The original Star Wars. It has the perfect story, literally used as a college lesson. It sets up the whole universe. I could legitimately watch it over and over.
Arenāt you a little short on brain cells for a film critic?
The entire movie is a masterclass in building up tension, releasing a little, then building up the stakes into a crescendo when Luke fires his torpedoes.
Itās literally a pattern copied by everyone now.
If you have this criticism, the Death Star isnāt the place. The asteroid and Dagobah in ESB are muuuuuuuuch slower.
ANH easily wins this, it's a very good film and deserved the hype it got. It both works as a standalone movie and a set-up for the trilogy after the fact.
RotJ has some very wonky writing in parts. But it does feel like a satisfying conclusion.
To me rotj felt like it had the starting and ending in mind but didn't know how to get there and made a wonky story to get to the masterpiece of an ending.
I agree so much with this. I've said for a long time now that RotJ would be my favorite Star War, except that most of the Endor scenes drag it down. Of the OT, I think RotJ has the highest highs, but unfortunately also the lowest lows.Ā
Yeah that's what I mean. Lucas probably had all the character development and the starting and ending in mind he is needed a vehicle to get there and facilitate all that development(except han he sucked in jedi) which was the ewokand endor stuff
I think that the big problem is the resulting tone of the film. It starts quite dark (bearing in mind it was intended to be suitable for children) with the capture and execution sentence, and the throne room scene even more so, but in between - particularly the Endor sequence - is too childish.
yeah it's like with Empire and anh it was completely just about the story so it was pretty much dark(with moments of comedy and lighheartedness although anh was more like an adventure) the entire time especially empire. But rotj was very aware of its own popularity and impact and wanted to appeal to everyone and added more lighthearted stuff like the ewoks. Ofc roti is good too but seems like the most commerical and marketable movie in the trilogy to me I'm it's unpopular to say that especially how tame it is compared to the prequels and sequels.
Haha probably because this was supposed to be the ending to the āStar Warsā as one movie but it was so long he had to break it into 3 and fill out the plots to standalone more.
The fact that it works as a standalone story is why to me it will always be the best. If there had never been another Star Wars movie, it would be considered a cult classic today.
I hate the "from another point of view" scene with Obi Wan. Easily the worst scene in the original trilogy IMO. This was a great opportunity to humanize Obi Wan. He could've said "I was afraid to tell you because nobody wants to discover their father is a tyrant and a traitor".Ā
Also I think it's really dumb that Luke and Leia are related. Thank goodness the make out scene in RotJ was cut or it would be even more icky.
Biggest missed opportunity with RotJ is not furthering Leia's arc at all. She's mostly just there for the ride. A lot could have been done with her being force sensitive.
Luke v Vader is excellent, the space battle is excellent, but Endor is pretty lacking in comparison.
I love the opening scenes with the rescue of Han and the Luke vs Vader in the end of ROTJ. Those make the whole movie for me. Like with every SW movie, I love about half the storylines and wish the other half were left out to expand on the good parts. ANH is unique in that every part of it is critical to the whole story and we don't get any useless sidebars that I can remember. It's also annoying to rewatch nowadays with Luke acting like a little whiny little b'yach the whole time. Hamill does a great job of showing Luke's development over the 3 movies but ANH Luke is sometimes like nails on a chalkboard.
The attack on the Death Star is basically just a repeat of what they did in ANH, only they have the Ewoks between the conference and the attack, which just gives the tone an overly childish feel leading up to the climax. Luke and Leia don't need to be siblings for Leia choosing Han over Luke to make sense and it makes the dynamic of Luke crushing on Leia in ANH then Leia kissing Luke in ESB weird. The Jabba bit at the start is alright - though a bit drawn out - and it shows how Luke's power has grown, but it doesn't really add anything to the overall story.
Itās simple, grungy, innocent. Everything it does is novel despite itself being a pastiche drawing on a million influences. Thereās a self-containedness to the whole picture that gives it a definitive beginning and end, since no one thought itād get a sequel. Guiness and Cushing ground the performances of the newbies, including Ford whose character feels more purposeful and memorable. The music isā¦ well, you know. The trench run is the best dogfights ever got in the series.
Recently rewatched the OT and was surprised that I like ROTJ more than ANH. Really enjoyed the Jabba sequence and agree with you about the throne room. I think the pacing in VI is better than IV.
Luke becomes a true Jedi at the end by resisting the power of the dark side and by redeeming his father and completes his character arc in the OT, while Anakin Skywalker returns back to the fold.
That's why I like it so much, its just such a great ending to the trilogy.
A New Hope. It has this sense of wonder and adventure and excitement that none of the other films can really capture. It truly feels like you're embarking on an epic journey into unknown territory.
Came here to say this. The two sequels may be objectively better films, but ANH just has this charm and magic that no other film in the franchise has managed to quite match.
But after a recent rewatch of the Despecialized editions Return of the Jedi is my new favorite. Jabbas Palace and The Throne room scene are peak Star Wars and I like seeing all the characters interact with each other. I never really minded the Ewoks either.
Overall ANH is the better movie because RotJ has some weak sections but I prefer RotJ. The throne room stuff is absolutely peak SW so I always thought it got an unfair amount of criticism.
Episode IV. It's just a great self-contained story of good vs. evil, and a piece of groundbreaking cinema history, like the Wizard of Oz. Even if the Star Wars franchise never took off, it would still secure its place in history.
Episode VI is really the beginning of Star Wars "falling off", even before the prequel trilogy. Nonsensical ret-cons (making Leia Luke's sister), re-treading the same plot lines/gimmicks from ANH (Death Star/underworld dive filled with puppet aliens) catering more towards kids (much moreso than the previous 2), leaning much more into the cheesy soap-opera dialogue (Luke's revelation to Leia/"Hold me!"), etc...it's still much better than anything in the prequels, but it's where those problems originate. Unfortunately, because of nostalgia for this film, it's also become somewhat of a blueprint for what Star Wars 'is' now, and when folks say things like "Star Wars was always a goofy toy commercial", they're usually just referencing this one, forgetting the grit and philosophical undercurrent of the majority of the trilogy. Only projects like Andor and Rogue One feel like they draw more from the DNA of the first two films and take it seriously, which I much prefer.
It also just has the feel of 'okay let's hurry up and end this trilogy, we're all tired and wanna go home' vibe, whereas Empire Strikes Back was firing on all cylinders. As a Mad Max fan, I see it as the 'Beyond Thunderdome' of the trilogy- it's fine, is the most family friendly, probably the one most remembered by people, but it lost all its edge.
