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"Star Wars: The Clone Wars" Review and Trailer

by Jane Boursaw on August 16th, 2008

It’s a good thing I had my 14-year-old son, Will, with me on this movie, because he was a valuable source of information. Sure, I’ve seen all of the Star Wars movies at least a few times, but things gets fuzzy after the first three movies (which, in reality, are the fourth, fifth, and sixth movies).

These continuing Star Wars movies are like trying to fit together pieces of a puzzle. I wonder if we’ll continue getting installments that take place between various “Star Wars” movies, or maybe even during “Star Wars” movies (like, for example, an entire movie devoted to Yoda’s time in the Degoba System).

More after the jump…

It’s not a bad thing. Like the Tolkien trilogy, the Star Wars films cover a vast number of characters, generations and star systems. It takes some effort to keep up with who goes where and why. I realize now this is why I had my son 14 years ago. My future self likely whispered to my former self that I’d need his vast “Star Wars” knowledge at some point.

Stars Wars: The Clone Wars is an animated movie which takes place between Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (the second movie in the franchise) and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (the third movie). “Attack of the Clones” ended with various factions still at war. This movie picks up with the war still in full throttle, and the noble Jedi Knights are doing their best to maintain order.

Still, more and more systems are falling prey to the Dark Side, as the Separatists and their droid armies gain more control over the Galactic Republic.

Anakin Skywalker (voiced by Matt Lanter) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (James Arnold Taylor) are fending off the evil forces, but when a Padawan learner, Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) arrives on the order of Master Yoda (Tom Kane), they’re both surprised to learn she’ll be working under the tutelage of Anakin, not Obi-Wan. Anakin and Ahsoka butt heads immediately, but their disdain for each other soon turns to friendly banter, as they keep trying to one-up the other in skillful fighting maneuvers.

Anakin and Ahsoka are on a quest — to find the kidnapped baby of Jabba the Hutt (Kevin Michael Richardson) as a show of good faith and, hopefully, earn Jabba’s permission to use his vast trade routes. The baby, whom they name “Stinky,” is a cute little thing. Feels odd to say that, given that it’s the offspring of the blobbish Jabba.

Meanwhile, Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) and his minnions, including Asajj Ventress, (Nika Futterman) are doing their best to work all the angles.

Overall, Clone Wars is a good movie for kids and Star Wars buffs, but I’m not sure it’ll play well for everyone else. I fall into that second category (ok, maybe the first, too), because I was giddy at the thought of seeing a new Star Wars movie with stormtroopers, droids, explosions and laser blasts, animated or not.

As for the animation, it’s good, but it seems a lot like World of Warcraft animation (which, again, I’m familiar with because of the 14-year-old). I wonder if that’s the trend these days. Actually, I kept wishing “Clones Wars” was a live action movie, and I wonder why George Lucas chose to do animation (if you know, tell us in the comments section). I’m sure cost probably factored into it. In my mind, this would have fared better as a direct-to-DVD movie.

Check out the trailer: