Help Me Understand Star Wars!

[loola30]

As a Mum to two boys and an overgrown child, I feel like I need to get on board with this whole Star Wars lark (yes, I know, never watched one ). So, what should I do with regards to starting with the films. Do I watch them in release order or chronological order?

[Mackenzies03]

Ohhh isn’t this an opened a can of worms haha!

Personally I think Star Wars is completely subjective on which era you grew up with. The first 3 are classics but they are 80’s films with some questionable graphics. The 00’s 3 are pretty poor but slightly better graphics. Everything that’s new is obviously a lot more shiny. And your saving grace is that you haven’t seen any so you can form your own opinion on which you think are better than others.

I would say either start with the 80’s films or start with Force Awakens. I think the 80’s require a little bit more dedication with them being older but the stories are brilliant. The new ones are such an easy watch- I guess it comes down to how invested in the story you want to be, would you be annoyed if anything was spoilt by not watching them in order?

I wouldn’t watch them in chronological order personally (although that’s the order I watched them in first but because I was very young when Phantom Menace came out so my dad was INSANELY excited to get to take me to the cinema to watch one with him then I caught up). Some people passionately hate all the post-80’s ones but I look round the cinema at excited parents getting to share the galaxy with their own kids and I go all warm and fuzzy so I’m still happy with all the films that they keep producing 😊

[Rac20]

Don’t bother with the prequels! (As in Episodes 1-3)
I’d probably start with release date order.

[claireyfairy8]

I think I need this thread too.
I watched Episode One when I was younger, but none of the others.

[DISNEYNIC]

Definitely release order from me. The oldies are the best. Phantom Menace is terrible!

[Guest]

If I were watching them for the first time now, I would do them in chronological order. However I do also think that the three made in the 00s could be skipped as they were that bad. We actually decided to watch the lot again in chronological order and the 00s were even worse than I remembered, toe-curling bad.

[sam_b]

Originally Posted by Rac20

Don’t bother with the prequels! (As in Episodes 1-3)
I’d probably start with release date order.

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I agree!

[vhm672]

I was born the year Star Wars came out and have always loved the originals. Return of the Jedi is the first film I remember watching at the cinema.

I would watch episodes 4, 5 and 6 (the original three) then just go on to the new ones (7 and 8).

Forget the prequels they are bad and won't add anything to your knowledge.

However they are supposed to be fun and enjoyable so if they are not your thing don't watch them, we all like different things.

[danisleigh]

I watched them all for the first time properly a couple of years ago and watched them in chronological order.

[IndianaMac]

If you want the entire story, then yeah, why not chronological?

EpI: The Phantom B*11*ck$ (sorry, Menace)
EpII: Attack of the Clones
The Clone Wars (theatrically released animated movie)
EpIII: Revenge of the Sith
Solo: a Star Wars Story
Rogue One: a Star Wars Story
EpIV: A New Hope
EpV: The Empire Strikes Back
EpVI: Return of the Jedi
EpVII: The Force Awakens
EpVIII: The Last Jedi

Personally, I've enjoyed both post-Disney take-over Episodes (VII & VIII), and both Rogue One and Solo (hugely underrated). Not seen the animated one, most likely never will.

Went to the cinema after all that time with such high hopes for EpI, only to have them dashed so much that I waited for II and III to come on tv before watching them (in fact, I can't even remember what happens in them, so mediocre were they). The only good bit in EpI is the Ray Park/Darth Maul fight at the end; the rest is "meh", and if your first experience of Star Wars is Jar Jar Bloody Binks, it may put you off the whole thing (don't let it... maybe just skip I thru III and YouTube Darth Maul's fight!).