Ranking All 11 Star Wars Films from Worst to Best

      Here are all 11 Star Wars films ranked from worst to best.

      Warning: Spoilers ahead.

      Here we go.

      But First

      Credit: Disney

      We have a deep affection for Star Wars. However, part of that love includes defending our own interpretation of the saga while critiquing versions that seem like mere cash grabs or are otherwise unworthy of its legacy.

      Rogue One, for us, exemplifies a project that encapsulates the essence of Star Wars.

      Below, you'll find all 11 Star Wars movies ranked from least to most favorable.

      The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

      Disney – Credit: C/O

      We adore Star Wars, but the sequel trilogy that began with The Force Awakens often felt like newcomers playing with cherished toys. While the costumes and spaceships were on point, the CGI backgrounds were occasionally distracting. However, the characters seemed bland or not fully realized, leading one to wonder: Why are we here? Hasn’t the Skywalker saga been fully explored?

      The Rise of Skywalker came off as the most desperate installment of the sequel trilogy, reviving Emperor Palpatine without justification and resolving Rey’s parentage (also: who cares?) by revealing that he was her grandfather.

      We simply didn’t experience the usual magic.

      The Force Awakens (2015)

      Disney – Credit: C/O

      A rather disappointing film for all the reasons previously mentioned, and we have a few additional complaints: the film resurrected Han Solo just to have him killed by his son, a move that served only to present the whiny Ben Solo/Kylo Ren as a credible threat. It’s not actor Adam Driver’s fault that Ren lacks the malevolence of Darth Vader or the Emperor; he was written as a petulant child.

      New protagonists Rey, Poe, and Finn failed to spark interest — there just wasn’t enough for them to do. Additionally, the film made its most egregious error by casting the incredibly talented Lupita Nyong’o as a forgettable CGI character named Maz Kanata. She should have had a significant human role. Regrettably, we included both The Rise of Skywalker and The Force Awakens in our list of sequels that nobody needs to see.

      Still, it was nice to see the original stars return.

      The Phantom Menace (1999)

      Lucasfilm – Credit: C/O

      We’ve never experienced a more disheartening movie theater moment than the premiere of The Phantom Menace: peculiar aliens with clichéd voices discussing… trade routes? After waiting 16 years since Return of the Jedi, we stood in line for a midnight screening… for this?

      There are further flaws with The Phantom Menace — its CGI could never match the practical effects of the original trilogy, Jar Jar remains an annoyance, and the confusing midichlorian lore was unnecessary — but it also offered some positives.

      Natalie Portman delivered a solid performance as Padme Amidala, Liam Neeson’s Qui-Gon Jinn provided a calming presence, and Ewan McGregor’s portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi beautifully blended homage to Sir Alec Guinness while establishing his own identity. Darth Maul, played by Ray Park, served as a fantastic villain and exited far too soon. More on that later.

      Attack of the Clones (2002)

      Lucasfilm – Credit: C/O

      It was decent. We appreciated the title, and it was exciting to meet Jango Fett.

      Natalie Portman, once again, was very good — one of the most relatable characters in the Star Wars universe and the emotional core of the prequels.

      We wished her chemistry with Hayden Christensen had been stronger. This was not due to any shortcomings on the part of the actors; they were simply burdened with awkward dialogue.

      Revenge of the Sith (2005)

      Lucasfilm – Credit: C/O

      Revenge of the Sith drove home the unfortunate realization that, even at their best, the prequels perhaps should not have been made.

      Like other iconic movie villains such as Hannibal Lecter and Freddy Krueger, Darth Vader becomes less compelling as more backstory is revealed.

      Still, Vader is one of the coolest aspects of the Star Wars universe, and it was exciting to see him again, 22 years after his fall in Return of the Jedi. We just wish it hadn’t required three sometimes tedious prequel films to reach this point.

      Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

      Credit: C/O

      This film lacks a true purpose, other than making profit: it doesn’t significantly supplement Han Solo's legend and instead fills in details that were already satisfactorily told through brief references in the original trilogy, allowing our imaginations to color in the gaps. (Hearing that the Millennium Falcon completed the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs somehow feels cooler than actually witnessing it.)

      However, Solo doesn’t damage the Star Wars legacy: Alden Ehrenreich impressively