Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens (2015)

Fin vs Storm Trooper: 2.5/5


Kylo Ren vs Fin: 2.5/5


Kylo Ren vs Rey: 3/5



Look, no one is going to watch this movie based on my recommendation. Everyone reading this has seen it, I'm sure. This was a good flick, I liked it. The lightsaber fights were solid, if nothing special. I enjoyed Kylo Ren and Rey, although Rey was definitely overpowered. Maybe the most OP force user ever. And the Raid guys were wasted in a dumb sequence.

But I enjoyed the movie overall. Recommended.

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)

Darth Vader vs Obi Wan Kenobi: 2/5




Ok so the lightsaber fight is nothing to write home about. But, this is an all time classic movie. And no one reading this is unaware of that. Go watch it, it's great.

Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge Of The Sith (2006)

Anakin Skywalker/Obi Wan Kenobi vs Count Dooku: 3.75/5


Obi Wan Kenobi vs General Grievous: 3/5


Mace Windu and other Jedi vs Palpatine: 3/5


Yoda vs Palpatine: 3.5/5


Obi Wan Kenobi vs Anakin Skywalker: 4.25/5




I'm risking credibility here, but I actually enjoyed this movie. It's not a good movie, but I found a lot to like here. Maybe it's because the other prequels lowered my expectations so much that I don't even think of this in the context of a Star Wars movie, but rather as a straight up action movie. And as action movies go, this delivered.

Sure, Hayden Christensen is still terrible. But he does less talking and more lightsaber dueling in this movie. Yes, him and Padme still have no chemistry. But there's less scenes of them together in this movie.

This movie has by far the most lightsaber action of all the Star Wars movies (as of this writing). And you can tell they really went for it. The final fight between Anakin and Obi Wan is truly epic. I know people want to resist giving it its due because the prequels, as an entity, has hurt something close to them. I have no such attachment to Star Wars. I can tell you, from a choreography and performance standpoint, it is definitively the best lightsaber fight in the entire franchise. I'm including Clone Wars in that, as well. Now, that doesn't make Darth Vader looking up and screaming, "NOOOOO!" 5 minutes later ok. That's not ok, that was stupid. But that end fight is still amazing. And the score is terrific too.


Look, this is not a great film, but it is the best of the prequels by far. If you want action, you'll dig this. If you want a well told story with great characters, what makes you think the prequels would start that now? Thumbs in the middle on this one. Mildly recommended.

Star Wars Episode 2: Attack Of The Clones

Obi Wan Kenobi vs Jango Fett: 1/5


Obi Wan Kenobi vs Count Dooku: 2.75/5


Anakin Skywalker vs Count Dooku: 3.25/5


Yoda vs Count Dooku: 3.5/5



This movie is garbage. The worst of the prequels. Even though there is more action in this than "Phantom", it doesn't reach the heights of the lightsaber duel in that film. Although, there is less Jar Jar Binks.

But what there is more of, and what the movie is centered around, is the love story between Padme and Anakin. I hate it. It's one of the worst love stories of all time. They have less than no chemistry. Natalie Portman is usually good, but in every scene with Anakin here she's terrible. And Hayden Christensen is even worse. His casting is one of the worst castings of all time.  I'm not exaggerating, I can't think of worse love stories or casting as I type this. Truly awful.

The lightsaber fights at the end are pretty fun, but not enough to make up for the atrocity that is the rest of this movie. "Phantom" was boring, but this movie was aggressively bad. Skip it.

Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (1999)

Qui Qon vs Darth Maul: 2/5


Qui Qon/Obi Wan vs Darth Maul: 4/5



This is not a good movie. It is boring. Except for that last lightsaber fight, which is among the best in the whole series thus far. Just watch that. Besides that, skippable.