Ranking all 12 Star Wars Movies From Worst to Best

In honor, of May the 4th the unofficial international Star Wars day I am going to power rank in my opinion all the Star Wars movies from best to worst. This is a task that no other members of B-Card wanted to take on and I do not blame them. Here we go and may the force be with me. No Spoilers (kinda)

12. Star Wars Episode 8 The Last Jedi. When the most redeeming part of your movie is that it ends that is not a good sign. This is just a bad movie with a limited amount of what makes Star Wars great. The action scenes we’ll get into later in this list the more that’ll ring true. This is the movie where the “good guys” it’s in quotations because to be fair there's no real reason to root for them and they are facing actual space nazis, are trapped in space, and have their ships picked off one by one until they escape and send the final ship into light speed at the first order fleet. This is also the movie where Leia flew through space. Luke dies, Adrimal Akbar dies, and my interest in Star Wars Disney movies died. Easily the last place spot on this list.

11. Star Wars The Clones Wars Movie. This is a painful one to put in this spot as I love Star Wars the Clone Wars tv show. The movie by the same name is not anywhere as good as the tv show. While it’s still not the worst Star Wars movie it’s not great which is a major disservice to the Clone Wars. Strange animation compared to the show, characters not being fully fleshed out or well written, and some terrible humor leads to a disappointing movie that would have been better suited as multiple episodes of the Clone Wars instead.

10. Star Wars Episode 1 The Phantom Menace. By far in my opinion the weakest of the prequels. This movie still wasn’t that terrible, but that much Jar Jar would drive any movie to a low rating. Young Anakin’s actor left much to be desired looking back and wasn’t great. Darth Maul became much cooler in the animated shows, the Gungans, and a lack of good writing hamper this movie greatly. However, we did get one of the best songs ever written for this movie. Dual of the Fates! That only couldn’t save this movie unfortunately from the errors made.

9. Star Wars Episode 9 The Rise of Skywalker. While not the worst of the squeal movies it’s still not on the top half of my list. While I enjoy some parts of the movie. The Sith troopers looked awesome, going destroyed Star Destroyer, the final space battle, Lando, and Kylo’s face turn (sorry for using a wrestling term, but that's what it was). There were however a lot of missteps. The biggest of all being the ending 10 minutes good lord it was bad. Rey said she was a Skywalker, Kylo literally giving his life to Rey, Emperor Palpatine being alive period, riding creatures on a star destroyer, etc. My hopes going into the movie were low and they exceeded them, but not by much which is why it lands this low on my list.

8. Star Wars Episode 7 The Force Awakens. While the best of the squeals movies in my opinion it is still nowhere near the top of my list of the Star Wars movies. The opening scene perfectly shows off what the first order is capable of and what Kylo can do as well. My favorite scene by far is when the First Order is about to unleash the power of Starkiller's base and the speech that is given. It gives off major nazi vibes which makes them still hateable and gives you while still a lazy reason still a reason to root for the good guys. Who are made up of old faces and some new faces as well. The downfall of the movie is the fact it's a clone of episode 4 in its execution.

7. Solo a Star Wars Movie. For a movie that I had no hopes for being good it vastly outperformed what I thought it was going to do. Barring how Han got his last name which sucked. The next worst part was Lando’s robot, who was very much an unlikeable character and a blatantly attempted to copy a similar droid in a spin-off movie that we will get to later. Seeing the Imperial Army in action, not the Stormtroopers the actual Imperial Army was a massive plus to see. Qi’ra was an awesome character that added depth to Han’s story. Woody Harrelson is always a welcome actor in any movie I watch and to see him play a sleazeball gangster in Star Wars was awesome. The main issue for this movie is the timing of when it got released. In the heart of the squeals when fans were starting to get more up in arms about the direction of the franchise. However Solo is a movie I wouldn’t mind watching if it’s on.

6. Star Wars Episode 6 Return of the Jedi. The first-ever Star Wars movie I watched is unfortunately in my opinion the weakest of the original three movies. With that being said it in no way means that it is a bad movie in fact it speaks to the fact of how strong the other movies are in my opinion. I was hooked from seeing Jabas palace to the Sarlacc pit to Endor. Now as I’ve gotten older the more I've come to despise the Ewoks and also realized that in just the original trilogy the Empire did nothing wrong. And everything was done to defeat the terrorists they were fighting. The major reason it’s this low is the Ewoks mainly. I hate those evil little bears if you don’t know why I say. Look no further than as to why the rebels met them. They were gonna be eaten by the Ewoks after being captured by them.