A New Hope was a black and white fairytale, but it was still violent, gritty and grungy, and grounded in 1970's Vietnam/Watergate/Cold War era atmosphere. Empire Strikes Back was a meditative, cerebral and Jungian hero's journey that turned that black and white narrative on its head, implying that we're all susceptible to that darkness within us. Return of the Jedi just felt like a fun adventure romp that was mainly trying to just tie up loose narrative threads that George had backed himself into a corner with. The throne room ending is the only real worthwhile part with real cinematic weight imo.
took the words right out of my mouth. Jedi unfairly gets a pass for shoving Star Wars into a box, setting up the PT for failure, and disregarding many plot threads cultivated in Empire. Famously, Denis Villenueve has cited that movie as the reason he is uninterested in ever pursuing a star wars project.
probably rotj, yes it has its fair share of problems, the death star 2 is lazy writing, the ewoks drag on for too long, but that entire third act is phenomenal, from the second vader confronts luke on endor all the way to the very ending of the movie, just incredible. anh is also great, but the pacing just isnāt that good in some parts, so for me itās definitely rotj
ANH is my favorite movie. ESB is a better movie for sure, but ANH has ridiculously solid pacing and just an overall magic to it that ESB doesn't necessarily reach.
It's a great self-contained story. Not only that, but it strikes a perfect balance of world-building, and leaving you wanting more. We can see that it's a futuristic universe, filled with spaceships, aliens, laser guns and swords, and good and bad guys. But who exactly are these Jedi? What are they capable of, and how were they wiped out? How did this Empire come to power? Why does Darth Vader hiss when he breathes? Who was Luke's father?
It's absolutely stuffed with moments that have become iconic: the opening shot of the massive Star Destroyer flying overhead; the first time we see Darth Vader in all his black-clad hissing glory; the binary sunset; the Mos Eisley cantina; the stars stretching into lines as the Millennium Falcon jumps into hyperspace; the glowing hum of lightsabers; the zoom down into the Death Star trench... nearly every scene has become legendary.
It has a light-hearted tone that gives it an incredible charm. No matter how much danger our heroes are in, they always manage to fire off a quip or wisecrack or two so we know they'll be alright. Yes, the other films are darker and more mature, but in my eyes, the original film has a certain magic to it that no other film in the franchise has managed to quite achieve. I've watched it more times than I can count, but I still get a silly grin on my face every time I see it.
For me, Jedi has my favorite version of Luke, and because of that it has my favorite interactions with Vader and the Emperor as well. In the first two movies Luke is more of an everyman, growing and learning from his mistakes rather than having principles in his own right; he doesn't really stand as a true philisophical counter to Vader or Palpatine. Ofc there's benefit to those movies as well (I adore them) but Jedi just hits different for me.
Seeing Vader genuinely hesitate at Luke's resolute defiance on Endor, and Luke's interactions with essentially everyone throughout the movie, keep me on my toes much more than watching the relatively cookie cutter Heros Journey story in ANH
Return of the Jedi is the best of the Original Trilogy, imo. It starts off strong, jumps into the action and then slows down enough to develop and conclude all of the loose ends of the first two movies. The title has a double-meaning, too. Both the return of Darth Vader as a Jedi to the light and the succession of Luke as the new Jedi to restore the order. Disney really fucked up the sequels.
I really donāt think it starts off strong tbh. The first act is too long and Lukeās plan is way too complicated for it to be logical. The pacing is all over the place, making it the worst opening to at least the first 6 films. It only picks up in its second half and the finale is amazing. Too bad they had to redo the Death Star set piece.Ā
I dislike the first act more and more the older I get. It seemed like swashbuckling fun when I was younger. But now I see it's a convoluted mess that overstays its welcome.
It's basically two films squeezed into one (underworld rescue from Jabba and Second Death Star) and the Han and Leia on Endor plotline just completely drops off for me, leaving only the childhood nostalgia of Jabba's palace and the throne room scene as worthwhile.
I love the original trilogyās portrayal of Luke. I hope that we see more of that kind of Luke if he returns in future Disney+ shows. I feel like the Mandalorian did a good job with his personality. I have never understood how the sequels got him so wrong. His father was one of the literal WORST people in the galaxy. Committed genocide, assisted with the destruction of a planet, killed younglings at the temple, etc. He had no redeeming qualities about him, and yet Luke held out hope that some part of Anakin still remained inside of Darth Vader. He believed it so much that he refused to strike him down and finish the fight. And he ended up being right. Dude had insane amounts of hope and optimism, then in the sequels heās a grumpy old hermit in hiding on a random island on a random planet. He had a nightmare about his nephew, almost killed him in his sleep because of it, and then gave up trying to establish the Jedi Order all together. All of this from a bad dream, but the guy who cut your hand off and used your best friend as a test subject for carbonite freezing still āhas good in himā? Iāve heard even Mark Hamill hates how they made Luke in the sequels. I just donāt get how this guy who is not only super optimistic, but ungodly powerful in the force just calls it quits after a bad dream.
I dunno, I like them both. I enjoy all three of the OT and I only view them as three acts of the same story. I enjoy them all the same. I've been watching them since the early '80s and they're a joyful part of my childhood. No need to rank them.
ROTJ has higher highs but also lower lows. ANH is consitentently great through the whole runtime whilst ROTJ gets very great when Luke enters the throne room but can be a bit sloggy in places before that.
For me, Return of the Jedi.
The Entire 3-way conclusion on Endor, in space, and in the Emperorās throne room, is spectacular.
It wraps up the entire saga.
The speeder bike chase is awesome.
I love the Jabaās Palace stuff. Itās like the Mos Eisly Cantina on crack.
Return of the Jedi is my favorite Star Wars film. It's more a matter of personal taste than anything technical, but the OT set out this large overarching conflict, and at a time when series struggle to provide viewers a satisfying conclusion, RotJ hits all the right notes for me.
Is it a little cliche? Sure. Can the ewoks be tiresome? Yeah. But at the end of the day, it is an epic conclusion to an epic series that leaves you happy. The space battle above Endor remains my favorite space battle in all of cinema, the death star being operational is a great twist, and everything between Luke, Vader, and the Emperor is properly dramatic and emotional.
The final scene of everyone celebrating the imminent demise of the empire and a bright future while the force ghosts of the prior generation looks on never fails to bring a smile to my face, despite the Sequel Trilogy's best efforts to undo it all.
Iām a sucker for good over evil type of movies and the whole Luke overcoming everything and willing to die to prove his dad can be saved just does it for me. I understand the criticism the movie gets but the kid in me loves the Ewoks destroying the evil empire too. Bonus points for stormtrooper helmet bongos. ROTJ for me.
RotJ is my fav. So that easily. We get Luke and Vader duel. We get the Emperor using force lightning. That movie never feels like itās as long as it is when I watch it. Never feels like itās dragging.
ANH. RotJ is a good movie, but nothing can compare to the OG. And as much as I do like RotJ, I can't enjoy Luke's personality in it. It makes sense story wise, as there's a time jump between it and Empire and Luke has grown, but watched back to back its jarring. He has this weird holier than thou tone that is very flat with the occasional whiny tone from ANH thrown in.
