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    Star Wars: The Clone Wars

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

    "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" feels like the pilot for a TV show. Not the excellent 2-D animated series by Genndy Tartakovsky; we’re talking about the theatrically-released movie from 2008. Only the most hardcore and undiscriminating fans of the franchise could look past the lackluster animation, writing, and complete lack of excitement. It's a missed opportunity the size of a Death Star.

    Set between “Attack of the Clones” and “Revenge of the Sith”, the film begins with Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker (voiced by Matt Lanter) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (James Arnold Taylor) meeting young Jedi Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein). She's to study under Anakin as his padawan. When they learn that Jabba the Hutt’s son has been kidnapped, the Jedi must find the slugling before the Hutt clan allies itself with Count Dooku (Christopher Lee), his apprentice Asajj Ventress (Nika Futterman), and the rest of the Separatist forces.

    This style of animation and character design isn't inherently bad. It’s nice and simplified, unique but still allows you to easily recognize and distinguish the characters. The problems stem from this world, which is less lively than the toys people say the aliens and knights look like. The settings we travel to are flat, the people, aliens, and objects that inhabit them are uninspired. The movie looks cheap. There are no dust clouds in the desert, no grime or dirt on the battle-worn soldiers, no texture in the ancient temples. The majority of armies we see are composed of identical clones or droids so all we see are the same model copied-and-pasted over and over.

    You would forgive the visuals if the story pushed the envelope or even tried something different. I understand Obi-Wan and Anakin and the main characters of the prequel trilogy, but was it necessary to have them be the characters of this film too? This picture came out in 2008, way after “Revenge of the Sith”. It’s a prequel… to another prequel! How are we supposed to feel tense for characters whose destinies we know fully well?

    Instead, you turn towards the three principal side characters. Ahsoka's a fresh new face with a different lightsaber fighting technique. Her introduction explores a new kind of dynamic we haven't seen before. Also intriguing is Asajj Ventress, who is a cool villain (although you would have no idea who she is based on this movie alone, as she’s just plopped in the middle without any proper introduction). Did I mention three new characters? I guess I have to reluctantly admit that Jabba the Hutt’s son is new, and since he’s never been seen in any other movie there is some theoretical tension as to whether or not it’ll live.

    Though these characters are the film's highlights, it isn't saying much. The bulk of Ahsoka's dialogue is composed of juvenile, generic teenage girl cartoon speak. It’s hard to explain without going into extraneous detail, but if I tell you that she nicknames R2-D2 “Artooie” does that say enough? At least voice actress Ashley Eckstein has some enthusiasm for the part, unlike Samuel L. Jackson reprising his role as Mace Windu. He sounds bored out of his skull.

    I have to assume the series which followed 2008’s “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” was better. Maybe as part of the first season, this would be alright. On its own, no. It’s cheap, uninspired, and unimpressive. You would have to be very young or starving for more “Star Wars” material to sit through this. (On DVD, January 1, 2016)

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    adamwatchesmovies@  28.7.2015 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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