5. Star Wars Episode 2 Attack of the Clones. While it may be considered sacrilege to many to put episode 2 this high up on my list. Again it's my list this movie got me into Star Wars more than any other Star Wars movie did. And you can thank the Clones and Jango Fett for that as both looked so cool to 7-9 year old me. The Clone Wars tv show solidified it for me, but “begin the Clone War has” still gives me goosebumps to this day. Plus Natalie Portman definitely helped it on this list. A massive battle, cool-looking characters, Jedi in action, and less Jar Jar was a perfect storm for me.

4. Star Wars Episode 4 A New Hope. The movie that kick-started a trillion-dollar franchise. From the opening scene I was hooked when my dad showed it to me on our VHS player (yes I’m old enough for VHS players). Seeing battle on the Tantive IV between the small rebel band in uniforms that to this day I wish more than two movies used them, and the Storm Troopers and the reveal of Darth Vader was so cool as a young kid. The battle of the Death Star is still one of the best shot scenes that any movie was done because it was all practical effects. Oh, and Han shot first. As great as this movie is my favorite Star Wars movies have one thing in common. The bad guys win.

3. Rogue One a Star Wars Story. The biggest surprise I’ve ever had at a movie that I’ve watched. The perfect movie at just the right time for me. After the Force Awakens, my interest in Star Wars started to fade a bit, and then boom like a blast from the Death Star, Rogue One restored it. Jyn Erso is one of the best written female characters in the history of Star Wars. In just one movie I cared more about Jyn, K-2SO, Cassian Andor, and most importantly Director Krennic than I did anyone in the Force Awakens. Director Krennic instantly became one of my favorite Imperial officers plus he gave us our first look at the Death Troopers on the big screen. We were also shown how the political inner workings of the Rebel Alliance are and the factions that are fighting the Empire. This movie also gave us my favorite soldiers in the Imperial army in the Shore Troopers, in one of the best battles Star Wars has given us, and showed just how formidable the Empire and its army truly are. It also gave us the best scenes that have involved Darth Vader saving him from looking weak. Both in Krennic’s visit to Mustafar and Vader cutting down all the rebels in the hallway. Felicity Jones and Ben Mendelsohn turned in great performances in this movie. It just couldn’t crack my top two.

2. Star Wars Episode 5 The Empire Strikes Back. Hell yeah, a hero is only as good as their villain, and oh boy do the Empire show this here. A relentless push to find the rebels and finish them off led to the best battle in the original trilogy. The Battle of Hoth was the first time we saw the AT-AT in action and they did not disappoint. The Empire won the Battle of Hoth easily, however, the chase of the Millenium Falcon across the galaxy turned out to be a bit costly. At this same time, we see Yoda for the first time as he fighting R2D2 in an epic battle in the swamp over a flashlight. This movie expanded the Star Wars galaxies more than any other movie in the original trilogy. Hoth, Dagobah, the asteroid belt, and Cloud City on Bespin. Vader finally catching our heroes at Bespin is still a great scene and the reveal of Vader being Luke’s father shocked people when it came out. The ending with the rebels being on the run from the Empire shows that there is still some hope, but that the Empire has decimated them.

1. Star Wars Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith. Hands down my favorite Star Wars movie from beginning to end. The Battle of Coruscant to baby Luke being given to his aunt and uncle on Tatooine. The genesis of Darth Vader being called Vader. Order 66 and seeing how the Clones turned on those that they called friends and commanders and seeing the realization in the eyes of the Jedi is more heartbreaking after watching the Clone Wars tv show. I could go on and on as to why episode three is my favorite, but I will leave it as simple as this “You were my brother Anakin. I loved you” every time it gets me no other line in Star Wars makes me feel the way that one does. So I’m sure you think my list is completely wrong and if that's the case let me know on Twitter I can be found at @BrockGorton99 and let me know there.