The finale to rotj is amazing. The music especially- I believe it is going for like an hour straight. I can see why people think anh is better but I much prefer rotj now although I do often skip a bit if the start which is pretty weak.
I enjoy watching RotJ more. Everything looks better, has more energy, and is a perfect finale to the trilogy. It only has that drop in pacing after Tatooine.
However, just like the LotR trilogy, the first movie is absolutely essential for the other movies to have as much impact as they do, so I would never just show someone ESB or RotJ without ANH.
So while I prefer the other two movies over ANH, I still always watch ANH first.
Making Leia Lukeās sister was the biggest mistake of the trilogy and they obviously didnāt plan for it. Not every movie needed a family connection reveal. Anh is a masterpiece.
It's an unpopular opinion among Star Wars fans but ROTJ is a weak film for me. Rescuing Han on Tatooine takes way too long, the whole Endor sequence is janky at times, the acting feels very forced throughout, and even the cinematography is lazy.
It does, however, have one of the peak scenes in the whole franchise with the Vader-Luke-Palpatine fight.
I will say, one thing I LOVED about RotJ was the phenomenal amount of fleet vehicles participating in the final battle - oceans of tie fighters attacking swarms of rebellion craft.
I thought it was amazing to see such a stacked battle.
And now, we get The Rise of Skywalker and they apparently thought it was wise to turn up this fleet stacking to an absurd level for the final battle. And man did that fall flat.
The original Star Wars is Lucasās best movie hands down. The character development, plot, pacing, and dialogue all worked very well to introduce viewers to this new galaxy. Return of the Jedi is a fun watch, but most of the problems that people donāt like about the prequels started with and were present in Jedi. The special editions of both of these movies made them worse despite improved special effects, but the removal of Lapti Nek in favour of Jedi Rocks in RotJ may honestly be worse than Greedo shooting first in ANH.
ANH is the better movie. Its story exists on its own. ROTJ is a great movie, but itās a great sequel. The story elements from prior films are absolutely indispensable for comprehension of the plot. I love ROTJ but its love in part is derived from the build of prior story. On its own it lacks a lot of impact
Star Wars, every time. This poster with Tarkin as the centerpiece has always been a little weird to me but tbh, he was giving orders and did blow up a planet so.
ROTJ is my favorite SW movie just after ROTS. For me it is the best saga conclusion ever. The final scene gives me chills, and I love the final battle scenes and sequences.
I like Return of the Jedi more. A New Hope is a fine movie, but I think the story George Lucas was really trying to tell with the first movie only comes into focus with Empire, and is finished off with ROTJ.
ANH is technically a better movie but ROTJ is a lot more rewatchable to me. The beginning of ANH is pretty slow, its jarring considering the pacing we get in media today.
This will sound weird but for RotJ prior to the Special Edition edits I would put it higher than ANH. Growing up I grew up watching ESB and RotJ not seeing ANH until I was maybe 10 or 11 compared to the others being among the first movies I remember watching.
After the Special Editions now the main version, I rate ANH higher than RotJ. The music edits just ruin it for me.
ANH is a modern day classic and responsible for launching the universe we all love.
That being said, I vote for RoTJ for no other reason than the 2nd Death Star run. To me, it is the most exciting sequence of the entire franchise. I get chills every time.
Tie:
- OG ep4 started it all, it's a great classic adventure
- ep6 took it to a new level in a lot of ways, Ian McDiarmid is just delightful, and despite some ewok hate the planet design and cinematography are amazing. It's a great ending to the series that made the universe feel huge while paying off a bunch of character beats from previous films
I wasnāt alive when Star Wars came out, so I canāt really get into the hype of the first one. The CG is incredibly bad, even expecting it to be incredibly bad. The plot is extremely simple and so little depth. It has very many completely unbelievable parts that take you out of itā¦ like Lukeās job is tending to some dehumidifiers. One day some robots come to his home with a video of some hot bitch and within A day or two he destroys the emperors super weapon? In that time, his family dies, he travels across space for the first time, he saves a princess, his random old friend that gets him into all this dies, everyone on Alderaan dies, everyone on the Death Star dies, most of the rebel flight team dies, and everyone is all smiling mother fuckers as they hand out medals. From moisture farmer to hero of the galaxy in a day.
ROTJ is one of the few films that works despite ignoring all screenwriting laws
For example the long 30-40 minute jabba the hurt sequence had nothing to do with the sole plot or story, other than saving han. People didn't mind, but it would've worked better if he was a vital part of the rebellion and knew some secrets or something. They saved him because he's a friend and risked princess lea and Luke. It feels like a TV episode, and then cuts to Luke going to dagobah.
So, as a kid, I loved rotj for the space battles and endor, ANH has some great bits for kids, but the trench run compared to endor for a child isn't a question.
I really liked some of the changes they added to the re-release of ANH with the cgi tie fighters behind an x wing, etc, and it is gripping, but still, ROTJ has some great battle segments. The "fighters coming in!" scene is crazy good, and to see the A wing and interceptor (b wing not so much) is still a thrill.
Return of the Jedi because other than the beginning of Revenge of the Sith and and alittle bit of Rogue One, it has the best space battle and the space battles are one of my favorite thing in the series.
Star Wars. The original film is brilliant. Set up core premises for protagonist and antagonist. Established the force as something tangible and fantastic.
ANH easily, a solid beginning to the heroās journey, a good introduction to the world and has really great miniature and matte painting work (if you watch the unaltered version).
If the Vader vs Luke fight was less lame, itād probably be my favorite of the OT.
I love the final confrontation between Luke, Vader and Palpy in RotJ, one of my favorite portions of any of the movies, right up there with my other 3 favorite scenes, Anakin v Obi-Wan, the beginning of RotS and the end of Rogue One but I can pretty much pass on the rest of the movie, it just doesnāt do much for me and I really hate Endor (mainly the Ewoks).
I prefer ANH because if I'm being honest I only hella enjoy RotJ for the Luke-Vader dynamic. ANH has so much more to offer as a film, plus we all know the Ewok arc is the absolute weakest in the OT.
I prefer ANH, and what makes it better is that it's a complete story. You can literally watch that and no other Star Wars media and die satisfied. The same can't be said for Jedi, which requires knowledge of both ANH and Empire.
Of those 2, RotJ because I loved the spectacle. That fight at the end was so amazing that it covered a lot of issues with a somewhat weaker plot overall.
ANH is a better story, and movie but it isn't as spectacular.
I didnāt fall for the Star Wars universe until ROTJ. Absolutely my top favourite movie, and I donāt even mind ewoks. I love that my hero, Luke, has matured from a whiny teenager into a responsible adult Jedi with his destiny and a mission to complete.
Star Wars is one of those rare perfect movies in my eyes. It tells so much story in two hours and is an incredible version of the 'hero's journey'. After the heroes leave Tatooine, the film just moves and never stops, the editing is an absolute work of art. The third act is maybe one of the best ever put to film and the score is utterly incredible.
Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back are both equal 10/10's to me, while Return of the Jedi is a still solid 8.5/10.
As an adult, it is more even. I still think Jedi is still more fun, and visually, it was the culmination of 6 years of learnings by ILM, it just looks wonderful and complex.
First off, I should say that Iām not the biggest fan of the OT. My favorite Star Wars movie overall is ROTS but Iāll still give my opinion as a Star Wars fan.
ROTJ is my favorite OT movie. From Jabbaās palace to the Great Pit of Carkoon, itās absolutely glorious. Then you have Endor, then big-ass space battle, Death Star II, super-class star destroyer, it's a trap and shit lastly the fight between Luke and Vader, itās a great movie all around.
ANH has a strong start on the Tantive IV, the Cantina scene is fantastic and it stays really good up until Obi-Wan dies. After that, though, I find the movie gets kind of boring.
Return of the Jedi! I love both, but A New Hope is my least favorite of the Original Trilogy. For me itās Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and then A New Hope. The entire Tatooine portion of the movie alone had a lot of cool parts. Getting to see a more fleshed out Jedi Luke, bounty hunter Leia, and the Rancor. Getting to see Boba Fett actually in action, even though his defeat was kind of lame haha and then the whole Endor part was cool too. Seeing the Rebels and Ewoks use guerrilla tactics to take down AT-STs and what not. Getting to see an AT-AT again. And the rematch between Luke and Vader is a great fight. Especially since their relationship to one another is known at that point. Seeing Luke maintain hope that thereās a chance for redemption for his father, even though Vader firmly disagrees. Seeing the possibility of whether Luke will strike down the Emperor or not. And then seeing Vader choose to save his son by killing the Emperor mid electrocution. We finally get to see Vaderās face. I think the second Death Star looks cooler too. It was cool to see the Falcon lead the assault and fly into the actual interior of the Death Star to destroy it. I feel like Return of the Jedi really helped solidify Lukeās personality as like the most hopeful person in the galaxy. Regardless of the atrocities his father committed, he still believed that Anakin was in there somewhere. I hate that the sequels did away with his hopefulness and made him a grumpy old hermit.
ANH over ROTJ FOR me, but Empire is hands down the best Star Wars content from any era IMHO.
ROTJ suffered from the Ewoks and I personally only felt invested in Vader vs Luke plot arc. I wish the deleted scenes of Luke building his new lightsaber shouldāve made the Final Cut as well.
I think Jedi is close to being the worst film in the entire franchise. The story is ok, but the acting and directing is just pathetically bad. Only Attack of the Clones is worse, in my view.
I wish the Ewoks in the movies were more like those in the video game, Battlefront 2. That game gave them such a more meaningful, and perhaps even scary vibe that would have been so much better than the ācuddly teddy bearsā we got in the film.
The original Star Wars. It has the perfect story, literally used as a college lesson. It sets up the whole universe. I could legitimately watch it over and over.
I will argue till i die about how star wars is fantasy and no where even near science fiction. Despite what its listed as often on streaming
The only minor criticism that I'd make is that some of the pacing in the Death Star was a bit slow
Care to elaborate?
The rescue of Leia drags, particularly after the trash compactor. Given that they were ultimately allowed escape it feels like a distraction.
Shit i mean they were pretty quick in the grand scheme of things š shits only 121 minutes
Arenāt you a little short on brain cells for a film critic?
The entire movie is a masterclass in building up tension, releasing a little, then building up the stakes into a crescendo when Luke fires his torpedoes.
Itās literally a pattern copied by everyone now.
If you have this criticism, the Death Star isnāt the place. The asteroid and Dagobah in ESB are muuuuuuuuch slower.
ANH easily wins this, it's a very good film and deserved the hype it got. It both works as a standalone movie and a set-up for the trilogy after the fact.
RotJ has some very wonky writing in parts. But it does feel like a satisfying conclusion.
To me rotj felt like it had the starting and ending in mind but didn't know how to get there and made a wonky story to get to the masterpiece of an ending.
Everything with Jabba is great and the duel with Vader is better than anything in ANH but everything on Endor is an absolute slog
except the speeder bike chase
I agree so much with this. I've said for a long time now that RotJ would be my favorite Star War, except that most of the Endor scenes drag it down. Of the OT, I think RotJ has the highest highs, but unfortunately also the lowest lows.Ā
ROTJ is really the second part of ESB.
A great deal of character growth is covered in the rescue mission, then the story has to address the main conflicts set up in the first two films.
Yeah that's what I mean. Lucas probably had all the character development and the starting and ending in mind he is needed a vehicle to get there and facilitate all that development(except han he sucked in jedi) which was the ewokand endor stuff
Han's new perspective after being saved from carbonite by all of his friends made him different than the character we met, but that's growth.
I didn't notice the difference until it was pointed out, but soon after, I realized that his awkwardness is him being unguarded and sincere.
Being encased in carbonite was torturous for Han. The rescue gave him a new life.
I think that the big problem is the resulting tone of the film. It starts quite dark (bearing in mind it was intended to be suitable for children) with the capture and execution sentence, and the throne room scene even more so, but in between - particularly the Endor sequence - is too childish.
yeah it's like with Empire and anh it was completely just about the story so it was pretty much dark(with moments of comedy and lighheartedness although anh was more like an adventure) the entire time especially empire. But rotj was very aware of its own popularity and impact and wanted to appeal to everyone and added more lighthearted stuff like the ewoks. Ofc roti is good too but seems like the most commerical and marketable movie in the trilogy to me I'm it's unpopular to say that especially how tame it is compared to the prequels and sequels.
Haha probably because this was supposed to be the ending to the āStar Warsā as one movie but it was so long he had to break it into 3 and fill out the plots to standalone more.
Isnāt it because Gary Kurtz left the collaboration with Lucas and he was good about keeping Lucas to a coherent story?
+1
Iāll add I prefer watching RotJ, but objectively ANH is better
I agree with you here. I like RotJ more, but ANH is the one and the only original.
The ewoks ruined ROTJ's mid section
Is this a joke about the Ewoks' rotund bellies?!
In pleasant agreement
edit: feels like weāre in the cantina lol
You'd better watch yourself, we're wanted men.
I have the death sentence on 12 systems.
Iāll be careful.
Youāll be dead!
patiently waiting for someone to step in as Obi-Wan
"Obi-wan, now that's a name I've not heard in a long time..."
Luke is killed
"A long time."
Imagine if all of RotJ was as good as the the throne room sequence...
Jabba's palace is sick AF, too
The fact that it works as a standalone story is why to me it will always be the best. If there had never been another Star Wars movie, it would be considered a cult classic today.
I hate the "from another point of view" scene with Obi Wan. Easily the worst scene in the original trilogy IMO. This was a great opportunity to humanize Obi Wan. He could've said "I was afraid to tell you because nobody wants to discover their father is a tyrant and a traitor".Ā Also I think it's really dumb that Luke and Leia are related. Thank goodness the make out scene in RotJ was cut or it would be even more icky.
