'STAR WARS' FILMS FRANCHISE (1977-2019)
After developing an idea for a space fantasy film since 1971, George Lucas presented 'Star Wars' to United Artists who were first impressed with the "innocence of the story, plus the sophistication of the world", however, refused to fund the film. Many production companies were sceptical of the success of the film and whether Lucas could pull off directing the film. Walt Disney had also turned down the offer (Disney, the same company that would later buy the rights to Star Wars for $4.05 billion in years to come). It was Fox that agreed to distribute the film and 'Star Wars' was released in the US on May 25th 1977. The rest was history.
'Star Wars' is an epic space opera (sci-fi, action and adventure) franchise created by George Lucas. The success of the original trilogy led to a set of films including prequels, sequels, standalone films, and animated films as well as novels, comics, TV shows, video games and merchandise. Star Wars is considered to be the franchise that had the most significant impact on pop culture and is referenced by many successful film directors of our generation. Many have grown up or have been inspired by the story of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. Not only is it one of the highest franchises in film history but it is the most recognised film series after the 'Marvel Cinematic Universe' though there's no competition between the two since Marvel writes for Star Wars comics as well as both franchises are now owned by Disney. If anything, Disney is succeeding with 2 popular franchises.
Starting with 'A New Hope'; it is the film that began the epic franchise and a sweet memory from my childhood. I remember getting excited for the last act which was the space battle between the rebels and the empire. My favourite scene and probably one I remember quite vividly was the trash compactor scene. I would always worry for the heroes even though I know R2D2 saves them but no matter how many times I have watched it, that scene would make me feel anxious. The sequel, 'Empire Strikes Back' popularised the franchise with its iconic 'No, I am your father' plot twist. Only the director, George Lucas and Mark Hamill were aware of the reveal and so it was a shock to the rest of the cast as well as the world when the film came out. 'Return of the Jedi' was a good film but compared to the first two, the action sequence (The Battle of Endor) was quite underwhelming, however, the scene with Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader and the Emperor is probably one of my favourite scenes in Star Wars including great dialogues.
After 20 years, 'The Phantom Menace' comes out in cinemas and it doesn't do as well as it was hyped up to be. Apart from the excessive use of CGI and Jar Jar Binks, I believe the film was okay. I'm never bothered by the number of politics involved as that is what motivates War and began the Clone Wars. Personally, the duel of fates was the most epic battle I've seen in Star Wars and in film history. Ray Park embodies the character of Darth Maul and I can't see anyone else playing an iconic character. The film also introduces Ewan McGregor as young Obi Wan Kenobi; his lightsaber duel with Darth Maul at the end of the film is definitely a memorable scene from Star Wars. 'Attack of the Clones' was better than the first film in the trilogy; memorable scenes were the lightsaber duel between Yoda and Count Dooku, and the Battle of Geonosis; when all the Jedi came to fight the droids. That is where we are introduced to a new addition to the colours of the lightsabers - Mace Windu's iconic purple lightsaber. 'Revenge of the Sith' was an epic conclusion to the prequel trilogy; George Lucas ties up the prequels to the original trilogy with a bittersweet ending. No matter how many times I watch this film, a part of me still believes Anakin will not go to the dark side of the force and I end up disappointed. Surprised, I am not! It is getting more positive reviews these days as it deserves.
The sequel trilogy begins with 'The Force Awakens'; a good start, however, I do believe Abrams took an easy way out and played it safe with the narrative. Of course, I had high expectations because of the long period of time that I've been waiting for this film but nonetheless, it was a good film. It would have been better if each trilogy had different plot points to represent different era in the Star Wars universe. 'The Last Jedi' was sort of on the same page as 'The Force Awakens' in terms of narrative. The story wasn't really moving forward as I had hoped. I do not hate the film as many fans do, I believe it was an okay film. I could criticise how Luke's character ended up being but it was scrapped in the last film in the Skywalker Saga in which we return back to the Luke we grew up with. 'The Rise of Skywalker' was somewhat a lot better than the previous two films. My criticisms would be the ending of Kylo Ren's character and I do find the 'Rey Skywalker' a problem because the film's narrative was that your family name does not define you as a person but what you do and that you shouldn't be afraid of your family name. What we can take from the sequel trilogy is the nostalgia when we see our childhood heroes back on screen and the character of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver is amazing at everything he does).
When Disney introduced Star Wars anthology series starting with 'Rogue One', I was not as interested as it wasn't about the Skywalker family. In the end, the film left me sad. Heart-breaking yet one of the best films to come out of Disney's Star Wars. This film was basically an explanation to the plot hole from the first Star Wars film. I never thought they would go back to the timeline just to make plot holes clear but here we are. The second in the series is the Solo film which came out after 'The Last Jedi' which at the time was receiving negative reviews and therefore, a lot of fans were boycotting the Solo film which I never understood why. The film was great addition to the Star Wars universe and an insight to Han Solo's adventures during his early days.
