---
title: "Star Wars"
year: 1977
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/star-wars"
fi1m_id: "star-wars"
imdb_id: "tt0076759"
tmdb_id: 11
wikidata_id: "Q17738"
fi1m_score: 88
critics_score: 77
critics_reviews: 14
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:32.343748+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Star Wars (1977)

Directed by George Lucas · 2h 01m · MPA PG · Adventure, Action, Science Fiction

## Identity

Star Wars

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/star-wars
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** star-wars
- **IMDb ID:** tt0076759
- **TMDB ID:** 11
- **Wikidata ID:** Q17738
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/11, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17738

**Fi1m score: 88** · Critics 77 from 14 reviews

*In a sentence:* All those spacecraft, and we would happily spend the evening with the two robots

> George Lucas’s space adventure is funny, exciting and easy to follow, with creatures and machinery worth a closer look. A few stiff exchanges are a small price for such well-managed fun.

## Synopsis

Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) receives his father’s lightsaber from Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness). His journey takes him into the Mos Eisley cantina, in a galaxy shared by Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew). The robots C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) provide a running double act, while David Prowse and James Earl Jones supply the body and voice of Darth Vader. George Lucas writes and directs a space adventure that draws on westerns and serials, with strange creatures and spacecraft battles.

## Review

*Star Wars* is a thoroughly enjoyable adventure, and George Lucas is sensible enough to give its pleasures room to work. He writes and directs a film of western and serial ingredients: plainly defined characters, strange creatures, spacecraft and a story that keeps moving. At 121 minutes, it could have become a long introduction to an elaborate fictional history. Instead, there is usually something funny to watch, something unfamiliar to inspect or a piece of action with an intelligible purpose.

The early business with Luke Skywalker receiving his father’s lightsaber from Obi-Wan Kenobi gives the adventure an immediate personal connection. Mark Hamill makes Luke’s eagerness likeable, even when the writing leaves him little beyond it to play. Alec Guinness gives Obi-Wan an authority that helps the film get away with some solemn dialogue. Lucas does not develop these people much beyond their readily understood roles, and the exchanges can occasionally sound like actors explaining the story to one another.

The comic life is stronger, particularly in C-3PO and R2-D2, played by Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker. We laughed at the robots more than we expected; the pleasure comes from treating such unlikely figures as an ordinary double act, with time allowed for their contrasting responses. Their company makes the galaxy feel inhabited without another explanation. Harrison Ford’s Han Solo and Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia also help keep the human side lively, rather than merely dutiful.

John Barry’s production design is a substantial part of that appeal, giving the spacecraft and the wider galaxy enough detail to reward attention. The Mos Eisley cantina is a place worth looking around even before Luke has done anything in it. Gilbert Taylor photographs the creatures and machinery with enough clarity for their oddness to register. The effects and strange creatures belong in the same film as the actors; there is a welcome confidence in letting them share our attention.

Richard Chew, Paul Hirsch and Marcia Lucas give the action a pace that feels brisk without becoming exhausting. Their editing preserves the simple question of what each character is trying to do, a useful discipline when spacecraft and effects threaten to take over. John Williams’s score supplies the emotional conviction that Lucas’s dialogue sometimes struggles to find. It can be insistent, but its directness suits a film whose pleasures depend on being caught up in events.

The scored consensus disagrees with us, though it rests on two hostile reviews and the other notices are largely enthusiastic. The complaint about thin characters is fair; the suggestion that the adventure does not work is harder to accept. We think that verdict undervalues the robots’ comedy and the clarity of the action, which do much of the work the character writing leaves undone.

The western and serial traditions give Lucas a workable shape for a galaxy that could otherwise take hours to explain. Science fiction can ask more difficult questions than this, and anyone looking for that should make another choice. Watch it for the adventure, and do not feel obliged to take the solemn dialogue as seriously as the characters do.

*Fi1m score 88, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics are won over, and the praise is unusually consistent. The reviews return again and again to the same things: the special effects and production design, the debt to Flash Gordon serials and westerns, John Williams’s score, and a tone that is funny as often as it is exciting. The two robots come in for particular affection, with several critics treating them as a comedy team in their own right. Harrison Ford is the performer most often named.

The dissent is small but sharp. Sight and Sound finds the film monumentally empty, an exercise in nostalgia rather than a work with ideas, and Film Comment goes further, calling it inept and complaining that the action never pays off what it promises. The Guardian sits in the middle, enjoying two hours of joy while noting the film is no advance on Lucas’s earlier work and short on originality. Later reviews of the anniversary reissues are broadly warm but divided on whether the added effects help or intrude.

