The original Star Wars saga is easily one of the best Sci-fi trilogies that cinema has ever produced and certainly some of George Lucas best work. Kicking the story off with that fantastic shot of a giant empirial cruiser attacking a smaller ship, Lucas gives us a great story with interwoven themes of love, family, power, destruction and sacrifice which has rarely been matched. Sure this trilogy may not have the big budget effects of the prequels or other modern day films but it certainly has a strong story which most recent films lack.
A NEW HOPE (1977) 5 Stars
The first Star Wars film (or fourth depending on which way you look at it) kicks the series off to a strong start. The acting is class, the effects are brilliant (especially for the time) and chemistry between Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) and Alec Guinness (an older Obi Wan Kenobi) is unforgettable. The sets are all impressive and we get out first glance of Darth Vader (brilliantly voiced by James Earl Jones) one of cinemas most threatening villains. A brilliant start to the original trilogy setting things up for what followed. A cinematic classic.
EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) 5 Stars
Who said sequels arent better than the original? Empire is easily the best film of the original trilogy as it builds on the great story started in the first film, yet this time there are bigger and better special effects, more great chemistry between the lead characters, the great cloud base set and battle and of course that one line that almost everyone knows. As with the original its hard to find fault with Empire, the scripts great, the sets are great, the effects are great and the acting is great, a brilliant sequel and film.
RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983) 4 Stars
The weakest of the original trilogy, Return Of The Jedi, sees the saga come full circle. Luke (Hamill) is now a Jedi Master, Leia (Fisher) is falling in love with Han Solo (Ford) and the rebels success is now starting to show as the empire crumbles. Sadly this final film feels like it is lacking something that the first two had. Thats not to say that the effects, acting, sets and script arent good because they are, theres just something missing from this thats all. The introduction of the Ewoks (the teddy bear things) didnt help either! That said the final is still a grand affair being better than all three prequels and it brings all the strands together (even from the prequels) to round the series off nicely.