There are enough debates about the Star Wars universe to fill a galaxy far, far away. One that has just reignited on Reddit is which of the first two films is the best. One Redditor said, “Hot take, but I love A New Hope more than Empire.” Naturally, everyone formed an orderly queue, gave reasons for their answers, and were totally civil about the whole thing. Kind of.
One fan said, “[A New Hope] does an unparalleled job of introducing the viewer to a completely foreign, mid-fight story and just taking you where you need to be without overwhelming the viewer with details and world-building.” Another fan had a few less kind words to say about the 1977 classic, adding, “Downvote me to hell but ANH is annoying. Luke is whiney, petulant, poorly acted and poorly written. Good story. Poor execution,” while another simply said, “That’s not a hot take. Liking Phantom Menace over Empire is a hot take.” It would also be absolutely mad.
Other Star Wars fans made sure to show some love for the third chapter in the original trilogy that defrosted Han Solo and had him fight of the Empire with the help of a tribe of teddy bears. “[Return of the Jedi] is my favorite of the originals. I do like Empire. But, a new hope edges it a little. Maybe because it’s the first. But, the three together are by far the best.”
One fan threw down a solid argument saying that all of the original trilogy are pieces to a bigger story. “It all depends how you view it. A New Hope is better as a single movie than Empire. You could watch it and be satisfied with everything you have seen. Empire expands on A New Hope and leaves you wanting more. Without the trilogy though, it’s just another good movie. Empire is the best of the 3 for most fans, but only because the start and ending are so cleanly done.” So what he says is true, from a certain point of view.
To get a solid assessment on which film is strongest with the force, be sure to check out our ranking of every single Star Wars movie here.
