It's an epic of heroes, villains and aliens from a thousand worlds!

Rating: 10/10 (2 December 2017)

That was the tagline to what became one of the most successful films of all time. Honestly how can you not love this movie? Well there's the special edition which butchered what was once a perfect film. However, the theatrical version is one of if not my favourite movie of all time.
George Lucas did a great job in combining mythology, sci-fi serials and history into what became a cultural phenomenon. Despite what you may think of his directing talents, he is an imaginative filmmaker who knows how to create great concepts... well at least back in the 1970's and 1980's.
The film follows a traditional hero's quest archetype and takes it into space. Star Wars follows Luke Skywalker who after losing everything has no choice but to go on a mission to save the princess and the universe. On his journey he meets a variety of characters including a wise Jedi master, a smuggler pilot and his sidekick, two droids and a princess who isn't as she seems. Luke later ends up involving himself in the rebel cause to destroy the Empire's most powerful and devastating weapon.
Many Star Wars fans may know about the issues in filming Star Wars and the production issues it faced. Hollywood studios thought the idea was garbage, filming on location was apparently a nightmare and the initial cut was a supposed mess. Many people doubted that it would be a hit and yet it became a cultural phenomenon. John Williams excellent score and the fast paced editing really gave it that extra impact which enabled it to become a great movie. It goes to show that studios should take risks with new ideas because that's where great movies are originated.
The movie is not really science fiction as it is science fantasy. Sure there's spaceships, planets and destructive space stations which definitely are associated with science fiction. However, the mysticism of the force is what makes the world of Star Wars have a universal appeal. Science definitely has an appeal to some people yet human experiences are what mass audiences relate to at the end of the day. This is why people despised The Phantom Menace because it basically gave a middle finger to what made Star Wars a story about people not science.
Star Wars started a franchise that's still going to this day. The Empire Strikes Back is also a perfect movie and I would say it's a better movie in terms of expanding upon the lore and exploring the characters. However, Star Wars is a roller coaster ride that you'll never forget and that is why it's such an awesome movie!