Not everyone anticipated that George Lucas’ space opera, which tells the story of characters’ adventures from ‘A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away’, would even be a hit before it was released in 1977. Significantly, even after more than 40 years, Star Wars would continue to rank among the most celebrated franchises in popular culture.
For a long time, fans have been enthralled by Star Wars movies; nevertheless, not every flick in the franchise has been well-received by critics or has done well at the box office. There have been highs and lows, which is pretty much inevitable, even though the best of the movies are undeniably classics.
With nine main saga films and multiple spin-offs, the series has certainly had its fair share of highs and lows. But which film is unquestionably the worst of them all? Well, without further ado, let us look at the worst Star Wars film ever, as determined by box office receipts and critic ratings.
And to start with…
1. Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones (2002)
As quickly as possible, let us get past the weakest Star Wars films. We assure you that the Attack of the Clones is the worst that can happen. This live-action movie in the series feels the furthest from having been touched by humans of all of them. With almost every shot featuring special effects and a green screen, the 2002 flick was the first Hollywood studio film to be shot exclusively on digital equipment.
Every frame is packed with action, but no amount of digital trickery was able to save the film from being ruined by a script in dire need of revisions and a tedious plot that lacks depth. EW rated Attack of the Clones as ‘heartless’. Of course, the movie has its highlights, including a fantastic score, lightsaber fights, and serving as the basis for The Clone Wars, one of the best-ever Star Wars films.
But as evidenced by the below-average 65% of votes, fans either think the movie is awful or they love Star Wars, so they do not think it is a very well-made movie (Rotten Tomatoes).
Critics gave it mixed reviews; some appreciated the movie’s greater emphasis on action, while others were less complimentary of the characters and dialogue. It was a profitable box office run, earning $653.8 million worldwide (Box Office Mozo), but the excessive use of CGI made things only disappointing for Star Wars fans.
2. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
The Phantom Menace shares many of the same problems as Attack of the Clones, ranking below it in the critics’ score but just above it in the public’s perception. Even with moviegoers’ favorite parts, like Midi-Chlorians and the heroically acted Jar Jar Binks, the film fails to resonate with Star Wars adherents.
With 237 reviews, the movie currently has a 52% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Although it made over $924.3 million in total revenue during its first theatrical run, the massive box office figures and the ardent fandom of the franchise remain unaffected by the film’s low audience review score. But it is safe to say that the movie, which a minority of people still avoid seeing, gave the prequel era of Star Wars a rough start.
3. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Ron Howard’s helmed Solo: A Star Wars Story was entertaining but flawed, and it suffered greatly from bad timing, bad marketing, and an overall feeling of unnecessaryness. The film was unable to compete at the box office due to its inexplicable release in May instead of December and its competition, Avengers: Infinity War.
Critics also gave the movie some positive reviews, praising the action scenes, score, graphics, and actors—especially Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover—though some questioned the plot and screenplay, as we learned from CBR. In addition, it became the first Star Wars movie to bomb at the box office, earning just $393.2 million globally, according to Forbes.
Unexpectedly, Solo has scored 69% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is lower than the average for Star Wars movies. Although Glover gives a fantastic performance and the film moves quickly and with a lot of fanfare, it is sadly the least successful in the franchise and largely forgettable.
4. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
As the final installment of the Skywalker saga, Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker had plenty of expectations to meet. Unfortunately, the film failed to stick to its landing, with a convoluted plot that left many viewers feeling underwhelmed.
Notwithstanding the conflicting reviews it garnered, it went on to earn over $1.077 billion globally, ranking as the seventh highest-grossing movie of 2019 but the lowest-grossing of the trilogy (Box Office Mozo). Rotten Tomatoes also reported an approval rating of 51% with an average score of 6.1/10.
The rushed pacing and shoehorned retcons did little to tie up loose ends, leaving plenty of questions unanswered and character arcs unresolved. Even though The Rise of Skywalker features some exciting moments, like Emperor Palpatine’s comeback and the titanic battle between Rey and Kylo Ren, it ultimately fails to provide a satisfying wrap-up to the adored series.
In the vast galaxy of Star Wars films, there are bound to be some missteps along the way. While each film has its own special charms and flaws, there are also some that stand out as the worst of them all. Whether it be The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, or The Rise of Skywalker’s underwhelming finale, there can be no doubt that some films in the franchise have not lived up to the expectations of fans.
