Review of Star Wars (1977) by Griff C — 17 Dec 2017

It's been written to death how Star Wars changed how we make and watch movies, pretty much to the point of cliché. I won't go into anything like that here, even though all of that is important and should be celebrated.

I'm just going to focus on how great a film this is on its own. I think nowadays it can be overshadowed by The Empire Strikes Back as far as being the best Star Wars film. However, I think the two are on par with each other in such a great way; I alternate my favorite between them depending on the day/whichever one I'm currently rewatching.

A New Hope is just so much pure fun. Its fast pace catches you right at the beginning and doesn't let you go until the credits roll. The story is almost simple when compared to the sequels and prequels that were to follow over the coming decades, but that's a good thing.

On its own two legs, it's a fun adventure film. The cast goes a long way to contributing to that fun. There isn't a single weak link amongst the actors. I would praise individual performances of the main and even secondary casts, but I would be here all day.

Something else that always manages to mesmerize me is the (original) special effects. For a movie that came out in 1977, they hold up really well for the most part, better even than some blockbusters that have come out in the 21st century.

All of these elements - story, cast, effects - come together thanks to George Lucas' labor of love. Say what you will about his late-career endeavors, but this was the film that firmly established him as one of the great American filmmakers.

I can gush on and on about this movie, so I should probably stop myself. Bottomline: if you somehow still haven't seen A New Hope, you're missing out.