Star Wars (film series)

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

STAR WARS (U)

D: George Lucas

20th Century Fox/Lucasfilm (Gary Kurtz)

USA 🇺🇸 1977

121 mins

Science Fiction

W: George Lucas

DP: Gilbert Taylor

Ed: Paul Hirsch, Marcia Lucas & Richard Chew

Mus: John Williams

PD: John Barry

Cos: John Mollo

Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia Organa), Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin), Alec Guinness (Ben 'Obi-Wan' Kenobi), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), David Prowse (Darth Vader), James Earl Jones (voice of Darth Vader)

Whether or not you became swept in up in the phenomenal fandom which has arisen since the original release, it simply cannot be denied that Star Wars changed cinema forever. Mostly for the better, but there have also been some negative connotations, but these are mostly due to Hollywood's business practices rather than cinematic achievements or the power of merchandising.

In 1977, it was a huge risk for 20th Century Fox to take on George Lucas' science fiction project. The genre had generally been considered kitsch and never a huge money-spinner for the studios, with very few exceptions.

George Lucas certainly broke the mould with his Space Western, a Flash Gordon inspired adventure with all the traits of a Saturday morning serial; a damsel in distress, a roguish hero, a seemingly unstoppable villain, magic, mystery, robots and aliens.

During a time of intergalactic civil war, a princess is captured while trying to smuggle secret plans for a space station with destructive capabilities back to a rebel alliance. Her escape is subsequently aided by a young farmer, an older wizard, a space pirate, his canine-like co-pilot and two androids, setting up a nail-biting finale where a small group of fighters must battle the forces of evil before the deadly space station wipes another planet off the face of the galaxy.

The style, imagination and creativity of Lucas' writing and direction ensured that the film became something the studios couldn't foresee, the biggest box office hit of all time and still amongst the most successful films ever, collecting a new generation of fans with each passing year.

There's many reasons why Star Wars appeals to so many, but it can't be pinned down to a single factor. Firstly, it's timelessly set in a galaxy far, far away with no reference to any Earth events that could date the material, it's also a story full of conflict, not just in the good vs evil scenarios but also internally within the characters themselves. It also holds a David vs Goliath theme which carries out throughout the series as well as an "honour amongst thieves" code from the samurai films which provided much inspiration. Perhaps what makes it so loved, is that there's so many iconic characters, that it's almost impossible not to be able to connect with at least one. From the opening frame of the movie and John William's famous score accompanying the narrative crawl-back explaining the backstory, George Lucas immerses the audience into the galaxy he created and never lets you go, even after the closing credits have finished.

The film was so successful, that it earned a re-release 20 years after it's original theatrical run, with remixed sound, sharper visuals, new animations and even digital effects added to some unseen footage. This version is generally considered inferior to the original theatrical release and has many mooted moments, particularly Han Solo's brief interlude with Jabba The Hutt and the infamous "Greedo shooting first" scene.

Whether or not you agree with George Lucas doctoring with his original film, it still can't be denied that Star Wars is possibly the most important cinema event ever created.

10/10

Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher & Harrison Ford in Star Wars

STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (U)

D: Irvin Kershner

20th Century Fox/Lucasfilm (Gary Kurtz)

USA 🇺🇸 1980

124 mins

Science Fiction

W: Leigh Brackett & Lawrence Kasdan [based on a story by George Lucas]

DP: Peter Suschitzky

Ed: Paul Hirsch

Mus: John Williams

PD: Norman Reynolds

Cos: John Mollo

Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia Organa), Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2), David Prowse (Darth Vader), James Earl Jones (voice of Darth Vader), Frank Oz (voice of Yoda)

Arguably the best of the Star Wars films, bringing a balance to the saga with its dark style and story.

The title isn't cryptic either, this is all about the dark side balancing things up, getting the upper hand and showing the rebels how out of their depth they are. This begins with an ambushed attack on a remote ice planet where our heroes have holed up, a battle which sees our favourite characters escape, but only by the skin of their teeth.

The main trio of characters are subsequently separated, with Luke Skywalker training to be a Jedi Knight in the steps of his mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi. Han Solo, Princess Leia and the rest are merely trying to outrun the bad guys, eventually seeking refuge in a floating city where they are eventually captured. Luke abandons his training to save them, but with his skills not quite perfect, it isn't a fair fight as he also discovers a shocking revelation.