## Straight answers

**Is Star Wars worth watching?**

*Star Wars* is worth watching for anyone who wants a brisk, funny space adventure with creatures and machinery worth a closer look, and we scored it 88. The characters are plainly drawn and some of the dialogue is stiff, so those wanting science fiction that asks harder questions should choose something else. The two robots alone repay the evening.

**How long is Star Wars, and what is it rated?**

*Star Wars* runs 2h 01m and is rated PG by the MPA in the US. It is an adventure and action film.

**Where can I watch Star Wars in the US?**

*Star Wars* is streaming on Disney+ in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does Star Wars compare to The Empire Strikes Back?**

*Star Wars* is the lighter and simpler of the two, a straightforward adventure that keeps moving and rarely asks to be taken solemnly. [*The Empire Strikes Back*](https://film.one/film/the-empire-strikes-back) makes the machinery frightening and the people worth worrying about, at the cost of a few slow lessons. Start with the first for fun; the second is the richer film, and it gains from what the first has set up.

**Do you need to have seen the other Star Wars films before Star Wars?**

*Star Wars* needs no prior viewing: it is the first film in the series and was written to be understood on its own. George Lucas explains the galaxy through plainly defined characters and a story that keeps moving, so nothing depends on knowledge from elsewhere. It is the natural place for a newcomer to begin.

**What should I watch after Star Wars?**

After *Star Wars*, try [*Castle in the Sky*](https://film.one/film/castle-in-the-sky) (1986, Fi1m 82): Another airborne adventure where machinery has character and friendship matters. Then [*The Fifth Element*](https://film.one/film/the-fifth-element) (1997, Fi1m 73): A crowded future with room for daft jokes and colourful oddities.

**What order should I watch the Star Wars films in?**

Release order is the safe choice for Star Wars, and it is the order [our collection page](https://film.one/collections/star-wars) lists them in. *Star Wars* is the first of the 9 Star Wars titles on Fi1m; after it [*The Empire Strikes Back*](https://film.one/film/the-empire-strikes-back). [The full order.](https://film.one/collections/star-wars.md)

### Reviews we read (14)

- **Empire**, Andrew Collins (90/100, inferred): The critic presents Star Wars as a rewatchable classic whose appeal rests on its universal archetypes, characters, and performances (especially Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and James Earl Jones), alongside the rousing John Williams score and the mythic storytelling that made cheering at the screen acceptable again. It notes the film's self-contained 1977 pleasure and lasting impact despite later digital changes. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/star-wars-episode-iv-new-hope-review/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Charles Champlin (90/100, inferred): Champlin hails it as the year's most razzle-dazzling family movie and an exuberant, technically astonishing space adventure. He singles out the production design, special effects, and its roots in westerns and Flash Gordon serials. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-star-wars-hails-the-once-and-future-space-western-20151202-story.html)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (90/100, inferred): Ebert praises the film as a magical experience that transports viewers to a galaxy far away with whimsy, fantasy, and sophisticated storytelling. He singles out the wealth of strange living creatures and special effects for making the universe feel alive and inventive. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/star-wars-1977)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Ron Pennington (90/100, inferred): The critic calls the film magnificent in scope with an effective human element from the script and performances, combining comedy and drama with exciting action and spectacular special effects that make it a potential classic. The adorable robot characters (C-3PO and R2-D2) are singled out for praise as two of the most endearing ever in a film. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/star-wars-review-1977-movie-752620/)
- **The New Yorker** (90/100, inferred): The review finds the film exuberantly entertaining and dazzling in its mix of futurism and long-held faith. It singles out the robot couple as out of Beckett or vaudeville and the spacecraft battles for their fiery effect. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1977/06/13/galaxy-crisis)
- **The New York Times**, Vincent Canby (90/100, inferred): Canby calls it the most elaborate, most expensive, most beautiful movie serial ever made and an apotheosis of Flash Gordon serials. He singles out the fun and funny tone, the robots as the year's best new comedy team, and the special effects and design. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1977/05/26/archives/star-wars-a-trip-to-a-far-galaxy-thats-fun-and-funny.html)
- **The Telegraph**, Adrian Berry (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it the best such film since 2001 and one of the most exciting ever made, praising its unpretentious story, impressive effects, and convincing realism in most respects. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/star-wars-episode-iv-new-hope-review-spectacular-trip/)
- **The Times**, David Robinson (90/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's restoration of brightly defined characters, a hurtling story, confident fantasy world with advanced effects, and genuine escapism that requires no connections to real worlds. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/article/from-the-archive-the-times-review-of-star-wars-vrhmjwnw9)
- **Time Out**, JO'C (90/100, inferred): The critic describes the 20th-anniversary reissue of Lucas's spellbinding space opera as largely successful in its minor tweaks, with improved effects and sound that keep the film feeling modern, while praising the enduring innocence of its universe, the standout performances (especially Harrison Ford), and its status as a sea change in filmmaking. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/star-wars-episode-iv-a-new-hope-1)
- **Variety**, A.D. Murphy (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it a magnificent film and a brilliant success as an adventure fantasy drawn from serials and older epics. They single out the superb balance of technology and human drama, along with the rousing score and engaging space adventure story that affirms valor and hope. [Read](https://variety.com/1977/film/reviews/star-wars-3-1200424073/)
- **Total Film** (70/100, inferred): The critic hails the 20th-anniversary Special Edition re-release as a welcome return of a technological and imaginative watershed, praising its timeless production design, archetypal characters, gripping plot, and overall power while noting that added effects and reinstated scenes are mixed—some improvements to sound and visuals are welcome, but others feel gratuitous or dated. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/star-wars-the-special-edition-review/)
- **The Guardian**, Derek Malcolm (50/100, inferred): The critic finds the film gives two hours of joy and plays enough games to satisfy sophisticated viewers, while noting it is not an improvement on Lucas's previous work except in box-office terms and lacks originality. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/1977/dec/27/derekmalcolmscenturyoffilm)
- **Sight and Sound**, Richard Combs (40/100, inferred): The critic views the film as a phenomenon that has become difficult to assess objectively, describing it as monumentally empty and more an exercise in audience programming and nostalgia than a substantive work with ideas. It draws on various movie tropes and serials but lacks emotional resonance, philosophical depth or the transformative qualities of true science fiction. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/star-wars-episode-iv-new-hope-archive-review-monumentally-empty-blockbuster)
- **Film Comment**, Terry Curtis Fox (20/100, inferred): The critic finds Star Wars totally inept and mindless, defeating serious consideration as a film. He singles out the film's failure to deliver on promised payoffs in its action sequences and its lack of depth or innovation in storytelling and characters. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/article/star-drek/)

