Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)

There was nothing like 'Star Wars' when it first released on May 25th, 1977. Yes, the science-fiction genre had of course existed since storytelling came into being and there are many elements from older fiction that makes up the film, but nothing came close to being such a phenomenon and even to this day very few films can rival this franchise. My first experience was Christmas of 1995 when the trilogy had been released unaltered for the final time and while I will always remember 'Jurassic Park' as my first film experience, watching these three films that day was something special in its own right.

For the two people who aren't aware of the story, let me go over it quick: a young farm boy on a desert planet is thrown into a wild adventure to take down the evil Galactic Empire and bring balance and peace to the galaxy. As mentioned before, it's nothing new in terms of its story but its what director George Lucas did with it that makes it so special and immortal. Whether people want to admit it or not, films are mostly copies of each other but in the best way possible. Lucas took what he loved as a young child such as 'Flash Gordon' serials and used that to create his own unique work and this is the magic of filmmaking to me.

So with all my praise you'll probably be a little surprised to hear that I don't love this movie and is the one I go back to the least. Now while no one can deny the power and importance of 'A New Hope' I'd be hard pressed to say that its the best film in the trilogy. I know its too easy to jump on the bandwagon and say 'Empire' is the best but I'm sorry I have to be that guy. Out of the three original films, the first one tends to be a little too slow and vanilla for me personally when having a marathon. However, while it may not be my favorite of the 'Star Wars' saga, it does contain some of my favorite lines and John Williams score is still amazing to this day. He rightfully earned himself an Oscar for the music though its a shame he tends to lose out on awards these days.

So in conclusion, while I may sound like a hater here (at least in my mind) I assure you I appreciate 'Star Wars' and everything this film has given to the industry and the art of film. That doesn't mean I won't have issues with it or any film for that matter. While I will certainly never turn down a viewing of 'A New Hope' I just don't find it as interesting as the later films. It tends to be slower in places, has some awkward dialogue in places, and in the vast universe of 'Star Wars' I can't help but think of how small the film actually is. While the charm, great characters, and memorable movie moments far outweigh these issues I have, they are there and am not afraid to admit it.

8.5/10