than answers, but this one does, and it works beautifully. As Luke gets used to his new robotic hand and contemplates the bombshell Vader has just laid on him, you start to wonder: what's next?Whom do we trust? Great stuff.

The Rankings

6 PointsA New Hope; it's happy and, in a way, final without being hokey. If the film had been a big enough hit to warrant sequels, the ending at least ensured a near-complete and satisfying experience.
5 PointsReturn of the Jedi; a respectable and worthy ending, even if the rest of the film has flaws.
4 PointsThe Force Awakens; great job balancing joy and heartache, new characters and old, and setting up a great parting shot.
3 PointsAttack of the Clones
2 PointsThe Phantom Menace
1 PointRevenge of the Sith, (NOOOOOO!!!!!).

The Openings That Kept Us Watching

Top Pick: The Empire Strikes Back (7 Points)

Everything on Hoth is cinematic gold. Luke's encounter with the Wampa; Han's daring rescue; the Empire's attack; the AT-AT walkers. Most of the Star Wars films opened well, but never like this.

The Rankings

6 PointsThe Force Awakens; does a fantastic job of hooking us with the opening crawl and then introducing us to the new characters and showing us why we should care.
5 PointsReturn of the Jedi; Jabba, Rancor, Sarlacc, Leia in a metal bikini, nuff said.
4 PointsA New Hope; Hello, Darth Vader.
3 Points The Phantom Menace
2 points Attack of the Clones
1 Point Revenge of the Sith

The Villains Most Worthy of Our Fear

Top Pick: The Empire Strikes Back (7 Points)

If watching The Empire Strikes Back without the knowledge of Return of the Jedi to back it up, it's pretty inarguable that Darth Vader is at his scariest in this entry of the original trilogy. Of course, Jedi would negate most of what he does here with Emperor Palpatine's purer form of less-conflicted evil, but in Empire there is no one in the galaxy that you would want to meet less than Darth Vader. Also, got to give honorable mention to Boba Fett.

The Rankings

6 Points Return of the Jedi; Ian McDiarmid as Emperor Palpatine is like a reptile in human form with zero redeeming qualities, and he unleashes Force powers we didn't even know existed at the time. Scary guy.
5 Points The Force Awakens; Kylo Ren has to get the nod for killing his own dad.
4 Points A New Hope; Tarkin blows up a whole planet and makes the royalty from that planet (Princess Leia) watch. Cold as ice, Tarkin.
3 Points The Phantom Menace; Darth Maul, could have been higher but they got rid of him too quickly.
2 Points Attack of the Clones; Count Dooku.
1 Point Revenge of the Sith; Emperor Palpatine again.

The Heroes Who Were Actually, Y'know, Heroic!

Top Pick: A New Hope (7 Points)

Buy Return of the Jedi on Amazon

Han Solo's motives in A New Hope are often cloudy. He appears to be influenced by money alone, but along the way develops a conscience and reluctantly gets behind the cause.

Of the character arcs, his is the biggest, and he manages to pull it off while taking a technically supporting role. Still, that doesn't stop him from saving the day and giving Darth Vader a pretty bad time. Plus, he shot first.

The Rankings

6 Points Return of the Jedi; this film did something remarkable. It turned Luke Skywalker into a badass, but it did so without making him abandon his core character dynamic. Very good stuff between him and Vader, him and Yoda, etc. This is really his movie more than any of the others.
5 Points The Force Awakens; Rey and Finn and Poe Dameron took on the monumental task of replacing the characters we'd grown to know and love, and they pulled it off. Of the three, Rey definitely gets top honors, but the others are a lot of fun, too.
4 Points The Phantom Menace; Ewan McGregor does a terrific job of replacing an iconic character from the original trilogy. He's completely believable as a young Obi-Wan, and you instantly want to see more of the guy.
3 Points The Empire Strikes Back; Han once again thrives as the reluctant hero and faces almost-certain death with the bravado and fearlessness you would expect.
2 Points Attack of the Clones; R2-D2 gets to do a lot more here, and he's more likable than anyone else in the cast.
1 Point Revenge of the Sith; Yoda gets props here for his lightsaber work, but that's about it.

The Best Character, Period

Top Pick: Return of the Jedi (7 Points)

Darth Vader. While the final film is Luke's, both trilogies and maybe even this latest are all about the Sith Lord. He is a unique character in every incarnation of the Star Wars Universe, and his final moments are as riveting to watch as anything else. He's the ultimate story of redemption, and that never gets old.

The Rankings

6 Points A New Hope; Han Solo again. Wise-cracking, charming, rough around the edges, heroic.
5 Points The Force Awakens; Chewbacca. The new film has a lot of things going for it, but it's the warmth and humor we see from Chewbacca that really stole the show for us. He's the best of what we get to see from the OT characters, and his reaction to that pivotal Han Solo-Kylo Ren confrontation lend it the appropriate amount of depth, making a predictable scene nevertheless effective.
4 Points The Empire Strikes Back; Lando Calrissian. Let's here it for diversity in a till-then mostly whitewashed Star Wars Universe. As played by Billy Dee Williams, Lando is cool, collected, and a perfect replacement for Han Solo should he not wake up from that carbonate bath.
3 Points The Phantom Menace; Young Obi-Wan Kenobi.
2 Points Attack of the Clones; R2-D2.
1 Point Revenge of the Sith; Palpatine.

