BY SAM DUNHAM (’17)
The holiday season is upon us and that means only one thing. No, not presents or sledding or chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Star Wars returns to the big screen yet again, and promises to be bigger and better than ever.
But before we look to see what Disney puts under our tree this year, it is only appropriate that we reflect on the Star Wars of Christmas (and Summers) Past. This science-fiction franchise has been a centerpiece of Hollywood since the 70s, and to this day is perhaps the most quotable and recognizable brand in all of America. Whether it’s the iconic lines, beloved protagonists, or infamous villains, everyone remembers Star Wars for something. Through its ups and downs, this timeless story has been just that: timeless. So without further ado, here is every Star Wars film ranked from worst to best.
Note: Not included in these rankings are the two animated films “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars: Clone Wars” (yes, there’s a difference) since they are not a part of the complete saga. Also excluded is the 1978 “Star Wars Holiday Special”, a movie so horrendous that it should never be associated with any Star Wars list.
6) “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones”
The movie following the disappointing Phantom Menace sadly failed to right the wrongs of its predecessor. As a matter of fact, “Attack of the Clones” makes many of the same mistakes.
Aside from issues like the poor choice of title, dated CGI, and horrid overuse of the lightsaber, the direction and plot of the film were the ultimate downfall of Attack of the Clones. The primary love story that fuels the story is so passionless that it makes “Twilight” seem like a Shakespearean novel. Hayden Christensen’s performance in general is horribly rigid and unrealistic, essentially a robot spewing exposition instead of showing his emotions through actually acting.
The plot itself has a pointless complexity similar to “Phantom Menace”. There are yet again more council meetings and gratuitous political debates. Instead of exploring the vast galaxy Lucas created or creating some exciting action or visuals, there are drawn-out scenes where characters explain things to the audience instead of showing.
And this issue seems to be a major recurring one in these movies. George Lucas has so many ideas he wants on the big screen, but simply doesn’t put in the time to show us. We get to hear characters talk about these ideas or we may see fragments of these ideas, but we never see them fully fleshed out. It is evident that while the ideas are there, the passion and determination that powered the original trilogy were sadly lacking.
To read Dunham’s previous rankings:
