Star Wars: All The Movies Ranked From Worst To Best
4. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
It was always going to go this way, wasn't it? No matter how much hype was put behind it, at the end of the day Episode VII was only ever going to sit snuggly between the original and prequel trilogies - even for someone like me who likes Episodes I-III, they're not the hardest act to beat, while the classics are pretty much untouchable. And that's exactly what it does - it's a rousing return for Star Wars, a fun and entertaining romp, but one that has certain issues. While it's inevitable that a film that's been anticipated since 1983, 2005 or 2012 (depending on when you brought into the idea of more Star Wars sequels) would be unable to quite live up to all the fan-instilled hype, it is nice to see that The Force Awakens does come together as a great Star Wars experience that gives full respect to the originals while also forging ahead on its own. As I said in my review proper, it's the best disappointment ever. The balance of the old and new, something that dominated the marketing, is very strong with this one; the entire first act is devoted to the younger generation before offering up the classic cast and the film makes a big point of the meeting of generations (it is, after all, all about the hunt for Luke Skywalker). And boy does it work. Rey and Finn (and, even if more through implication, Poe) are instantly relatable, in the space of two hours conjuring up almost as much of a connection as the original three. But by far the best is Kylo Ren, a character intrinsically tied into the wider story who exists in a perpetual state of obsession and inferiority in reference to Darth Vader. The issues predominantly come down to pacing and juggling of the rhyming story structure, with certain elements not given room to breathe. But when it comes down to it, they're minor niggles rather than fatal flaws. The Force Awakens is probably the best it feasibly could have been, all things considered, and will the sheer joy of having Star Wars a pop culture staple again that's hard to complain about.
