Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Directed by David Filoni
Starring the voices of Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, and Samuel L. Jackson
Even for a wounded STAR WARS fan like me, the arrival of an ongoing Star Wars cartoon seems long-past overdue. I had given up anticipating a televised Star Wars years ago, thinking that any future interpretations, like the prequels, wouldn’t entertain me as an adult. About 15 minutes into CLONE WARS (George Lucas’ indulgent theatrical release of his animated series coming to Cartoon Network) I was almost put to sleep. About 30 minutes into this movie I was digging it. About 60 minutes in I was actually entertained.
The first story-arc is a series of action pieces that belonged in an FMV instead of at the local multiplex. Fortunately, due to it’s target pre-teen audience, it moves so fast that it’s over before you blink. In the midst of all this robot fire and lightsaber gymnastics, we are made to understand that Anakin Skywalker, inexplicably, is given a Padawan of his own. (Some Yoda philosophical crap about teaching him something or other. I don’t know, I stopped caring about the mechanics of Star Wars around ATTACK OF THE CLONES.) Just when I think the film is about to join the rest of the prequel stories and hop right over the Gungan shark, it turns the corner instead. It becomes an inspired little chase movie, highlighted by some of the things that makes Star Wars STAR WARS: visual ingenuity, a nimble sense of humor and a playful sense of fortuity. In the process it felt more right than wrong and more Star Wars than anything to my recent memory.
Preferably, showcasing their knack for manipulation here, Senator Palapatine and Count Dooku frame the Jedi for kidnapping the offspring of Jabba The Hutt. With Jabba overseeing a critical trade route on Tattoine, this is now officially a political problem for the Federation. Not realizing they’ve been duped, Anakin and his new apprentice, Ahsoka set out to bring Baby the Hutt back to his (?!) father.
Ahsoka along with, Sith, Asajj Ventress are two solid additions to the series. They lean more favorably towards Darth Maul than Jar Jar as far as new characters go. They’re confrontation also leads to a nice little homage to the Asteroid scene in EMPIRE.
Of all the new characters introduced in CLONE WARS, the most surprising is…Anakin Skywalker. He’s a completely different and much more watchable character here than before. Director, Filoni (wisely plucked from Nickelodeon’s AVATAR series) and, screenwriter, Henry Gilroy, play him as a young man with a secret. He’s already returned home to his dead mother and a saber covered in sand and blood. He never shows his cards, even when he inevitably warms up to Ahsoka by the films end. In spite of some contradictions, It’s a well-voiced character with plenty of potential.
In spite of some harsh, post-INDY 4 criticism, STAR WARS CLONE WARS remains upbeat even though it has to keep in-step with its convoluted back-story. It’s not an achievement in motion picture animation but it is a notable step for kid’s television.
Directed by David Filoni
Starring the voices of Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, and Samuel L. Jackson
Even for a wounded STAR WARS fan like me, the arrival of an ongoing Star Wars cartoon seems long-past overdue. I had given up anticipating a televised Star Wars years ago, thinking that any future interpretations, like the prequels, wouldn’t entertain me as an adult. About 15 minutes into CLONE WARS (George Lucas’ indulgent theatrical release of his animated series coming to Cartoon Network) I was almost put to sleep. About 30 minutes into this movie I was digging it. About 60 minutes in I was actually entertained.
The first story-arc is a series of action pieces that belonged in an FMV instead of at the local multiplex. Fortunately, due to it’s target pre-teen audience, it moves so fast that it’s over before you blink. In the midst of all this robot fire and lightsaber gymnastics, we are made to understand that Anakin Skywalker, inexplicably, is given a Padawan of his own. (Some Yoda philosophical crap about teaching him something or other. I don’t know, I stopped caring about the mechanics of Star Wars around ATTACK OF THE CLONES.) Just when I think the film is about to join the rest of the prequel stories and hop right over the Gungan shark, it turns the corner instead. It becomes an inspired little chase movie, highlighted by some of the things that makes Star Wars STAR WARS: visual ingenuity, a nimble sense of humor and a playful sense of fortuity. In the process it felt more right than wrong and more Star Wars than anything to my recent memory.
Preferably, showcasing their knack for manipulation here, Senator Palapatine and Count Dooku frame the Jedi for kidnapping the offspring of Jabba The Hutt. With Jabba overseeing a critical trade route on Tattoine, this is now officially a political problem for the Federation. Not realizing they’ve been duped, Anakin and his new apprentice, Ahsoka set out to bring Baby the Hutt back to his (?!) father.
Ahsoka along with, Sith, Asajj Ventress are two solid additions to the series. They lean more favorably towards Darth Maul than Jar Jar as far as new characters go. They’re confrontation also leads to a nice little homage to the Asteroid scene in EMPIRE.
Of all the new characters introduced in CLONE WARS, the most surprising is…Anakin Skywalker. He’s a completely different and much more watchable character here than before. Director, Filoni (wisely plucked from Nickelodeon’s AVATAR series) and, screenwriter, Henry Gilroy, play him as a young man with a secret. He’s already returned home to his dead mother and a saber covered in sand and blood. He never shows his cards, even when he inevitably warms up to Ahsoka by the films end. In spite of some contradictions, It’s a well-voiced character with plenty of potential.
In spite of some harsh, post-INDY 4 criticism, STAR WARS CLONE WARS remains upbeat even though it has to keep in-step with its convoluted back-story. It’s not an achievement in motion picture animation but it is a notable step for kid’s television.
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