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Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

Play trailer 2:01 Poster for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope PG 1977 2h 1m Sci-Fi Adventure Action Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
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94% Tomatometer 206 Reviews 96% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
The Imperial Forces -- under orders from cruel Darth Vader (David Prowse) -- hold Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) hostage, in their efforts to quell the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford), captain of the Millennium Falcon, work together with the companionable droid duo R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) to rescue the beautiful princess, help the Rebel Alliance, and restore freedom and justice to the Galaxy.
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Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

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Critics Consensus

A legendarily expansive and ambitious start to the sci-fi saga, George Lucas opened our eyes to the possibilities of blockbuster filmmaking and things have never been the same.

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Critics Reviews

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Desmond Ryan Philadelphia Inquirer Apr 23
George Lucas' Star Wars is not a film that readily leads itself to comparisons, so it may as well begin with the superlatives. This captivating science fantasy is the finest pure entertainment to reach the screen in ages. Go to Full Review
Gene Siskel Chicago Tribune Apr 23
3.5/4
Not a great movie in the sense that it describes the human condition. It simply is a fun picture that will appeal to those who enjoy Buck Rogers-style adventures. What places it a sizable cut above the routine is its spectacular visual effects. Go to Full Review
Pete Hamill New York Post Apr 23
This Hamill's name is Mark and we are not related. He plays a kid named Luke Skywalker, who is the classic dumb hero, and he plays that dumbness with terrific conviction. A true family gift. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Nov 12
4/4
It became a cultural touchstone and a font of trivial pursuits. Go to Full Review
Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand May 4
The special effects pushed the boundaries of what anyone thought possible in 1977, yet audiences were so swept up in the imagery, the adventure, and the momentum of the journey that they never stopped to marvel at the technological achievement. Go to Full Review
Wayne Harada Honolulu Advertiser Apr 23
A cinematic toy, a blissful concoction of wit and imagination, the brainchild of George Lucas of American Graffiti fame. It quickly is becoming everybody's movie of the year -- and add me to the list. But rightfully so: It is an out of this world delight. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Patti C May 27 Best movie ever made! See more Blake K @Blokae 3d Can't go wrong with the first, it's a must see for anyone. See more Matt L. @mattl Nov 30 I remember seeing the trailer for this film. We had a 12 inch color Tv with rabbit ears. Spaceships, robots, alien creatures, and the most dramatic music I had ever heard energized my imagination. I didn’t know anything from anything, but I knew that this movie was special, just from the 60 second trailer. Like so many others I was amazed and excited by the spectacle of it all. I saw it another half a dozen times in that first run. See more Binyamin F Nov 17 Great movie, all time classic, some bad dialouge tho. See more Luke R. @LuckyM0vi3Buff Nov 17 I wasn’t much a Star Wars fan growing up, but it’s pretty good. C3P0, and Chewie are funny. Darth Vader is such a cool character of the franchise. People called me Luke Skywalker, on the count of my first name. See more kish b Nov 17 ★★★★★ Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope is the once-upon-a-time that changed everything: a perfect, lightning-in-a-bottle fairy tale that somehow feels both timeless and like it was made yesterday. From the very first shot of that Star Destroyer roaring overhead (still one of the greatest entrances in cinema history) to the triumphant medal ceremony, every single minute crackles with pure, wide-eyed wonder. George Lucas didn’t just make a movie in 1977; he created an entire universe in two hours and felt like it had always existed. Tatooine’s twin suns, the cantina band, the trash-compactor panic, "These aren’t the droids you’re looking for," the swing across the chasm, the Death Star trench run; these are cultural DNA now. The cast is magic: Mark Hamill’s farm-boy sincerity, Harrison Ford inventing cool with a smirk and a blaster, Carrie Fisher’s razor-sharp princess who can out-sass anyone, Alec Guinness giving Obi-Wan the weight of a thousand untold stories, and of course the greatest duo in film history: a walking carpet and a golden trash can with anxiety. John Williams’ score isn’t just music; it’s the sound of hope itself. The effects were revolutionary then and still look gorgeous today because they were real models, real explosions, real heart. And that final shot of Luke looking at the binary sunset… forty-eight years later it still makes grown adults tear up in the dark. It’s simple, it’s sincere, it’s funny, it’s thrilling, and it believes with every frame that good can win if ordinary people stand up. No cynicism, no irony, just pure heroic myth wearing a used spacesuit. A New Hope didn’t just start a franchise. It started modern blockbuster cinema, cosplay, fandom as we know it, and the dreams of generations. Flawless. Life-changing. The definition of 10/10. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… thank you for everything. 🌟⚔️🚀 See more Read all reviews
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

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Movie Info

Synopsis The Imperial Forces -- under orders from cruel Darth Vader (David Prowse) -- hold Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) hostage, in their efforts to quell the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford), captain of the Millennium Falcon, work together with the companionable droid duo R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) to rescue the beautiful princess, help the Rebel Alliance, and restore freedom and justice to the Galaxy.
Director
George Lucas
Producer
Gary Kurtz
Screenwriter
George Lucas
Production Co
Lucasfilm Ltd.
Rating
PG
Genre
Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action, Fantasy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 25, 1977, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Aug 13, 1982
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$345
Runtime
2h 1m
Sound Mix
Surround
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