Though the film ends on a huge cliffhanger which leaves the audience needing to know what happens next, it also provides one of the biggest plot twists in film history, a scene which has become one of the most memorable in the entire saga.

In comparison to the first film, The Empire Strikes Back has a very dark tone, taking place mostly in dark and shadows as a metaphorical storm in the trilogy.

For this sequel, George Lucas passed the directorial reins to Irvin Kerschner and enlisted screenwriter duo Leigh Brackett & Lawrence Kasdan to pen the script from his original story. The final result is so good that even Lucas' meddling for the 1997 re-release left the film virtually untouched from it's original theatrical version. The Empire Strikes Back is as perfect as sequels come, equal to the first film in quality, but the complete opposite in terms of narrative story, character development and composition.

10/10

STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI (U)

D: Richard Marquand

20th Century Fox/Lucasfilm (Howard Kazanjian, Robert Watts & Jim Bloom)

USA 🇺🇸 1983

133 mins

Science Fiction

W: Lawrence Kasdan & George Lucas [based on a story by George Lucas]

DP: Alan Hume

Ed: Sean Barton, Marcia Lucas & Duwayne Dunham

Mus: John Williams

PD: Norman Reynolds

Cos: Aggie Guerard Rodgers & Nilo Rodis-Jamero

Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia Organa), Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine), David Prowse (Darth Vader), James Earl Jones (voice of Darth Vader), Frank Oz (voice of Yoda)

Of the original trilogy, Return Of The Jedi is arguably the weakest, but considering the acts it had to follow, this doesn't make it a bad film, though it's clearly the one which is most aimed at a younger audience, especially with the introduction of the Ewoks, but perhaps something more light-hearted was necessary considering the dark undertone of the previous film. The introduction of these primitive bear-like creatures also sets up a climax where even the most unlikely hero can overcome a technologically-advanced powerhouse, following on from the David vs Goliath theme which events in the first two films followed.

It has some flaws, but there's no better way to round off the original trilogy, starting with Han Solo's daring escape from Jabba The Hutt's lair and concluding with Luke Skywalker's thrilling face off with Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, as well as another space battle to destroy a new Death Star, still under construction but equally as deadly.

The original 1983 version is hugely recommended over the 1997 re-release, due to the ridiculous amount of meddling from George Lucas, who even went as far as changing many scenes into something which would fit better in a Disney movie. It's like he knew where Lucasfilm would be heading...

8/10

STAR WARS: EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE (U)

D: George Lucas

20th Century Fox/Lucasfilm (Rick McCallum)

USA 🇺🇸 1999

116 mins

Science Fiction

W: George Lucas

DP: David Tattersall

Ed: Paul Martin Smith

Mus: John Williams

PD: Gavin Bocquet

Cos: Trisha Biggar

Liam Neeson (Qui-Gon Jinn), Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Natalie Portman (Queen Padme Amidala), Jake Lloyd (Anakin Skywalker), Pernilla August (Shmi Skywalker), Frank Oz (Yoda), Ian McDiarmid (Senator Palpatine), Oliver Ford Davies (Sio Bibble), Hugh Quarshie (Captain Panaka), Ahmed Best (Jar Jar Binks), Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu), Ray Park (Darth Maul), Brian Blessed (Boss Nass)

16 years after the conclusion of the original trilogy, George Lucas invites us back to a galaxy far, far away to witness the story of how young Jedi apprentice Anakin Skywalker would become the villainous Darth Vader. The first episode of this prequel trilogy was hugely underwhelming to say the very least, yet it was so massively antipicated worldwide, by both fans of the original films and a brand new generation of fans, that it renders the film completely critic-proof.

The bulk of the story concerns two Jedi Knights trying to source a part for their ship (seriously), while vast parts of the majority plays out like a broadcast from the Intergalactic House Of Commons (again, seriously). The action scenes which do occur are good, but are too few and far between. The biggest problems come mostly with casting decisions, especially Jake Lloyd who features as young Anakin Skywalker and delivers one of the most odious juvenile performances of all time. Still, his performance is adorable in comparison with that of Jar Jar Binks, the most irritating CGI creation of all time who became a widely loathed character from the entire Star Wars series. As well as the lack of action, the dialogue is absolutely atrocious, characters are introduced in depth for little reason and it also negates the entire point of the first three movies by suggesting that only a certain few can become a Jedi, rather than it be a discipline that anyone could attempt to attain.

