A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

Rating: 8/10 (25 March 2009)

"Star Wars", in case you've been living under a rock for the last thirty years, is a sci-fi action/adventure about a group of rebels trying to save the galaxy from the clutches of the evil Empire. At the time of its release it became the highest grossing film of all time. It then went on to spawn two sequels and three prequels, not to mention numerous spinoffs in various forms of media.
The principle characters in the story are Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), an idealistic farmboy, Han Solo (Harrison Ford), a cocky starship pilot & Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), a feisty rebel and 'damsel in distress'. All have been assimilated into popular culture, as have numerous supporting characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader & Chewbacca. The cast is indeed a good one but objectivity is difficult at this point since the cast and characters are so inextricably linked.
George Lucas's script does a fine job of creating an energetic story and populating it with memorable characters. His direction is well handled but the best aspects of the film's visuals come from the ground-breaking special effects. Sure, they may not be outstanding by today's standards but they were breath-taking at the time and for many years afterwards.
In addition to the stellar visuals, the film also excelled on the aural front. The sound design by Ben Burtt masterfully brought the world and its creatures to life and resulted in a special achievement award from the Academy. And who can forget John Williams's legendary score, which, in 2005, was chosen as the greatest American film score of all time by the AFI.
Simply put, this was a film that not only connected with millions of people but changed movie-making itself. As a result, it is a must for any film fan. That being said, I've only rated the film an 8 for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I feel that the trilogy is best appreciated as a whole and, secondly, the follow-up refined the characters and storytelling to such a degree that the original suffers slightly by comparison.
By the way, if you've only seen the prequels (Episodes I thru III), don't let them dissuade you from seeing the original trilogy. The original trilogy is much, much better.
Also, I recommend watching the original versions of the films, not the 'Special Editions' that Lucas messed around with for the 20th anniversary.