Star Wars Reviews: Our Verdict on Every Film

Our Star Wars reviews rank all 13 theatrical films, and in my opinion The Empire Strikes Back (1980), directed by Irvin Kershner, is the best of them. Every film gets a short verdict of its own, judged on story, craft and how well it holds up on a rewatch.

The best Star Wars film, in my opinion, is The Empire Strikes Back. It cost $18 million to make and earned $550 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo, but the numbers matter less than the craft. The Hoth sequence was shot in the snow at Finse, with interiors built at Elstree, and the practical effort shows in every frame. It is also one of the few blockbuster sequels to end on a defeat for its heroes. Star Wars (1977), also known as Star Wars: A New Hope and directed by George Lucas, had a budget of $11 million and a worldwide gross of $775 million. Star Wars (1977) is second and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is third in our order.

That being said, taste varies, and a fair case exists for several films in the top five. If you want the full argument, with our reasoning laid out film by film, see Star Wars movies ranked.

Our order from best to weakest runs from The Empire Strikes Back (1980) down to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Here is the whole series in my order of preference, from best to weakest. All of it is opinion, and none of it reveals plot beyond the opening setup.

1. The Empire Strikes Back (1980), directed by Irvin Kershner. Irvin Kershner's film is darker, funnier and more confident than the one before it, and its set pieces still feel physical.
2. Star Wars (1977), directed by George Lucas. George Lucas built a whole galaxy on a small budget, and the film remains the cleanest introduction to the saga.
3. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), directed by Gareth Edwards. A war film with a fixed destination, and it uses that limit well.
4. Return of the Jedi (1983), directed by Richard Marquand. Uneven in its middle, though the finale remains one of the most effective in the series.
5. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005), directed by George Lucas. The strongest prequel, helped by Battle of the Heroes and a story that finally has real stakes.
6. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), directed by J.J. Abrams. Warm, quick and well cast, though it leans heavily on the shape of the 1977 film.
7. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), directed by Rian Johnson. The boldest sequel trilogy film, and at 152 minutes the longest in the series, which is part of why it divides people.
8. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), directed by Ron Howard. Enjoyable and well made in places, but it explains things that worked better as mystery.
9. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999), directed by George Lucas. Duel of the Fates and the pod race are excellent, even if the politics are slow.
10. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002), directed by George Lucas. A landmark in fully digital capture, with a romance that never quite convinces me.
11. The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026), directed by Jon Favreau. Pleasant and handsome, though it plays like a very good television episode stretched to feature length.
12. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), directed by Dave Filoni. It introduces Ahsoka Tano well, but it is the most modest film in the series.
13. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), directed by J.J. Abrams. It has to close nine films in one sitting, and in my opinion it hurries where it needed room.

The lowest film in our verdicts is Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), and that is an opinion about structure rather than effort. The cast, including Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver and John Boyega, works hard, and the film earned $1.08 billion worldwide. But I think it spends its running time on errands when the earlier films gave their characters space to breathe.

By the numbers, Star Wars is a hit as a franchise, with a few clear exceptions. Star Wars (1977) earned $775 million worldwide on an $11 million budget, and The Empire Strikes Back earned $550 million on $18 million. Star Wars: The Force Awakens grossed $2.07 billion worldwide on a $245 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo (The Numbers puts it at $2.06 billion), and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story took $1.06 billion on $200 million. The weaker returns come from Solo: A Star Wars Story, which earned $393 million worldwide against a $275 million budget, or about 1.4 times its budget, and The Mandalorian and Grogu, which earned $346 million against $165 million, or about 2.1 times, per The Numbers. It could be argued that these two are the weakest returns the saga has seen, though budgets and grosses alone do not settle profit. For every figure, see Star Wars box office.

Yes, a 7 year old can start with the six films rated PG in the US, but the parent is the best judge. They are Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The other seven films are PG-13 in the US (12A in the UK, M in Australia). In the UK, Star Wars (1977) and Return of the Jedi are rated U. Only you know how your child copes with peril, so watch the first few scenes of a film yourself if you are unsure. The order we suggest is on Star Wars movies in order.

Yes, Star Wars is worth watching in 2026, and the practical reason is easy access. All 13 films stream on Disney Plus in the US as of a check on November 2, 2026, and the full breakdown by country is on where to watch Star Wars. The next film, Star Wars: Starfighter, is confirmed for a US release on May 28, 2027 and is currently in production. If you are new, start with Star Wars (1977) and The Empire Strikes Back, then decide how much of the rest you want. For the wider franchise, see our Star Wars movies hub.