Biggest missed opportunity with RotJ is not furthering Leia's arc at all. She's mostly just there for the ride. A lot could have been done with her being force sensitive.
Luke v Vader is excellent, the space battle is excellent, but Endor is pretty lacking in comparison.
My second favorite film of all time, after Jurassic Park. ANH is Star Wars in its purest form.
I loved RotJ the most growing up but as an adult Iām a bigger fan of ANH.
Tbh it was kinda weird when I realized that, itās was like my favorite color changed.
Wow thatās crazy how the picture depicts Tarkin as the main antagonist in ANH
Because he's the main villain in that film, just as Vader is in ESB and Palpatine is in ROTJ
He is. Itās him calling the shots for the bad guys the whole way through. In terms of the big-picture conflict, itās a Leia vs Tarkin story.
Well, that's because he is.
I'm more interested in Greedo being in the poster at all
They needed an alienā¦ itās space
Aren't they all aliens technically?
Overall ANH,Ā I only really care about the Vader/Luke plot in ROTJ.Ā
I love the opening scenes with the rescue of Han and the Luke vs Vader in the end of ROTJ. Those make the whole movie for me. Like with every SW movie, I love about half the storylines and wish the other half were left out to expand on the good parts. ANH is unique in that every part of it is critical to the whole story and we don't get any useless sidebars that I can remember. It's also annoying to rewatch nowadays with Luke acting like a little whiny little b'yach the whole time. Hamill does a great job of showing Luke's development over the 3 movies but ANH Luke is sometimes like nails on a chalkboard.
Yep, me too. How do you feel about the space battle or the intro sequence? Those things get love, but I find nothing to like in them.
I like the opening of ANH and Im fine with the ROTJ space battle. It's better than ewok fights.Ā
The attack on the Death Star is basically just a repeat of what they did in ANH, only they have the Ewoks between the conference and the attack, which just gives the tone an overly childish feel leading up to the climax. Luke and Leia don't need to be siblings for Leia choosing Han over Luke to make sense and it makes the dynamic of Luke crushing on Leia in ANH then Leia kissing Luke in ESB weird. The Jabba bit at the start is alright - though a bit drawn out - and it shows how Luke's power has grown, but it doesn't really add anything to the overall story.
ANH is objectively better but i prefer ROTJ
Star Wars.
Itās simple, grungy, innocent. Everything it does is novel despite itself being a pastiche drawing on a million influences. Thereās a self-containedness to the whole picture that gives it a definitive beginning and end, since no one thought itād get a sequel. Guiness and Cushing ground the performances of the newbies, including Ford whose character feels more purposeful and memorable. The music isā¦ well, you know. The trench run is the best dogfights ever got in the series.
I like Return of the Jedi better, because the throne room scene is peak Star Wars for me.
Recently rewatched the OT and was surprised that I like ROTJ more than ANH. Really enjoyed the Jabba sequence and agree with you about the throne room. I think the pacing in VI is better than IV.
I thought Luke was great in ROTJ. The final fight is one of my favorite in the entire franchise. Plus Hans escape and the speeder chase are great too.
It doesn't mean Star Wars isn't great. I still think its the perfect "Welcome to Star Wars" film.
Luke becomes a true Jedi at the end by resisting the power of the dark side and by redeeming his father and completes his character arc in the OT, while Anakin Skywalker returns back to the fold.
That's why I like it so much, its just such a great ending to the trilogy.
"Welcome to Star Wars" film.
whoo wouldve thought the first ever movie is a good entry point into the franchise lol
OG Star Wars 1977, all the way.
The original Star Wars
A New Hope. It has this sense of wonder and adventure and excitement that none of the other films can really capture. It truly feels like you're embarking on an epic journey into unknown territory.
Came here to say this. The two sequels may be objectively better films, but ANH just has this charm and magic that no other film in the franchise has managed to quite match.
I always had the opinion that ESB > ANH > RoTJ
But after a recent rewatch of the Despecialized editions Return of the Jedi is my new favorite. Jabbas Palace and The Throne room scene are peak Star Wars and I like seeing all the characters interact with each other. I never really minded the Ewoks either.
I thought the Ewoks were more annoying than Jar Jar Binks at 9 years old
Tarkin was damn terrifying. No space magic, no black robes or cowl. Just a ruthlessly efficient beurocrat AND killer.
Overall ANH is the better movie because RotJ has some weak sections but I prefer RotJ. The throne room stuff is absolutely peak SW so I always thought it got an unfair amount of criticism.
The OG will always be the best. It tells a complete story and is well-executed.
Even though I love ESB and RotJ, they stand on the shoulders of the original film.
Very unpopular opinion but ROTJ is actually my fav Star Wars movie overall, no particular reason, I just have most fun watching it I think
Episode IV. It's just a great self-contained story of good vs. evil, and a piece of groundbreaking cinema history, like the Wizard of Oz. Even if the Star Wars franchise never took off, it would still secure its place in history.
Episode VI is really the beginning of Star Wars "falling off", even before the prequel trilogy. Nonsensical ret-cons (making Leia Luke's sister), re-treading the same plot lines/gimmicks from ANH (Death Star/underworld dive filled with puppet aliens) catering more towards kids (much moreso than the previous 2), leaning much more into the cheesy soap-opera dialogue (Luke's revelation to Leia/"Hold me!"), etc...it's still much better than anything in the prequels, but it's where those problems originate. Unfortunately, because of nostalgia for this film, it's also become somewhat of a blueprint for what Star Wars 'is' now, and when folks say things like "Star Wars was always a goofy toy commercial", they're usually just referencing this one, forgetting the grit and philosophical undercurrent of the majority of the trilogy. Only projects like Andor and Rogue One feel like they draw more from the DNA of the first two films and take it seriously, which I much prefer.
It also just has the feel of 'okay let's hurry up and end this trilogy, we're all tired and wanna go home' vibe, whereas Empire Strikes Back was firing on all cylinders. As a Mad Max fan, I see it as the 'Beyond Thunderdome' of the trilogy- it's fine, is the most family friendly, probably the one most remembered by people, but it lost all its edge.
A New Hope was a black and white fairytale, but it was still violent, gritty and grungy, and grounded in 1970's Vietnam/Watergate/Cold War era atmosphere. Empire Strikes Back was a meditative, cerebral and Jungian hero's journey that turned that black and white narrative on its head, implying that we're all susceptible to that darkness within us. Return of the Jedi just felt like a fun adventure romp that was mainly trying to just tie up loose narrative threads that George had backed himself into a corner with. The throne room ending is the only real worthwhile part with real cinematic weight imo.
took the words right out of my mouth. Jedi unfairly gets a pass for shoving Star Wars into a box, setting up the PT for failure, and disregarding many plot threads cultivated in Empire. Famously, Denis Villenueve has cited that movie as the reason he is uninterested in ever pursuing a star wars project.
