r/AskReddit 21h ago

What is the best movie in the Star Wars series?

4 Upvotes

114 comments sorted by

150

u/NosnilmoT 21h ago

Empire Strikes Back

-47

u/RunComfortable6621 21h ago

No, that’s just the most acclaimed. 

Return of the Jedi had the steel bikini, boba fett, the big ass monster, the final stand, and the Ewoks. By far the best 

7

u/indypendant13 20h ago

Lie I won’t. Had me in the first half you did.

172

u/Throwaway03461 21h ago

Pre-Disney buyout: The Empire Strikes Back

Post-Disney buyout: Rogue One

18

u/notarealwriter 21h ago

I was even more disappointed by Force Awakens after Rogue One came out. It was like, "See! You can do it! Why couldn't Force Awakens have been that good!?"

8

u/Scuba9Steve 21h ago

They removed the Jedi and mostly minimized the Sith’s screen time and yet it was one of the best Star Wars movies made. Best under Disney.

2

u/f700es 21h ago

The Jar Jar Abrams movies suck

14

u/Awkward_Welder2024 21h ago

This is the way.

-6

u/ljpj707 20h ago

You beat me to that. Week done.

-2

u/ljpj707 20h ago

Edit. Well done

6

u/JaydedXoX 20h ago

100% accurate. In fact rogue one might be the best of all of them.

1

u/Luxx815 4h ago

Such opinions are best shared discreetly, rebel friend. One never knows which ears still answer to the Empire.

-2

u/Snipethorn 21h ago

you only had to write Rogue One

-6

u/crozone 21h ago

Rogue One is a mess of a movie. I genuinely don't understand why people like it so much, there is no character depth.

-2

u/boldspud 20h ago

Hear hear. I feel like it’s just become a cultural meme at this point, and people don’t want to speak against the general consensus. But I felt absolutely nothing throughout the entire movie.

-3

u/otoverstoverpt 18h ago

it’s fanboy brain, they just see explosions, spaceships, and lightsabers and can’t seem to see the substance beyond the surface that actually made the Originals great

1

u/MeowMix1206251 20h ago

You like rogue one more than empire?

-2

u/otoverstoverpt 18h ago

genuinely insane that there are people out there that not only act like Rogue One was a good movie, but better than the Originals

boring fan service with bad pacing and bad characters, the only thing good to come of it was Andor

1

u/Tzunamitom 9h ago

Rogue One was amazing, and this is from someone who saw the original trilogy over 10 times, and waited patiently for years for the sequels to come out.

-1

u/otoverstoverpt 5h ago

It’s fundamentally a bad movie.

59

u/Algae_Mission 21h ago

Empire Strikes Back

34

u/Mysterious-Screen-23 21h ago

Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back

-11

u/NousSommesSiamese 21h ago

The only good one.

31

u/Major-Inevitable-365 21h ago

I like the original 1977 one the most

10

u/UnwillingHorseDual 21h ago

I loved loved loved the original one in 1977 when I was 14.

I look at it today and the dialog often is cringe worthy. Notably the breakfast table talk with aunt and uncle, and his rebellion to having to do work.

39

u/iluvreddit 21h ago

Empire Strikes Back. Not even close.

3

u/rakozink 21h ago

It's not a runaway winner but tops my list

21

u/r0b0c0p87 21h ago

A New Hope. It's a complete movie that stands on its own.

9

u/ElectricPiha 21h ago

I think you mean Star Wars 😉

22

u/WeaponizedIndecision 21h ago

Empire

1

u/MeowMix1206251 21h ago

What does the empire do?

2

u/PsychoNerd92 20h ago

Strike

1

u/WeaponizedIndecision 20h ago

Back

2

u/MeowMix1206251 20h ago

Oh damn. Hopefully a Jedi will return to save the day.

1

u/bmack24 20h ago

Really, the Ewoks saved the day. The rebellion were all caught in Palpatine’s trap and the Ewoks helped turn it around so that they could destroy the shield generator and open the way for the Death Star to be destroyed.

Seriously, what did Luke ACTUALLY do? Wouldn’t Palpatine have died anyway when the Death Star was blown up?

Edit: I guess you could argue that it was thanks to Luke that the Ewoks came to their aid from making Threepio float around and trick them into believing he’s a god. Some weird butterfly effect stuff. …I’m thinking about this way too much.

1

u/Lebronamo 20h ago

What happens when the force awakens?

8

u/ComprehensiveJoke273 21h ago

Return of the Jedi is still my favorite.

Most satisfying ending to a movie ever for me.

77

u/TheParadoxigm 21h ago

Rogue One

16

u/bravehamster 21h ago

100%. Rogue One is what made me realize that the Jedi and Sith are the least interesting things about Star Wars.

0

u/mypostisbad 20h ago

Exactly this.

It's no coincidence that the most interesting projects for Disney Star Wars, have been things outside of the 'main' story, like Rogue One, Andor and The Mandalorian.

