Day 198: May the Fourth Be With You: A Quick Review of the Star Wars Original Trilogy

It is hard to pinpoint exactly why Star Wars had grown into the entertainment behemoth it has become. Many of the films are not exactly well written, the acting is spotty (not including the first trilogy), and George Lucas decided to ruin some of them with special effects.

Yet, the meat and bones of the movies keep the viewer highly entertained. Star Wars is an entirely other universe (or a galaxy far, far away). The creativity of the story, the characters, and the settings are like nothing we see in other shows or movies. They are completely unique and they have freaking lightsabers! The continuous triumphs and heartbreaks of our heroes keep the viewers eager for more. Star Wars, like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Star Trek, Dr. Who, and a giant list of nerd entertainment, has become a part of our life. We identify with the story and, most importantly, the characters. On top of all of that, the fight sequences and battles in these movies are superb!

So, without further adieu I give you my quick opinion of the first Star Wars trilogy:

Episode IV: A New Hope

Probably the most well-made movie out of the entire series. Typically, the first movie of a series is the best one. That’s what gives the creators the monetary fuel to make it into a series. Or a trilogy, in this case. It definitely wins the gold star as an overall movie. It is well-written, there's a ton of mystery, the characters are established well and grow organically. There is a ton of tension throughout because the main characters are on the run. The arc of the story is unsurpassed and created the archetypes of all the movies after that. It's a fantastic work of art that set the stage for a cultural phenomenon.

Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

This is the favorite for so many people and for just causes: the Planet Hoth battle, tauntaun suit, Yoda!, Leigh and Han’s spicy relationship, Darth Vader and Luke’s lightsaber battle, and we find out that Darth Vader is Luke’s father. And it’s one of the few movies that end on a sour cliff hanger! Holy crap, if I saw that movie in theaters I would have been pulling my hair out after they froze Han in carbonite. What an ending! Still, it is not my favorite. The actual pacing of the movie is fairly drab. A good chunk of the middle is kind of boring compared to the first movie. But that’s just my opinion.

Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

This one is my favorite. And for all of you that are hating on the Ewoks, you can suck a rock because without the Ewoks the Rebellion would have failed to take over the shield generator bunker. Yes, they are cute fluff balls that were probably thrown into the movie to sell merchandise, but they still served a purpose to the plot. And they got a spin-off movie for it: The Ewok Adventure, which I actually watched before Star Wars as a kid. So, the first time I saw Jedi I was confused about why those creatures were in the movie. Anyways, enough about those dumb things.

Jedi is my favorite because of the action, pacing, and overall story. It’s the culmination of the trilogy and it never lets me down for one second. Tension is high right at the beginning with the droids going into Jabba’s palace. And it doesn’t stop. The first half-hour to forty minutes is a non-stop awesome-fest! Leia infiltrates Jabba’s layer by disguising herself and threatening to blow up the place. Badass woman right there! She saves Han, only to get captured right after. Then Luke swoops in to save the day, but then he has to kill the giant monster in the jail pit. After that, the heroes miraculously escape from Jabba, Boba Fett, and the rest of the clan through an unbelievable fight scene in the middle of the desert over the Sarlacc pit. And Leia’s gold bikini outfit! OMG. That spawned two generations of sexual fantasies for couples and lonely nerds.

Then we learn about the new Death Star! Holy crap, not another one. They definitely fixed the tiny hole in this one. How will our heroes destroy it?! So, they form a plan and head to Endor. Luke needs to finish his training. Yoda confirms that Darth Vader is Luke’s father. Yoda dies! So sad. Luke volunteers to get captured! What? This guy’s got some balls. Endor works out, C-3PO finally serves a purpose, and the plan is a-foot. Tension rising again. Oh no! The Emperor saw all of this coming. It’s a trap! We’re screwed. No wait, here come the mother f’in Ewoks to save the day. Our heroes kick some ass. Luke defeats Darth Vader after another awesome lightsaber battle. Darth finally turns good and kills the Emperor just in time. Lando redeems himself by blowing up the new Death Star with the most badass ship in the galaxy: the Millenium Falcon. Everyone reunites on Endor. Luke and Leia officially become brother and sister. No one mentions that kiss from Episode IV even though Leia says somehow she’s always known. Darth Vader burns and shows up as a Force ghost with Yoda and Obi-Wan. All is right in the galaxy.

Damn, that’s good writing.

So, there you have it. Tune in tomorrow when I will take on Episodes 1-3.