Director(s): Dave Filoni
Producer(s): Catherine Winder
Writer(s): Henry Gilroy, Scott Murphy, Steve Melching
Starring: Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Dee Bradley Baker, Tom Kane, Nika Futterman, Ian Abercrombie, Anthony Daniels, Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Catherine Taber
Music:Kevin Kiner
Distributor: Lucasfilm, Warner Bros. Pictures
Written by Andrew L
It’s been three long years since George Lucas gave us the last installment of the saga that was the rise, and eventual fall, of the “Chosen One:” Anakin Skywalker. Well, today marked the return, although different, of Star Wars and the story of Anakin Skywalker and others to the big screen, something fans have been eagerly awaiting for some time. The review of The Clone Wars below is styled in a traditional “Good, Bad, and Ugly” way, and I will explain what I mean by all of it. Please note that it will contain spoilers, so if you’ve yet to see the movie, you may want to steer clear of the review.
The Good:
-Action: Director Dave Filoni certainly took to heart the word “war” in this latest installment of Star Wars movie saga. There was rarely a minute that either a light saber wasn’t swinging, a blaster firing, or the force being used. It was, much like what The Force Unleashed next month will be, over-the-top at times, but it was always well placed. The ground battles were well animated and made to look very gritty and real. Space battles felt, and looked, almost as real as the ones within the live-action movies. The light duels were quite interesting, and it will be fun to actually play them this November in “Lightsaber Duels.”
-Ahsoka: Padawan learner she may be, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t witty and funny. I honestly went in there thinking I wouldn’t like her, but she grows on you, male or female. Although she’s a little hard to get use to if you’re older, her character brings comic relief in to a tough time. Tano is a mixed bag of Anakin and Obi-Wan, so she’s tough and head-strong, but also knows when she needs to be less rash and question. I, for one, am really looking forward to seeing her character evolve.
-Anakin: I’ve been a fan of Anakin for a long time, but he’s never been my favorite. But, let me tell you, he’s getting up there now. His words, his wit, and his dealing with his new padawan made Anakin an awesome character to follow and to also be a fan of.
-The Clones: The Clone Wars made awesome use of Jango Fett’s legacy, as it should have. They were brave, strong, an independent. Thanks to Karen Traviss I think Henry Gilroy and the other writers were able to write the clones this way, and I hope their head-strong, independent attitudes as well as their hairdos stay for the TV series.
-The Droids: The Clone Wars also makes great use with the “clanker” enemies of the Clones. We saw droids get some funny lines in Revenge of The Sith, but it seems someone must have reprogrammed all of them to have personalities. Their humor and wit will bring laughs to children and adults alike.
-Zirro the Hutt: The uncle of Jabba WILL have you laughing the moment you hear him. No, really; he will. I promise. He speaks basic.. Different basic than we’re use to in Star Wars, we’ll say. While he has a relatively minor role in the plot, his demeanor alone will also have you laughing.
-Rotta the Hutt: The Clone Wars was created to cater to children, but Rotta can be loved by children and adults like. “Stinky” has a face even Anakin can learn to like, and his innocence and cuteness easily make the story fun and enjoyable. He’ll have you become a stickler for Hutts, if Zirro hadn’t already, that is.
-The Music: The Clone Wars brought composer Kevin Kiner to the front to compose the music, and I must say, they got the right man. His music is traditional, but it also has an exotic Star Wars feel to it at the same time. While it’s not exactly the SW style we’ve come to love, I can certainly get use to it. The soundtrack is out now, and you can preview the songs here.
The Bad:
- Animation: (Human, mostly): The new movie, and series, is cutting edge of CGI, that’s for sure, and it shows. The clothing and weapons look amazing, but hair and features on humans is lacking. While it’s not annoying or distracting, it’s a bit bothersome for characters such as Obi-Wan . I’m sure this can be fixed in time, however.
- Costumes for women: Okay, so we’ve all seen the trailers with Ahsoka and Ventress. That means we’ve all seen their outfits. It’s hard to believe that their costumes are the way they are because, frankly, their outfits are a bit revealing, especially for younger viewers. Although I doubt it will effect your viewing, it’s something that surprised me about this movie. I see no reason why they need to be wearing skimpy clothing.
- Some Humor: As I mentioned above, there was some humor that was good in the movie (some Ahsoka lines, droids, Zirro), but like in the movies, there was also a far share of bad timed humor. It will probably have you laughing, but it’s humor that could be done without.
-No Crawl! While the World War II era news reel thing was nice, I kinda was disappointed not to see the traditional crawl. It’s understandable certainly, but I think seeing it on the TV show, which I’m pretty sure it’s slated to be, will be better.
-Fox Fanfare Absence: Once again, a traditional thing that of course needed to be, but sadly, is gone. Seeing WB is quite weird, but SW fans will get use to it.
The Ugly:
- Nicknames: If you didn’t know, nicknames are heavily used in this movie. While not annoying at first, some nicknames can be considered out of place, although not crude or rude. Children will adore it and it’s fun to think about, at least in Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano), the effort the actors put in to making it funny and enjoyable for children as well as teenagers/adults.
Conclusion:
Overall, I really did enjoy watching this movie and seeing Star Wars again. This may have been helped by going with some of my best friends, but this movie had me thinking “Wow, this wasn’t the greatest movie ever made, but boy, it was fun.” To me, it was the fun an excitement that is, and always will, be Star Wars. I think a lot of people are going in there and putting a lot in to it and not understanding what it is: A primer. No one should have expected to pass the previous movie, but it’s pretty close in my mind. Children and adults will have a good time, although it is a more simple, child oriented story and movie overall. If you’re a Star Wars fan, I believe you will enjoy it, and I also think you might come out with a “meh” feeling, but I’m sure that will change with the series coming this fall.
I give “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” four out of five blazing hot lightsabers.
4.0/5.0 Kath Hounds
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