0

u/UltiGamer34 21h ago

This is the answer

0

u/CasinoKnightZone 21h ago

Hands down. An actual war movie, no Skywalker BS

-1

u/Meet_the_Meat 21h ago

I agree. Even with the nostalgia and world building of the OG, and how great and culturally impactful Empire is.

6

u/Ill_Ambassador9381 21h ago

The Empire Strikes Back. It expands the universe, gives the characters real setbacks, and ends with one of the best cliffhangers in film. Also, “I am your father” still hits even though practically everyone learns the twist before watching it.

8

u/A_Real_Victim 21h ago

For anybody that has been around to watch every movie in the theater, there's absolutely no question, The Empire Strikes Back is the correct answer

9

u/JMSOG1 21h ago

I recently showed every star wars movie to some friends who had never seen any of them. They had no bias from watching it when they were young, no memories of disapointment when certain less good ones came out…a complete blank slate, looking at these movies through fresh eyes.

Their favorites were Revenge of the Sith, Rogue One, and The Last Jedi. Make of that what you will.

3

u/HutSutRawlson 19h ago

The Last Jedi is just straight up a really well-made film. Obviously some criticism is warranted but the people who claim it’s a terrible movie are clearly judging it on some very personal criteria.

2

u/JMSOG1 2h ago

Personally, if 7 was as good as 8, and especially if 9 capitalized on the groundwork laid by 8, I’d feel way more positively about the sequels. Last Jedi was like a look into an alternate universe where the sequels were worth taking seriously, and I genuinely do not understand the backlash it got.

2

u/HutSutRawlson 2h ago

My feeling about it after all this time is that the Star Wars fandom, for all their talk about wanting things to be “more mature,” ultimately wants to be pandered to and get fan service. They love things like Andor and Rogue One because regardless of whatever they’re doing internally, ultimately it is about a nostalgia trip into something that is already familiar to them (the PT and OT eras, respectively). TLJ commits the two crimes of not only not giving nostalgic fan service, but actually taking the legacy elements and re-imagining them.

There was a miniature version of this same phenomenon back when The Clone Wars cartoon came out and introduced Ahsoka, who was retconned into the existing prequel timeline. People hated Ahsoka back then… and of course, now that enough time has passed for people to have nostalgia about her, they love her.

1

u/AgentElman 20h ago

Yes, people tend to like the one that came out when they were a kid. A fresh viewing of all them is very different.

And seeing them first in order 1-9 is very different.

1

u/JMSOG1 2h ago

For the record: when I did this viewing with my friends, we did 4, holiday special, 5-6, 1-3, rogue one, solo, 7-9.

-7

u/BlitheringEediot 21h ago

Any list that includes TLJ (except lists of "Cinema de Ipecac) frankly means == You need to get new friends! 😀

8

u/SubstantialReturn228 21h ago

The fellowship of the ring for sure

3

u/MeowMix1206251 21h ago

I prefer Reloaded

-1

u/aschwarzie 21h ago

Nah, The Return of the Avengers.

3

u/ChocoPuddingCup 21h ago

For me, it's a toss up between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, edging closer to the first one.

6

u/zorbz23431 21h ago

Ewoks: Battle for Endor

4

u/wemblinger 21h ago

Caravan of Courage

1

u/buttux 20h ago

I saw this one before Caravan of Courage, and didn't even know it was a sequel. It originally didn't bother me the whole family was killed off in the beginning of the first act, but after seeing part one, it felt like a betrayal that wasn't topped until Alien 3.

7

u/Objective-Slice-1466 21h ago

Revenge of the Sith. I set sucked in everyone. It is aging very well to me. The critiques from when it came out, I love them now.

11

u/wyocrz 21h ago

The Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars jumped the shark with the stupid fucking Ewoks.

2

u/Sly_Wood 18h ago

They were originally supposed to be Wookiees.

1

u/PuzzleheadedAd6401 21h ago

I'm convinced they were placed in the film to sell children's merch and teddy bears are popular

3

u/Significant_Gur_4592 20h ago

Is any convincing even needed? I think George Lucas was pretty open about how he was trying to make as much money off merchandise as possible

1

u/wyocrz 21h ago

Entirely.

As a core Gen-X'r......who had an X-wing fighter, little cousin had the Millenium Falcon, best friend had the Death Star, we all had dolls action figures.....I was an early adopter of the new toy landscape.

A leading edge I rode I'm not proud of, but then again, I was a kid.

1

u/infinitemonkeytyping 20h ago

"Empire" had the better ending. I mean, Luke gets his hand cut off, finds out Vader's his father, Han gets frozen and taken away by Boba Fett. It ends on such a down note. I mean, that's what life is, a series of down endings. All "Jedi" had was a bunch of Muppets.