## Details

- **Director:** George Lucas
- **Director:** George Lucas
- **Writer:** George Lucas
- **Cinematography:** Gilbert Taylor
- **Editor:** Paul Hirsch, Marcia Lucas, Richard Chew
- **Music:** John Williams
- **Production design:** John Barry
- **Costume design:** John Mollo
- **Producer:** Gary Kurtz
- **Cast:** Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker; Harrison Ford as Han Solo; Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia Organa; Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin; Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi; Anthony Daniels as C-3PO; Kenny Baker as R2-D2; Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca
- **Runtime:** 2h 01m
- **Certificate (MPA):** PG
- **Release (the US):** 21 July 1978
- **Genres:** Adventure, Action, Science Fiction
- **Part of:** [Star Wars](https://film.one/collections/star-wars.md) · 1 of 9
- **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 1977); [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Nominee, 1978); [Golden Globe Best Drama winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-drama.md) (Nominee, 1977)
- **Budget:** $11 million
- **Box office:** $775 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-vsILeJ8_8

## Where to watch in the US

- Disney+: streaming, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $19.99, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-15.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- BAFTA Film Awards 1979: Best Original Music (won)
- Academy Awards 1978: Best Director (nominated); Best Picture (nominated); Best Supporting Actor (nominated); Best Costume Design (won); Best Film Editing (won); Best Original Score (won); Best Production Design (won); Best Sound (won); Best Visual Effects (won)
- Golden Globes 1978: Best Original Score (won)
- Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media 1978: Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (won)
- Hugo Awards 1978: Best Dramatic Presentation (won)
- Saturn Awards 1978: Best Costume (won); Best Director (won); Best Make-up (won); Best Music (won); Best Science Fiction Film (won); Best Set Decoration (won); Best Special Effects (won); Best Supporting Actor (won); Best Writing (won)
- Special Achievement Academy Award 1977: Special Achievement Academy Award (won)

## If you liked this

- *The Hidden Fortress* (1958): Bickering companions give another grand adventure some welcome human irritation.
- *The Thief of Bagdad* (1940): For handmade wonders, brisk adventure and a world worth getting lost in.
- *Castle in the Sky* (1986), Fi1m 82: Another airborne adventure where machinery has character and friendship matters. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/castle-in-the-sky.md)
- *The Fifth Element* (1997), Fi1m 73: A crowded future with room for daft jokes and colourful oddities. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-fifth-element.md)
- *Galaxy Quest* (1999): Space adventure with affectionate jokes and enough peril to make them count.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/star-wars