Combat Vehicles We Would Like to Take Out for a Spin

Top Pick: The Empire Strikes Back (7 Points)

AT-ATs, X-Wings, Star Destroyers, TIE Fighters, the Millennium Falcon at full throttle as good as it gets!

The Rankings

6 Points Return of the Jedi; more of the above with the AT-ST and weaponized speeder bikes taking precedent over the AT-AT.
5 Points The Force Awakens; some familiar vehicles, along with new creations like the First Order Snowspeeder, Assault Walker, Stormtrooper Bikes, and Kylo Ren's Command Shuttle. (More here from ScreenRant.)
4 Points A New Hope; the Millennium Falcon debut, Luke's landspeeder, the X-wing debut, Imperial starfighters, the Death Star.
3 Points The Phantom Menace; the Bongo submarine and Armored Assault Tank are highlights.
2 Points Revenge of the Sith; the Wookie ornithopter and flying catamaran.
1 Point Attack of the Clones; the spider droids and Republic Attack Gunships.

The Performance To Make Sir Laurence Olivier Himself Jealous

Top Pick: The Force Awakens (7 Points)

Harrison Ford reminds us why we loved Han Solo in the first place with the same sense of humor and the feeling that he actually wants to be there. This time around, however, his age and wisdom gives the character more breadth and sets up a heart aching goodbye that fans will be reeling from for years to come.

The Rankings

6 Points Return of the Jedi; David Prowse and James Earl Jones as Darth Vader. You think you know where the character stands as the film builds to its conclusion, but the pair keep you guessing with a combination of dialogue and body language. When the turn finally happens, it's both crushing and emotionally satisfying in a way that few films have managed to duplicate.
5 Points The Empire Strikes Back; Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia is vulnerable here, but she manages to exude strength and determination through that vulnerability, and singlehandedly holds the Rebel Alliance together in spite of the fact the world is crumbling around it.
4 Points A New Hope; sure, Alec Guinness didn't really want to be there, and he didn't think very highly of the film, but you couldn't tell it from his performance as he lends Lucas' space opera some much-needed-at-the-time legitimacy.
3 Points The Phantom Menace; Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi is the most likable character in the film and easily the most sound of mind with the right balance of duty and skepticism.
2 Points Revenge of the Sith; Frank Oz as Yoda.
1 Point Attack of the Clones; Christopher Lee as Count Dooku.

The Movie That Made the Most Money

Top Pick: A New Hope (7 Points)

Much has been made of The Force Awakens' meteoric rise to the top of all-time U.S. box office totals, and its probable entry into the prestigious $2 billion club (alongside Titanic and Avatar), but when you break it down by actual ticket sales (per Box Office Mojo), there is no comparison to the 1977 original.

In terms of actual domestic tickets sold, the one that started it all has pushed more than 178 million tickets at the time of this post compared to The Force Awakens' 101.2 million. Also, much of TFA's success overseas owes to the reputation of the original trilogy, so we've got to give credit where it's mostly due.

The Rankings

6 Points The Force Awakens; $2 billion worldwide, the all-time domestic gross record, the speed with which it accomplished all of this? Yeah, TFA is a shoo-in here.
5 Points The Empire Strikes Back; no, it didn't have the same pull worldwide as some of the later Star Wars films, but that market was very immature in the 1980s. What it did manage to do was this: sell more tickets domestically than any of the prequels and Return of the Jedi at 98.1 million.
4 Points The Phantom Menace; while Jedi beat it in tickets sold domestically, it was still a close race (94 million to 90.3 million), and it was the Star Wars film to reach the biggest foreign audience at the time, grossing more than $1 billion worldwide.
3 Points Return of the Jedi; 94 million U.S. tickets, No. 4 in the series when adjusted for U.S. ticket price inflation. It belongs here.
2 Points Revenge of the Sith; less than 60 million tickets sold, U.S., No. 6 in the series when adjusted for ticket price inflation.
1 Point Attack of the Clones; sold fewer tickets than any other Star Wars film at 53.5 million, ranks No. 7 when adjusted for ticket price inflation.

The Movie Critics Loved the Most

Top Pick: The Empire Strikes Back (7 Points)

Using critic aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Empire emerges as the winner, but it's close. It averages the same fresh percentage among professional critics (94%), but it has a higher average rating (8.9 out of 10).

The Rankings

6 Points A New Hope; A New Hope earned 94% like its direct sequel, but came up short in average rating (8.5 out of 10).
5 Points The Force Awakens; 93% overall, 8.2 of 10 average rating.
4 Points Return of the Jedi; 80% overall, 7.2 out of 10 average.
3 Points Revenge of the Sith; 79% overall, 7.3 out of 10 average.
2 Points Attack of the Clones; 66% overall, 6.7 out of 10 average.
1 Point The Phantom Menace; 56% overall, 6 out of 10 average.

The Movie Fans Loved the Most

Top Pick: The Empire Strikes Back (7 Points)