ROTJ by far
Return of the Jedi. It's the pay off of everything that came before and even some of what came after. Luke finally coming into his own is unbeatable.
probably rotj, yes it has its fair share of problems, the death star 2 is lazy writing, the ewoks drag on for too long, but that entire third act is phenomenal, from the second vader confronts luke on endor all the way to the very ending of the movie, just incredible. anh is also great, but the pacing just isnāt that good in some parts, so for me itās definitely rotj
ANH is my favorite movie. ESB is a better movie for sure, but ANH has ridiculously solid pacing and just an overall magic to it that ESB doesn't necessarily reach.
ANH, for several reasons:
For me, Jedi has my favorite version of Luke, and because of that it has my favorite interactions with Vader and the Emperor as well. In the first two movies Luke is more of an everyman, growing and learning from his mistakes rather than having principles in his own right; he doesn't really stand as a true philisophical counter to Vader or Palpatine. Ofc there's benefit to those movies as well (I adore them) but Jedi just hits different for me.
Seeing Vader genuinely hesitate at Luke's resolute defiance on Endor, and Luke's interactions with essentially everyone throughout the movie, keep me on my toes much more than watching the relatively cookie cutter Heros Journey story in ANH
All of them..
Return of the Jedi is the best of the Original Trilogy, imo. It starts off strong, jumps into the action and then slows down enough to develop and conclude all of the loose ends of the first two movies. The title has a double-meaning, too. Both the return of Darth Vader as a Jedi to the light and the succession of Luke as the new Jedi to restore the order. Disney really fucked up the sequels.
I really donāt think it starts off strong tbh. The first act is too long and Lukeās plan is way too complicated for it to be logical. The pacing is all over the place, making it the worst opening to at least the first 6 films. It only picks up in its second half and the finale is amazing. Too bad they had to redo the Death Star set piece.Ā
I dislike the first act more and more the older I get. It seemed like swashbuckling fun when I was younger. But now I see it's a convoluted mess that overstays its welcome.
Jabba having two different monsters living in a pit which he throws people into does kind of illustrate the bloat in that part of the movie.
I like both of them, but that rescue plan was more convoluted than the plan to kill Padme.
It's basically two films squeezed into one (underworld rescue from Jabba and Second Death Star) and the Han and Leia on Endor plotline just completely drops off for me, leaving only the childhood nostalgia of Jabba's palace and the throne room scene as worthwhile.
Iād agree if the ewoks didnāt overstay their welcome
Hot take, but I really like the Ewoks and think their a good part of the story.
I agree but fuck me do their scenes drag on
I love the original trilogyās portrayal of Luke. I hope that we see more of that kind of Luke if he returns in future Disney+ shows. I feel like the Mandalorian did a good job with his personality. I have never understood how the sequels got him so wrong. His father was one of the literal WORST people in the galaxy. Committed genocide, assisted with the destruction of a planet, killed younglings at the temple, etc. He had no redeeming qualities about him, and yet Luke held out hope that some part of Anakin still remained inside of Darth Vader. He believed it so much that he refused to strike him down and finish the fight. And he ended up being right. Dude had insane amounts of hope and optimism, then in the sequels heās a grumpy old hermit in hiding on a random island on a random planet. He had a nightmare about his nephew, almost killed him in his sleep because of it, and then gave up trying to establish the Jedi Order all together. All of this from a bad dream, but the guy who cut your hand off and used your best friend as a test subject for carbonite freezing still āhas good in himā? Iāve heard even Mark Hamill hates how they made Luke in the sequels. I just donāt get how this guy who is not only super optimistic, but ungodly powerful in the force just calls it quits after a bad dream.
I like the idea of hermit Luke but the reasons and execution murdered his character
I dunno, I like them both. I enjoy all three of the OT and I only view them as three acts of the same story. I enjoy them all the same. I've been watching them since the early '80s and they're a joyful part of my childhood. No need to rank them.
Luke VS Vader final duel over anything else, but ANH over every other movie
ROTJ has higher highs but also lower lows. ANH is consitentently great through the whole runtime whilst ROTJ gets very great when Luke enters the throne room but can be a bit sloggy in places before that.
For me, Return of the Jedi. The Entire 3-way conclusion on Endor, in space, and in the Emperorās throne room, is spectacular. It wraps up the entire saga. The speeder bike chase is awesome. I love the Jabaās Palace stuff. Itās like the Mos Eisly Cantina on crack.
They're my lefit 2 favs. Hard to choose. You'll have to kill me.
Return of the Jedi is my favorite Star Wars film. It's more a matter of personal taste than anything technical, but the OT set out this large overarching conflict, and at a time when series struggle to provide viewers a satisfying conclusion, RotJ hits all the right notes for me.
Is it a little cliche? Sure. Can the ewoks be tiresome? Yeah. But at the end of the day, it is an epic conclusion to an epic series that leaves you happy. The space battle above Endor remains my favorite space battle in all of cinema, the death star being operational is a great twist, and everything between Luke, Vader, and the Emperor is properly dramatic and emotional.
The final scene of everyone celebrating the imminent demise of the empire and a bright future while the force ghosts of the prior generation looks on never fails to bring a smile to my face, despite the Sequel Trilogy's best efforts to undo it all.
Iām a sucker for good over evil type of movies and the whole Luke overcoming everything and willing to die to prove his dad can be saved just does it for me. I understand the criticism the movie gets but the kid in me loves the Ewoks destroying the evil empire too. Bonus points for stormtrooper helmet bongos. ROTJ for me.
RotJ is my fav. So that easily. We get Luke and Vader duel. We get the Emperor using force lightning. That movie never feels like itās as long as it is when I watch it. Never feels like itās dragging.
ANH. RotJ is a good movie, but nothing can compare to the OG. And as much as I do like RotJ, I can't enjoy Luke's personality in it. It makes sense story wise, as there's a time jump between it and Empire and Luke has grown, but watched back to back its jarring. He has this weird holier than thou tone that is very flat with the occasional whiny tone from ANH thrown in.
I will say that the final battle in ROTJ still gives me goosebumps - so cool.
I think the peaks of ROTJ are much higher than the peaks of ANH, but the valleys are also more pronounced.
new hope for the mos eisley cantina.
The finale to rotj is amazing. The music especially- I believe it is going for like an hour straight. I can see why people think anh is better but I much prefer rotj now although I do often skip a bit if the start which is pretty weak.
I enjoy watching RotJ more. Everything looks better, has more energy, and is a perfect finale to the trilogy. It only has that drop in pacing after Tatooine.
However, just like the LotR trilogy, the first movie is absolutely essential for the other movies to have as much impact as they do, so I would never just show someone ESB or RotJ without ANH.
So while I prefer the other two movies over ANH, I still always watch ANH first.