What makes Star Wars complete, apart from the excellent storytelling, is the soundtrack. Before Jurassic Park, Jaws, Indiana Jones and Harry Potter, John Williams was already a successful composer and conductor through Star Wars. The epic themes for each beloved character are memorable and can be recognised from just a 5 second introduction. Personally, my favourite scores are "Duel of the Fates" featured in Episode I 'The Phantom Menace' and "Battle of the Heroes" featured in Episode III 'Revenge of the Sith'.
Star Wars have been with many people since childhood and now today's generation can still experience Star Wars through the sequels and the rest of the series including TV shows through Disney+. You can still hear many references to Star Wars on popular TV shows such as Family Guy and Robot Chicken. People will be screaming "may the fourth be with you" as a pun to the iconic line: "may the force be with you" on May 4th (Star Wars Day), not to mention the highly known scene of all time in film history: "No, I am your father". Even people who haven't watched Star Wars are aware of this line.
ORIGINAL TRILOGY
Lucasfilm Ltd., 20th Century Fox
Age Certificate: U
IMDb: 8.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 92/100
Plot
Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.
My rating: 9.5/10
Lucasfilm Ltd., 20th Century Fox
Age Certificate: U
IMDb: 8.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 94/100
Plot
After the Rebels are brutally overpowered by the Empire on the ice planet Hoth, Luke Skywalker begins Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued by Darth Vader and a bounty hunter named Boba Fett all over the galaxy.
My rating: 9/10
Lucasfilm Ltd., 20th Century Fox
Age Certificate: U
IMDb: 8.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 82/100
Plot
After a daring mission to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, the Rebels dispatch to Endor to destroy the second Death Star. Meanwhile, Luke struggles to help Darth Vader back from the dark side without falling into the Emperor's trap.
My rating: 7.5/10
PREQUEL TRILOGY
Lucasfilm Ltd., 20th Century Fox
Age Certificate: PG
IMDb: 6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 52/100
Plot
Two Jedi escape a hostile blockade to find allies and come across a young boy who may bring balance to the Force, but the long dormant Sith resurface to claim their original glory.
My rating: 7.5/10
Lucasfilm Ltd., 20th Century Fox
Age Certificate: PG
IMDb: 6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 65/100
Plot
Ten years after initially meeting, Anakin Skywalker shares a forbidden romance with Padmé Amidala, while Obi-Wan Kenobi investigates an assassination attempt on the senator and discovers a secret clone army crafted for the Jedi.
My rating: 6/10
Lucasfilm Ltd., 20th Century Fox
Age Certificate: 12
IMDb: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 85/100
Plot
Three years into the Clone Wars, the Jedi rescue Palpatine from Count Dooku. As Obi-Wan pursues a new threat, Anakin acts as a double agent between the Jedi Council and Palpatine and is lured into a sinister plan to rule the galaxy.
My rating: 9/10
SEQUEL TRILOGY
Lucasfilm Ltd., Walt Disney Studios
Age Certificate: 12A
IMDb: 7.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 93/100
Plot
As a new threat to the galaxy rises, Rey, a desert scavenger, and Finn, an ex-stormtrooper, must join Han Solo and Chewbacca to search for the one hope of restoring peace.
My rating: 6.5/10
Lucasfilm Ltd., Walt Disney Studios
Age Certificate: 12A
IMDb: 7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 90/100
Plot
Rey develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker, who is unsettled by the strength of her powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares for battle with the First Order.
My rating: 6/10
Lucasfilm Ltd., Walt Disney Studios
Age Certificate: 12A
IMDb: 7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 90/100
Plot
Rey develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker, who is unsettled by the strength of her powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares for battle with the First Order.
My rating: 6/10
ANTHOLOGY SERIES
Lucasfilm Ltd., Walt Disney Studios
Age Certificate: 12A
IMDb: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 84/100
Plot
The daughter of an Imperial scientist joins the Rebel Alliance in a risky move to steal the plans for the Death Star.
My rating: 8.5/10
Lucasfilm Ltd., Walt Disney Studios
Age Certificate: 12A
IMDb: 6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 70/100
Plot
During an adventure into the criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his future co-pilot Chewbacca and encounters Lando Calrissian years before joining the Rebellion.
My rating: 7/10
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Gilbert Taylor (A New Hope)
Peter Suschitzky (Empire Strikes Back)
Alan Hume (Return of the Jedi)
David Tattersall (Prequel Trilogy)
Dan Mindel (The Force Awakens & The Rise of Skywalker)
Steve Yedlin (The Last Jedi)
Greig Fraser (Rogue One)
Bradford Young (Solo)
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Star Wars is still strong with the force as more content is coming out of Disney such as 'The Mandalorian' and recently, 'The Bad Batch'. We have yet to see other limited series such as 'Ahsoka' and the most awaited series, 'Obi Wan Kenobi' with returning cast members Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen. I know we will not be disappointed. ☆★⭐✧🌟✬✫⋆
Sabina 🦁