It would be easy to argue that George Lucas only wanted this film to be released so he could exploit his stranglehold on the Star Wars merchandising rights and being out a whole new range of toys. This would at least explain why some characters are so expendable.

4/10

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

STAR WARS: EPISODE II - ATTACK OF THE CLONES (PG)

D: George Lucas

20th Century Fox/Lucasfilm (Rick McCallum)

USA 🇺🇸 2002

143 mins

Science Fiction

W: George Lucas & Jonathan Hales

DP: David Tattersall

Ed: Ben Burtt

Mus: John Williams

PD: Gavin Bocquet

Cos: Trisha Biggar

Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker), Natalie Portman (Padme Amidala), Christopher Lee (Count Dooku), Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu), Frank Oz (voice of Yoda), Ian McDiarmid (Senator Palpatine), Pernilla August (Shmi Skywalker), Temeura Morrison (Jango Fett)

An improvement on the previous installment of this prequel trilogy, but that wasn't a particularly difficult achievement.

Set a few years later, Anakin has grown up to be a pubescent teenager with an attitude, fighting side by side with Obi-Wan Kenobi until he is commanded to perform duties as Padme's bodyguard.

Returning to his home planet, he discovers news of his mother's death and seeks revenge. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan Kenobi receives news of a new army in the making, setting out to investigate further.

If this film represents the "clone war" which is referred to in the very first Star Wars, it's less a war and more a battle, a disappointing one at that.

Once again, casting is proved a problem, particularly Hayden Christensen as a whiny, unpleasant choice to play Anakin Skywalker. What's worse is the lack of chemistry between him and Natalie Portman, who is equally unconvincing as Padme, while the dialogue between them borders on laughable.

If anything, the movie shows that George Lucas has lost his touch, and his originality... The opening segment looks like it was lifted straight from Blade Runner while other themes seem to have been heavily inspired by Dune, Gladiator and various other science fiction movies.

It's just not acceptable, seeing as it was Star Wars which set the trend for others to ape, rather than turning into a carbon copy of them. Still, as a Star Wars film, it was a huge success worldwide, virtually neutralising any negative critique.

5/10

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

STAR WARS: EPISODE III - REVENGE OF THE SITH (PG)

D: George Lucas

20th Century Fox/Lucasfilm (Rick McCallum)

USA 🇺🇸 2005

140 mins

Science Fiction

W: George Lucas

DP: David Tattersall

Ed: Roger Burton & Ben Burtt

Mus: John Williams

PD: Gavin Bocquet

Cos: Trisha Beggar

Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker), Natalie Portman (Padme Amidala), Ian McDiarmid (Senator Palpatine), Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu), Jimmy Smits (Senator Bail Organa), Frank Oz (voice of Yoda), Anthony Daniels (C3-P0), Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Christopher Lee (Count Dooku)

The best of the prequel trilogy of Star Wars films, but this is more of a poisoned chalice than a recommendation. It wasn't necessary to show the origins of Darth Vader and all George Lucas has done is ruined the mystery and intrigue of the character, particularly in the closing moments of this film when cinema's greatest ever villain is "born", coming into being with an embarrassingly monosyllabic cry: "NOOOOOOOOO!"

Though this has plenty of action and some well crafted fight scenes to hold attention, it's still a bookend to a series of stories that did damage to a great saga of films. The reasons for these are fourfold:

1. It introduces new characters who didn't need to exist, most of them created only to kill them off instantaneously, or for them to fade out into practical irrelevance. Was this just an excuse for George Lucas to sell more action figures and earn more merchandising rights?

2. The technological advancements in the prequel trilogy is vastly superior to that in original trilogy, despite being set chronologically prior. Does Lucas not understand his own moral that, no matter how big your ray gun is, the Ewoks are still gonna kick your ass?

3. They simply didn't need to be made. Enough back story was given in the 1977 film for an audience to fill in these blanks.

We didn't need to see the births of Leia and Luke. The audiences really aren't stupid enough to believe that these characters just materialised out of thin air.

4. Insultingly ridiculous dialogue. Even if it was being spoken in a galaxy far, far away.

They may be critic proof and entertaining enough for young kids, but these prequel films pale in comparison to the original trilogy, and it feels like they were only made so more toys could be sold.