Untill the prequels and the sequels ROTJ was considered the worst Star Wars movie.
Making Leia Lukeās sister was the biggest mistake of the trilogy and they obviously didnāt plan for it. Not every movie needed a family connection reveal. Anh is a masterpiece.
The OG.
It's an unpopular opinion among Star Wars fans but ROTJ is a weak film for me. Rescuing Han on Tatooine takes way too long, the whole Endor sequence is janky at times, the acting feels very forced throughout, and even the cinematography is lazy.
It does, however, have one of the peak scenes in the whole franchise with the Vader-Luke-Palpatine fight.
I will say, one thing I LOVED about RotJ was the phenomenal amount of fleet vehicles participating in the final battle - oceans of tie fighters attacking swarms of rebellion craft.
I thought it was amazing to see such a stacked battle.
And now, we get The Rise of Skywalker and they apparently thought it was wise to turn up this fleet stacking to an absurd level for the final battle. And man did that fall flat.
The original Star Wars is Lucasās best movie hands down. The character development, plot, pacing, and dialogue all worked very well to introduce viewers to this new galaxy. Return of the Jedi is a fun watch, but most of the problems that people donāt like about the prequels started with and were present in Jedi. The special editions of both of these movies made them worse despite improved special effects, but the removal of Lapti Nek in favour of Jedi Rocks in RotJ may honestly be worse than Greedo shooting first in ANH.
A new hope all day
ANH is the better movie. Its story exists on its own. ROTJ is a great movie, but itās a great sequel. The story elements from prior films are absolutely indispensable for comprehension of the plot. I love ROTJ but its love in part is derived from the build of prior story. On its own it lacks a lot of impact
I love all Star Wars.
Return of the Jedi 0 contest imo. Not only does it have better character moments that don't feel too clichƩ, especially for the time, but it also has a better soundtrack, better set design, better fight scenes and more emotion. Not to mention the ultimate message of never giving into the dark. I love ANH but it's so overhyped compared to this SEVERELY underrated gem.
Star Wars, every time. This poster with Tarkin as the centerpiece has always been a little weird to me but tbh, he was giving orders and did blow up a planet so.
RotJ obviously, itās the only one with Ewoks.
I prefer to watch Jedi, but I'll always take ambitious and sloppy over lean and effective. SW is definitely the more successful movie overall.
ROTJ is my favorite SW movie just after ROTS. For me it is the best saga conclusion ever. The final scene gives me chills, and I love the final battle scenes and sequences.
Return of the Jedi.
Itās just a masterpiece from start to finish
I prefer return of the Jedi, but thatās also because I fundamentally believe art is often more than the sum of its parts.
Iāve seen return of the Jedi so many times, and the throne room scene still makes me watery-eyed every damn time.
Nothing in A New Hope makes me feel that way, even though it is the more even and better paced experience.
Same reason that starting a new game is usually funner than finishing that same game.
OP where did you get these posters from? I've never seen them.
Yes, I saw some others in another post and I would love a link for all of the Star Wars posters!
I like Return of the Jedi more. A New Hope is a fine movie, but I think the story George Lucas was really trying to tell with the first movie only comes into focus with Empire, and is finished off with ROTJ.
The original. It has a good story
A New Hope, itās just a masterpiece but ROTJ is a great ending it is own beautiful emotional way
I think Jedi is the more fun movie
ANH is technically a better movie but ROTJ is a lot more rewatchable to me. The beginning of ANH is pretty slow, its jarring considering the pacing we get in media today.
Star Wars. If Return of the Jedi had Wookiees instead of Ewoks, than it would have won.
This will sound weird but for RotJ prior to the Special Edition edits I would put it higher than ANH. Growing up I grew up watching ESB and RotJ not seeing ANH until I was maybe 10 or 11 compared to the others being among the first movies I remember watching.
After the Special Editions now the main version, I rate ANH higher than RotJ. The music edits just ruin it for me.
They were out of ideas by episode 6. We go from cutting arms off in Mos Eisley in episode 4 to muppet bears in episode 6
ANH is a modern day classic and responsible for launching the universe we all love.
That being said, I vote for RoTJ for no other reason than the 2nd Death Star run. To me, it is the most exciting sequence of the entire franchise. I get chills every time.
E4ā¦.no Ewoks and no overlooked Han
RotJ
Tie:
- OG ep4 started it all, it's a great classic adventure
- ep6 took it to a new level in a lot of ways, Ian McDiarmid is just delightful, and despite some ewok hate the planet design and cinematography are amazing. It's a great ending to the series that made the universe feel huge while paying off a bunch of character beats from previous films
(ep5 is still an unbeatably amazing film)
Empire Strikes Back is the common pick for best Star Wars movie (I agree), but I always preferred Return Of The Jedi over New Hope.
I found New Hope to be quite dull, the dialogue more stilted than usual with George Lucas movies, the pacing slow and the action lame.
Return of The Jedi despite its flaws, is my 3rd favourite Star Wars movie after Empire and Rogue One.
Itās slightly ahead of Revenge Of The Sith for me, although that may change after a rewatch.
I wasnāt alive when Star Wars came out, so I canāt really get into the hype of the first one. The CG is incredibly bad, even expecting it to be incredibly bad. The plot is extremely simple and so little depth. It has very many completely unbelievable parts that take you out of itā¦ like Lukeās job is tending to some dehumidifiers. One day some robots come to his home with a video of some hot bitch and within A day or two he destroys the emperors super weapon? In that time, his family dies, he travels across space for the first time, he saves a princess, his random old friend that gets him into all this dies, everyone on Alderaan dies, everyone on the Death Star dies, most of the rebel flight team dies, and everyone is all smiling mother fuckers as they hand out medals. From moisture farmer to hero of the galaxy in a day.
Yeah I donāt hate the movie. It was incredibly influential and deserves some credit.
Itās also far from being the worst one in the series as Rise Of Skywalker and Attack of the Clones exist.
But New Hope certainly hasnāt aged well. Despite setting the stage for the series, I think that bar has been cleared a good few times.
Itās similar to games, where Street Fighter 2 is the iconic one for the public.
But ask many fight game fans and they would take 3rd Strike, SF 6, Ultra 4 and Alpha 2 over it.
A New Hope is the best out of the original trilogy,
ROTJ is one of the few films that works despite ignoring all screenwriting laws
For example the long 30-40 minute jabba the hurt sequence had nothing to do with the sole plot or story, other than saving han. People didn't mind, but it would've worked better if he was a vital part of the rebellion and knew some secrets or something. They saved him because he's a friend and risked princess lea and Luke. It feels like a TV episode, and then cuts to Luke going to dagobah.
The ewoks were a weird move.
The film is saved by the finale
A New Hope.
It had so much heart, and the pacing was much better.
AHN is the OG. But ROTJ is awesome also
Battle of Endor (space battle portion) is epic even by todays standards.