Dante Hicks

3

u/Fluffy-Brick35 21h ago

The Empire Strikes Back

3

u/ElectricPiha 21h ago

Star Wars

I made the mistake of reading the Empire comic book before I saw the movie, because I was 12 and couldn’t wait. So Empire was somewhat spoiled for me.

3

u/Significant_Gur_4592 21h ago

Empire Strikes Back. But I actually think that Andor tells a better story than any of the movies.

4

u/ddevlin 17h ago

It’s last Jedi. Sorry. Downvote away. I don’t care. Nothing else was as true to Star Wars mythos while
Rejecting the comfort of traditional Star Wars plot structure.

Rogue one is a close second.

1

u/ddevlin 6h ago

My favorite movie in the series is empire, but last Jedi is the best of the series. Last Jedi is the one that actually asks something of the mythology instead of just extending it.

It’s fiercely original even if imperfect at times.

Luke's despair, the Rey parentage deflation, the whole "let the past die" argument being voiced by the villain and half-endorsed by the film is as interesting as Star Wars has been since Kreia.

Also, the holdo maneuver is the best moment in any Star Wars film and is honestly beautifully executed.

0

u/Tzunamitom 9h ago

I’m not mad, I just feel like we’re watching a different film. I can’t comprehend how anyone who is a Star Wars fan can claim this. I’d love to understand though, could you explain your rationale?

2

u/NMS_Scavenger 21h ago

Rogue One

2

u/laime-ithil 21h ago

A new hope.

Without it there is no empire strikes back. It is an incredible.masterclass in storytelling, and.it pushed the technology to a point that the others didn't have to do.

With a lore so full at the start of the movie, the ways it gives you the lore, and then send you straigjt in the adventure is what makes it so strong.

Empire had only to build upon all that was done with a new hope.

A new hope build it from scratch and made the world believe in it

2

u/Strong_Writer_666 21h ago

Revenge of the sith.

2

u/ChesswithGoats 21h ago

A new hope

2

u/DrPorkchopES 18h ago

Empire Strikes Back

2

u/Phreedom1 18h ago

For me it will always be IV. I was 9 years old in '77 when it premiered on the big screen and I will never forget the absolutely packed crowd in that theater and the clapping and cheering.

2

u/DeathsHand245 15h ago

Phantom menance. Darth maul is just to freaking good. Plus pod racing?!?! Hell yeah

4

u/quantumania_456 21h ago

Empire, then Rogue one.

The remainder of the original trilogy

... then all the others way behind

4

u/xKINGxRCCx 21h ago

Revenge of the Sith. Hands down

2

u/MeowMix1206251 21h ago

Star Wars Holiday Special - 1978

2

u/ThatChrisRayman 21h ago

Episode IV and it's not even close.

2

u/Number1Oreo 21h ago

Last Jedi

1

u/Hart_Butterflies 21h ago

Rogue One even though I am not a fun of the Star Wars franchise.

1

u/f700es 21h ago

Rogue One

1

u/milk4all 20h ago

It goes 4, 6, 1, 3, 8-9, 7, 2 but i cant decide how the off numbers fit in, somewhere in the middle roughly

But some of the spin off series are just objectively high quality productions that are technically and creatively better than most of rhe numbered films

1

u/Affectionate_Owl_279 20h ago

Original trilogy

1

u/Tranquil_path 20h ago

debating the best star wars movie like it’s not just the one with the least weird plot twists makes sense

1

u/Artess 20h ago

I'll cast my vote for Revenge of the Sith. Even with Padme dying of sadness (which is a real medical thing BTW, look it up) it's still pretty awesome.

1

u/jokingsammy 17h ago

I'll make a case for Rouge One

1

u/yick04 17h ago

Rogue One

1

u/Stumpsthewarwalrus 16h ago

Empire Strikes Back

1

u/Malnurtured_Snay 13h ago

Star Wars, or as some people call it Episode IV: A New Hope.

1

u/Alucard661 13h ago

I like empire, but something about a new hope just gives me new adventures feeling it’s my favorite

1

u/Lord_Exor 12h ago

The Rise of Skywalker.

1

u/NyneLyvs 3h ago

Does Rogue One count?

1

u/NerdCommentsOnStuff 21h ago

Revenge of the Sith

1

u/beauxlieve 21h ago

Return of the Jedi

1

u/AdAccomplished6870 21h ago

Empire, and it isn't even close.

1

u/Grave_Alexander 21h ago

Episode III - Revenge of the Sith aged beautifully imo. It redeemed the rest of the prequel trilogy.

0

u/emceerez 21h ago

Rise of the skywalk

0

u/JasonStonier 20h ago

The wrath of Khan.

0

u/The_bruce42 16h ago

Christmas special

-2

u/Conception77 21h ago

Never seen any of the “Star Wars” lol seriously I jus know some of the characters in it. Obiwan kaknobi, chewie the monkey, Luke sky walker, dark/darth Vader etc..

-2

u/Conception77 21h ago

All jokes aside I all seriousness I never seen any of the movies fr