6/10

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (12)

D: J.J. Abrams

20th Century Fox/Lucasfilm/Bad Robot (Kathleen Kennedy, Bryan Burk & J.J. Abrams)

USA 🇺🇸 2015

135 mins

Science Fiction

W: Lawrence Kasdan, J.J. Abrams & Michael Arndt [based on characters created by George Lucas]

DP: Dan Mindel

Ed: Mary Jo Markey & Maryann Brandon

Mus: John Williams

PD: Rick Carter & Darren Gilford

Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), Carrie Fisher (Gen. Leia Organa), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), Lupita Nyong'o (Maz Kanata), Andy Serkis (Snoke), Domhnall Gleeson (Gen. Hux), Gwendoline Christie (Capt. Phasma), Max Von Sydow (Lor San Tekka), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker)

For many, Star Wars is more than just a film, it's an event. As such, a film review really won't do justice for it. For some, Episode VII was hugely anticipated ever since George Lucas sold the rights to the Disney corporation, for others (like myself), this has been dangled in front of us like a mythical carrot for over 32 years! To say J. J. Abrams had big shoes to fill and massive expectations to manage is a huge understatement, and though his Star Trek films were successful at the box office, they also divided audiences and didn't manage to appease the massive fanbase of the series. Was he the right choice to take the reins of such a mammoth project?

For those who haven't seen the film yet, just stop reading now and go watch Star Wars. There will be spoilers.

It would seem J. J. Abrams learned his lessons here. This not only follows on from the original trilogy, it's as far apart from the prequel trilogy as it could dare to get (much to George Lucas' annoyance). From the opening note of John Williams' iconic theme and the narrative crawl explaining the backstory between episodes, this feels every bit like we've returned to a galaxy far, far away, immersing us into its fictional locations as though these were real-life places.

Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi, has disappeared, and the film mostly focuses on the quest to find him. The formula is much the same as the very first Star Wars film, but recycled in a way that it still feels original, with bigger effects and action sequences, but the focus is still primarily on the characters, those new to the series and those who have become beloved in the hearts of fans.

Civil War has erupted once more throughout the galaxy, and a map of Luke Skywalker's whereabouts are hidden in a droid by it's master, but when the master is abducted by a new dark lord, a rogue Stormtrooper and a female scavenger unite to return the droid to the resistance army so Skywalker can be found and balance once again can be restored.

Old faces join the new, with Han Solo and Chewbacca reuniting to fly the Millennium Falcon and deliver our two new heroes to a planet where they discover their destiny.

The action culminates with a battle on a death-star like planet, which draws unfathomable firepower from its sun and has capabilities of destroying multiple planets simultaneously.

Unfortunately, there comes a demise of one of the classic characters, which is quite predictable when the scene opens up, but also had to be done for the good of this new trilogy (let's be honest, he's too old and it's better to go out with a bang than to fade away). As a door closes, another opens, with a new Jedi learning of new powers she didn't even know she had.

Though some elements are predictable and the film is practically a throwback to the very first movie, J. J. Abrams has done a spectacular job here, with a film which will appeal to a brand new generation of audiences as well as satisfying fans of the original trilogy in a way that the prequel trilogy failed, particularly with its treatment of the force (less about midichlorian nonsense and everything to do with faith and confidence).

Everything about this is a testament to the power of movies, with visual effects, production values and other such elements as good as money can buy. Even the script is so much better than other films in the series, with a few moments of good humour to break up the rising tension.

As said above, Star Wars is more than just a movie, Star Wars is a global phenomenon which has to be respected for its power to appeal to such a huge market. Abrams seems, at least, to appreciate this in a way that Lucas seemed to have forgotten.

7/10

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (12)

D: Rian Johnson

Disney/Lucasfilm (Kathleen Kennedy & Ram Bergman)

USA 🇺🇸 2017

152 mins

Science Fiction

W: Rian Johnson [based on characters created by George Lucas]

DP: Steve Yedlin

Ed: Bob Ducsay

Mus: John Williams

PD: Rick Heinrichs

Daisy Ridley (Rey), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Carrie Fisher (Gen. Leia Organa), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), Andy Serkis (Snoke), Domnhall Gleason (Gen. Hux), Laura Dern (Vice Adm. Holdo), Kelly Marie Tran (Rose)

The 8th episode to the Star Wars saga is, like the other films in the series, rather critic-proof. As someone who enjoyed The Force Awakens, I was expecting more of the same from The Last Jedi, but unfortunately I left the cinema quite disappointed.

It's quite obvious that, with Disney's involvement in the Star Wars movies, studio executives are calling more shots than the director, and focus is more on diverse, inclusive characters and cast members rather than storytelling.

