Star Wars: The Clone Wars Review

Star Wars: The Clone Wars


Release Date: 14th August 2008 - Australia


Production Companies
Lucasfilm Animation
Lucasfilm Ltd.


Genre: Animation/Family/

Sci-Fi

Rating: PG

Runtime: 98 minutes


Budget: $8,500,000

Box Office Gross: $68,282,844 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
While the galaxy gets ravaged by the Clone Wars, the son of Jabba the Hutt gets kidnapped, and the notorious crime leader has no choice but to turn to the Jedi and Republic in need of assistance. It is up to Anakin Skywalker and his new Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, to get

through this risky task of

rescuing the young Hutt

into the frontlines and from

the clutches of the Separatist

leader Count Dooku and his

assassin Asajj Ventress.


Voice Cast
Matt Lanter - Anakin Skywalker
Ashley Eckstein - Ahsoka Tano
James Arnold Taylor - Obi-

Wan Kenobi/4A-7
Tom Kane - Yoda/Narrator/
Admiral Yularen
Christopher Lee - Count Dooku
Dee Bradley Baker - Captain
Rex/Commander Cody/Clone
Troopers
Samuel L. Jackson - Mace Windu
Nika Futterman - Asajj

Ventress/TC-70
Anthony Daniels - C-3PO
Ian Abercrombie - Supreme
Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious
Catherine Tabor - Padmé

Amidala
Corey Burton - Ziro the Hutt/
Whorm Loathsom/Kronos-327
David Acord - Rotta the Huttlet
Kevin Michael Richardson -
Jabba the Hutt
Matthew Wood - Battle Droids

Crew
Development Artist/Director -
Dave Filoni
Based on Characters &
Universe (Uncredited)/

Executive Producer - George

Lucas
Writers - Henry Gilroy,
Steven Melching and Scott Murphy
Producer - Catherine Winder
Art/Animation Directors - Kevin Jong and Jesse Yeh
Designers - Russel G. Chong and Darren Marshall
Character Designer - Sergio Paez
Character Supervisor - Mark Therrell
Animation Supervisor - Phillip Stamp
Animation Consultant - Rob Coleman
Sequence Directors - Dave Bullock and
George Samilski
Layout Supervisor - Adam Schnitzer
Visual Effects Supervisor - Matthew Gidney
Film Editor - Jason Tucker

Sound Designer/Sound Editor - David Acord

Supervising Sound Editor - Matthew Wood

Dialogue Editor - Cheryl Nardi

Foley Editor & Mixer - Frank Rinella

Foley Artists - Ellen Heuer,

John Roesch, Dennie Thorpe and

Jana Vance

Re-Recording/Sound Mixer - Juan Peralta

Composer: Star Wars Theme - John Williams
Music - Kevin Kiner


Review
STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS managed to start the highly-rated animated TV series of the same name that later aired on the Cartoon Network channel. Releasing this extended pilot on the big screen was not a good idea, especially when its plot feels like three episodes are mashed together to create an attempt at a full-length feature. It proved more contentious to fans than the prequel trilogy, mainly due to its tone, writing and animation. I finally understood why critics hated the film so much that they compared it to a Saturday morning cartoon.

While not a bad introduction to the series, the movie still has flaws. The dialogue is occasionally juvenile, which may be cringe-worthy. I'm no fan of Ahsoka Tano, though the female character was good as she got better in the series. I do like the film's artistic animation style and the voice performances of Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker (I think his portrayal is better than Hayden Christensen's). I'm surprised a few actors (apart from Anthony Daniels as C-3PO) from the previous Star Wars movies, including Christopher Lee and Samuel L. Jackson, have returned to do the voices for this one.

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS was quite decent, but it would have been good if it aired instead as a TV movie or a three-part episode or went straight to video. However, it's not too late to miss this film when you watch it in the chronological order of the Clone Wars show, whether you're a Star Wars fan or not.

Star rating: (3/5) Average

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