Film Review: Reviewed By Alan Jones; 5 out of 5

Endlessly imitated but never rivalled, this opening instalment of George Lucas's original space trilogy dresses up the timeless tale of good versus evil with ground-breaking special effects and a dazzling array of intergalactic characters. Mark Hamill plays Luke Skywalker, whose dull life on a remote planet is thrown into chaos when he intercepts a distress call from beleaguered Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). With robots R2-D2 and C-3PO in tow, Skywalker teams up with an ageing Jedi warrior (Alec Guinness) and a cynical space rogue (a star-making turn from Harrison Ford) to rescue Leia from the clutches of the evil Darth Vader. Breathless action collides with sci-fi theatrics and more than a hint of mysticism to create a new style of cinema that remains unmatched for sheer entertainment value.

Plot Summary

Science-fiction fantasy adventure starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher. In a galaxy far, far away, Princess Leia is captured by Darth Vader while trying to steal the plans of the evil Empire's new secret weapon. Meanwhile, on the desert planet of Tatooine, young Luke Skywalker discovers her plight and, in the company of two robots and former Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, sets off to rescue her.