ROTJ had a more entertaining space battle
Star Wars. The other 2 trilogies each have better movies than Jedi.
Rotj the reveal for Lukeās green saber is chefās kiss
Probably a New Hope.
It is essentially a stand alone compared to ROTJ which is the ending chapter of a larger story.
Which one isnāt boring? Oh wait itās both
So, as a kid, I loved rotj for the space battles and endor, ANH has some great bits for kids, but the trench run compared to endor for a child isn't a question.
I really liked some of the changes they added to the re-release of ANH with the cgi tie fighters behind an x wing, etc, and it is gripping, but still, ROTJ has some great battle segments. The "fighters coming in!" scene is crazy good, and to see the A wing and interceptor (b wing not so much) is still a thrill.
Return of the Jedi because other than the beginning of Revenge of the Sith and and alittle bit of Rogue One, it has the best space battle and the space battles are one of my favorite thing in the series.
Thank God clone wars has more
Jedi. Epic conclusion
Return of the Jedi. I love all the Palpatine, Luke, Vader scenes at the end.
Star Wars. The original film is brilliant. Set up core premises for protagonist and antagonist. Established the force as something tangible and fantastic.
Star Wars. No filler
A New Hope is the best.
ANH easily, a solid beginning to the heroās journey, a good introduction to the world and has really great miniature and matte painting work (if you watch the unaltered version).
If the Vader vs Luke fight was less lame, itād probably be my favorite of the OT.
I love the final confrontation between Luke, Vader and Palpy in RotJ, one of my favorite portions of any of the movies, right up there with my other 3 favorite scenes, Anakin v Obi-Wan, the beginning of RotS and the end of Rogue One but I can pretty much pass on the rest of the movie, it just doesnāt do much for me and I really hate Endor (mainly the Ewoks).
Upvoting due to swag art.
I prefer ANH because if I'm being honest I only hella enjoy RotJ for the Luke-Vader dynamic. ANH has so much more to offer as a film, plus we all know the Ewok arc is the absolute weakest in the OT.
Unrelated, but: These posters are awesome. Is there one for empire?
For me Return of the Jedi because of the two plots and the layers to the story.
I prefer ANH, and what makes it better is that it's a complete story. You can literally watch that and no other Star Wars media and die satisfied. The same can't be said for Jedi, which requires knowledge of both ANH and Empire.
Return of the Jedi, only because I honestly don't care about characters, I love space battles.
Of those 2, RotJ because I loved the spectacle. That fight at the end was so amazing that it covered a lot of issues with a somewhat weaker plot overall.
ANH is a better story, and movie but it isn't as spectacular.
Imagine we got David Lynch directing Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi, mainly because of how perfect the throne room scenes are. But both are fantastic films
Who did this poster?
Edit: Chris Valentine
Hot take I prefer A New Hope to Empire and Jedi
I didnāt fall for the Star Wars universe until ROTJ. Absolutely my top favourite movie, and I donāt even mind ewoks. I love that my hero, Luke, has matured from a whiny teenager into a responsible adult Jedi with his destiny and a mission to complete.
Star Wars is one of those rare perfect movies in my eyes. It tells so much story in two hours and is an incredible version of the 'hero's journey'. After the heroes leave Tatooine, the film just moves and never stops, the editing is an absolute work of art. The third act is maybe one of the best ever put to film and the score is utterly incredible.
Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back are both equal 10/10's to me, while Return of the Jedi is a still solid 8.5/10.
Return of the Jedi due to the final fight between Luke and Darth Vader
As a kid, definately Jedi.
As an adult, it is more even. I still think Jedi is still more fun, and visually, it was the culmination of 6 years of learnings by ILM, it just looks wonderful and complex.
First off, I should say that Iām not the biggest fan of the OT. My favorite Star Wars movie overall is ROTS but Iāll still give my opinion as a Star Wars fan.
ROTJ is my favorite OT movie. From Jabbaās palace to the Great Pit of Carkoon, itās absolutely glorious. Then you have Endor, then big-ass space battle, Death Star II, super-class star destroyer, it's a trap and shit lastly the fight between Luke and Vader, itās a great movie all around.
ANH has a strong start on the Tantive IV, the Cantina scene is fantastic and it stays really good up until Obi-Wan dies. After that, though, I find the movie gets kind of boring.
Itās not even close for me, unless you can make all those teddy bears into wookies.
"Prefer" and "better" are two slightly different things.
I prefer ROTJ, because it was the first Star Wars film I saw. But I think ANH is probably the better film.
Return of the Jedi! I love both, but A New Hope is my least favorite of the Original Trilogy. For me itās Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and then A New Hope. The entire Tatooine portion of the movie alone had a lot of cool parts. Getting to see a more fleshed out Jedi Luke, bounty hunter Leia, and the Rancor. Getting to see Boba Fett actually in action, even though his defeat was kind of lame haha and then the whole Endor part was cool too. Seeing the Rebels and Ewoks use guerrilla tactics to take down AT-STs and what not. Getting to see an AT-AT again. And the rematch between Luke and Vader is a great fight. Especially since their relationship to one another is known at that point. Seeing Luke maintain hope that thereās a chance for redemption for his father, even though Vader firmly disagrees. Seeing the possibility of whether Luke will strike down the Emperor or not. And then seeing Vader choose to save his son by killing the Emperor mid electrocution. We finally get to see Vaderās face. I think the second Death Star looks cooler too. It was cool to see the Falcon lead the assault and fly into the actual interior of the Death Star to destroy it. I feel like Return of the Jedi really helped solidify Lukeās personality as like the most hopeful person in the galaxy. Regardless of the atrocities his father committed, he still believed that Anakin was in there somewhere. I hate that the sequels did away with his hopefulness and made him a grumpy old hermit.
Tough one. ANH has a way better story, and RotJ basically only has the father son aspect that find interesting, but it's god damn gorgeous.
Return of the Jedi, and easily so.
It has an amazing finale, satisfying payoff as well. Something extremely hard to do with 3 movies. Also I like the pacing of the movie better.
TESB is my overall favorite but between these two I'd pick A New Hope.
Insert āWhy not both?ā gif
Anyway, love RotJ, but ANH is better overall.
ANH over ROTJ FOR me, but Empire is hands down the best Star Wars content from any era IMHO.
ROTJ suffered from the Ewoks and I personally only felt invested in Vader vs Luke plot arc. I wish the deleted scenes of Luke building his new lightsaber shouldāve made the Final Cut as well.
Leaving Empire out because it is the best one, clever.
I think Jedi is close to being the worst film in the entire franchise. The story is ok, but the acting and directing is just pathetically bad. Only Attack of the Clones is worse, in my view.
The original.
Because it doesnāt involve Ewoks
I wish the Ewoks in the movies were more like those in the video game, Battlefront 2. That game gave them such a more meaningful, and perhaps even scary vibe that would have been so much better than the ācuddly teddy bearsā we got in the film.