EVEN DeepER Blurting!: DBNS: Just a Clone Call Away

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DBNS: Just a Clone Call Away

Posted by Kenneth Morgan on 10/15/2008, 11:36 pm

Today, Kenneth Morgan certainly doesn’t have a bad feeling about this.
*****
You know, after ROTS opened, I felt a bit disappointed. Not in the movie (which was absolutely great), but with the news that this would be the last “Star Wars” theatrical release. Sure, I soon heard about the upcoming new TV shows, and I really didn’t buy George Lucas’ assertion that he wouldn’t go on to make Episodes VII, VIII, IX, etc. But it was a bit sad that I might end up having to watch new “Star Wars” stories exclusively on the small screen. Turns out I was wrong.

This past summer, I got treated to a new “Star Wars” theatrical movie. It’s finished its theatrical run, it’s due on home video next month, I liked it a lot, and it’s our subject for today. It’s “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”, released by Warner Brothers (not 20th Century Fox) in 2008.

The story opens with the Clone Wars (begun in AOC) in full swing. A quick prologue reveals that the Grand Army of the Republic needs to use hyperspace routes controlled by the criminal Hutts in their fight against Count Dooku’s Separatists. However, unknown forces have kidnapped, Rutta, Jabba the Hutt’s son, and Jabba won’t allow the GAR anything until Rutta is returned safe. So, as could be expected, it’s up to Obi-Wan Kenobi (voiced by James Arnold Taylor) and Anakin Skywalker (voiced by Matt Lanter) to save the hostage.

There are several problems, though. First, our heroes and their clonetroopers are under siege from a Separatist droid army on the planet Christophsis. Second, we soon learn (but aren’t surprised) that Dooku (voiced by Christopher Lee) and his faithful assassin Asajj Ventriss (voiced by Nika Futterman) are behind the kidnapping. And, third, Anakin’s has another responsibility placed upon him by Jedi Master Yoda (voiced by Tom Kane): an eager young Jedi apprentice called Ahsoka Tano (voiced by Ashley Eckstein), who shares Ani’s healthy ego but little of his experience.

Well, I don’t think I’m giving much away in revealing that our heroes find a way out of their situation on Christophsis. So, they split up. Kenobi heads to Tatooine to bargain with Jabba for use of the routes. Meanwhile, Anakin, Ahsoka, R2-D2 (voiced by himself) and a group of clonetroopers head for a seemingly-abandoned monastery on Teth, where the kidnappers have been traced. Once there, more problems present themselves. There’s another group of battledroids waiting for them. There’s Ventriss, who’s obsessed with killing her old enemy Skywalker. There’s the continued machinations of Dooku and his Sith master, Darth Sidious (voiced by Ian Abercrombie). And there’s the fact that the captive Rutta isn’t exactly what Ani and Ahsoka were expecting. And I haven’t even gotten to a bit of skullduggery on Coruscant that Ani’s secret wife Padme (voiced by Catherine Taylor) and good old Threepio (voiced, of course, by Anthony Daniels) have to deal with.

Okay, first of all, this movie is, technically, not really a movie, like “Riding with Death” or the “Master Ninja” entries. It’s actually the first three episodes of the new “Clone Wars” TV series cut together. This explains the movie’s episodic nature. Now, I’m saying this just to give background. I don’t mean it to be a detriment, because, unlike the previously-mentioned “movies”, this one is quite good.

Like the previous “Clone Wars” carton series from animator Genndy Tartakovsky, this one, directed by Dave Filoni, serves as a kind of Episode 2 ½ (or 2.5, for you digitally-minded folks) in the “Star Wars” series. Thus, Ani has yet to go all Darth on us and the clonetroopers are good guys. There is a change, though, in the style of presentation. Unlike the traditional cell animation of the earlier shows, “The Clone Wars” uses 3-D computer animation, which works pretty well. Another interesting touch (which I learned after seeing the movie) was that the characters are purposely animated in a style reminiscent of the puppets of the beloved Supermarionation shows like “Thunderbirds”. This takes a bit of getting used to, but I didn’t mind. Apart from that, the animation is fine, with some truly amazing battle sequences, like a vertical cliff battle on Teth.