At 2 & a half hours long, this is the longest Star Wars movie, but it doesn't need to be, and 45 minutes could have been trimmed with the pointless characters and plot lines dropped to the cutting room floor without affecting the pacing or plot of the adventure at all.

The story continues on from the cliffhanger at the end of The Force Awakens. Rey has located Luke Skywalker's whereabouts and is tries to convince him to join the resistance and put an end to the war once and for all. Meanwhile, the empire have discovered a way to track rebel ships through light-speed and have a fleet of spaceships trapped, including one carrying General Leia Organa.

The story does shoot off in several directions from this point, with Poe Dameron planning a mutiny against his superiors for the sake of survival, whilst Finn and his fangirl go to the galaxy's equivalent of Monte Carlo, where they hope to find a master hacker who can break into the imperial fleet and give the rebels a chance to escape.

It's not possible to reveal any more of the plot without major spoilers, but one of the storylines has no resolution and seems only to have been introduced for the sake of new characters. Likewise with Rey's storyline, which includes new creatures called Porgs, who only exist so Disney can sell merchandise. They bring absolutely nothing to the story.

Another gripe is with the forced humour, which would feel more in place in a Marvel movie rather than Star Wars.

As for the good stuff, there are some epic lightsaber duels, some exhilarating space battles, an exciting and surprising cameo appearance from an iconic character and Kylo Ren develops into a much stronger nemesis. There's also a lot of unpredictability in the set up, making it difficult to determine if key characters will survive the episode.

It's a shame that to get to the good stuff, there's a lot of excess you have to endure.

While not as disappointing as The Phantom Menace, it is a weak episode to the Star Wars universe, and the enjoyment factor has proved to be very divisive and it all seems to depend on whether you're a Star Wars or a Disney fan. The worst thing about all this, by far, is the attitude of director Rian Johnson, who has actually taken to insulting SW fans who criticised the film on social media. What an arrogant douchebag.

4/10

Daisy Ridley in Star Wars: The Last Jedi

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (12)

D: J.J. Abrams

Disney/Lucasfilm/Bad Robot (J.J. Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy & Michelle Rejwan)

US 2019

142 mins

Science Fiction

W: J.J. Abrams & Chris Terrio [based on characters created by George Lucas]

DP: Dan Mindel

Ed: Maryann Brandon & Stefan Grube

Mus: John Williams

PD: Rick Carter & Kevin Jenkins

Daisy Ridley (Rey), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), Carrie Fisher (Leia Organa), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), Ian McDiarmid (Darth Sidious)

Concluding a science fiction saga that has spanned over 40 years was never going to be an easy job, especially since Star Wars has such a huge fanbase and it was going to be impossible to please everyone, especially since the two preceding movies (The Force Awakens & The Last Jedi) had proved to be so divisive. Personally, I think it could have gone so much better if a planned storyline was decided from the outset, but the Disney executives decided that a different director helming each individual film of the sequel trilogy. This strategy worked for the original trilogy, though each film had a story which was penned by the original creator George Lucas.

I enjoyed The Force Awakens, but many fans didn't, complaining it was too similar to the original 1977 film, but when Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi went completely against the grain, even more fans didn't like that, so where exactly does the series stand?

The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams returns for The Rise Of Skywalker, with a plot that feels more like damage control and a selection of decisions made by the Disney corporation, and though it's as good as it probably could have been, the sequel trilogy as a whole has been disappointing, especially since the opportunity was missed to reunite original stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher on-screen again for one last hurrah.

Instead, this is all about Rey, who is given God-like Jedi powers with minimal effort and becomes the primary focus of the story, while other characters like Poe Dameron and Finn are relegated to background characters and comic relief.

As spoilt by trailer, the Emperor is also back for this one, a decision which makes Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader's journey in the original trilogy completely pointless, but it also casts aside the bad decisions that took the saga in a different direction in The Last Jedi.

With the emperor making his presence known, Rey and her companions go on a quest to find and destroy him, wIth Kylo Ren and the First Order standing in their way. There's cameo appearances from many legacy characters, but that's all they are. This is Rey's story now.

The adventure is as you'd expect, with top notch visual effects and some well-staged action, but the film never elevates to much more than safe fan appeasement penned by a conglomerate than a filmmaker's legitimate vision.

It's good enough, and that's fine, but after 42 years, "good enough" just isn't good enough.

6/10