Iconic and entertaining science fiction.

Rating: 10/10 (10 December 2017)

For the entirety of this review, I'll refer to this film as "Star Wars" instead of the sub-name with episodes and all. "Star Wars" is perhaps George Lucas' greatest film and most significant contribution to the art of cinema. The film focuses on young Luke Skywalker as he acquaints himself with outside forces of the galaxy, a civil war, the force, and the adventure of a lifetime. "Star Wars" continues to hold its ground as one of the most influential sci-fi films of all time and remains just as entertaining as ever before.
Building on heavy influence from Akira Kurosawa's samurai films, particularly "The Hidden Fortress" George Lucas crafts an interesting western in space told from the perspective of the two lowest characters: C-3PO and R2-D2. Two droids that become entangled in a galactic civil war between the empire and the rebel alliance. As their journey progresses, new and interesting characters are introduced (like our protagonist, Luke Skywalker) with iconic movie icons like Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinnes).
For viewers that haven't seen any of the original films, the visual and special effects may feel outdated but what remains fresh after all these years is its incredible story and fascinating world. "Star Wars" and its core story remind us that foundational storytelling and classic character arcs are what stay with us for decades upon decades. We seem to relate to Luke's grounded situation with dreaming of something bigger than himself. Reaching out beyond his farm home life to something extraordinary. We grow immersed with him in learning of the force and the wise teachings of Obi-Wan Kenobi which appeals to the natural spiritual sides of us all. Above all, we root for him as the underdog during the riveting space dog fight even when he's up against Darth Vader himself.
Everyone delivers solid performances but the standouts go to Harrison Ford and James Earl Jones. Harrison Ford's cocky and charismatic "Han Solo" is still arguably his most remembered role after all these years. James Earl Jones gives the voice to Darth Vader that makes him strong, powerful, and extremely intimidating. There's a good reason Darth Vader remains the most iconic movie villain of all time.
"Star Wars" however, gains its stature from its high quality technical abilities it introduced. Visual and special effects were far ahead of its time and the editing and rhythm of the cuts make the entire film flow as a whole. The flow with editing can also find influence from the older westerns and Kurosawa's samurai films. John William's score still represents the peak of epic music composing. You know it's a good score when this score is the standout in a career of breathtaking music for film.
The film, in all its glory, does have its downsides and slight weaknesses. Due to no fault of its own, the film can easily be overshadowed by the rest of the movies in its own franchise due to technical advancements in visual effects. Comparatively, the original can feel not as visually stimulating or engaging as the others. The story takes its time to set up characters and subplots for world building in a more subtle approach than many modern audiences would be comfortable with. That might not be a weakness in the film itself, but rather a weakness the the viewer themselves.
Another complaint might be the lack of attachment to some characters. Several key characters are indeed hard to attach to and might feel cold and distant. This might weaken the film's impact and subsequently, the intense climax which relies for intensity on its technique rather than characters. A solid blend of both approaches might've helped the film's emotional impact to the point of meeting its sequel: "Empire Strikes Back."
"Star Wars" still remains one of the greatest movies ever made and is essential for everyone to see in their life at least once. Its influence continues to extend the science fiction world of film, television, and video games to this day.