Turning to the script by Henry Gilroy, Steven Melching and Scott Murphy, you have to remember that this was meant for kids (or those who can still think like kids). By that, I mean that the edgy, gritty feel that we see in so many current adventure movies isn’t there. There’s also a lack of the more tragic aspects of the prequels, though we do see brief hints of Anakin’s darker side. Basically, the movie is meant to be a nice bit of fast-paced entertainment (some times, a bit too fast) for the younger fan, and it really works. They also throw in a few neat bits of comedy (primarily from the rather dim battledroids) and even some character development, particularly in the way we end up rooting for the brave clones like Cody and Rex, even though we know they’ll eventually be back-shooting Jedi in the streets.

The voice work in the movie is also good, particularly by Taylor as Obi-wan and Lee as Dooku. Eckstein is good as the young and impetuous Ahsoka, while Lanter gives Ani his usual whine, but toned down, given his new authority. Samuel L. Jackson also returns briefly as Mace Windu, and I can’t imagine anyone else but Anthony Daniels as Threepio. I should also mention the music by Kevin Kiner. He uses many of the familiar John Williams themes, but also adds some more unusual music for a “Star Wars” entry, particularly an exotic-sounding score for the monastery sequences.

In all likelihood, you’ve heard that there are a number of “Star Wars” fans who don’t agree with my favorable opinion of “The Clone Wars”. Their criticisms range from matters of personal taste (they didn’t like the music) to divergences from the recognized norm (it opens with a prologue narration, rather than a roll-up) to the usual petty bickering (Lucas raped my childhood). I’ve taken stock of this criticism and I try to consider the source. One the one hand, for example, I spoke to a co-owner of a comic book shop in nearby Somerville who wasn’t real big on the movie, but he was reasonable and good-natured about it, so I have no problem. On the other hand, there are those big-time critics who panned the movie, but you can recognize their glee in getting to rip up something from George Lucas again, so I tend to brush aside such reviews. And, regarding those on-line “fans” who said ‘The Clone Wars” was worse than the notorious “Star Wars Holiday Special”, those people are clearly insane and should seek professional assistance at their earliest opportunity.

On the whole, I wasn’t expecting Episode VII. I wasn’t looking for the absolute, ultimate “Star Wars” movie. I wasn’t looking for an examination of Anakin Skywalker’s tortured psyche. I just wanted to go see a new “Star Wars” movie in a theater and have a good time. Which is what I did. I can easily recommend “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”, especially for the younger fans who really don’t care whether they used the right color for Obi-Wan’s lightsaber blade.

Well, that’s the new animated “Star Wars”. I haven’t heard anything lately about the new live action “Star Wars” TV series Lucasfilm is developing. Any chance that’ll make the big screen, too?

CONTENT NOTE: While the movie is meant for kids, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” is rated PG for the sometimes intense battle sequences. It’s about on the same level as the non-ROTS entries, so it’s probably manageable.

CONNECTIONS NOTE: Matthew Wood (who voiced the battledroids), Christopher Lee (Dooku) and Samuel L. Jackson (Windu) all appeared in the previously-reviewed ROTS. In addition, Lee has numerous MST and DBNS credits, while Jackson had it those motherf-----g snakes in the previously-reviewed “Snakes on a Plane”. Corey Burton (who voices two characters), James Arnold Taylor (Kenobi) and Tom Kane (Yoda) all provided voices in the previously-reviewed original “Clone Wars” animated series. Anthony Daniels (Threepio) appeared in all of the “Star Wars” entries I’ve reviewed. Outside of “Star Wars”, Burton provided some ADR work for the KTMA show “Hangar 18”, while composer Kevin Kiner worked on the previously-reviewed “Wing Commander”. And co-scripter Steven Melching worked on the previously reviewed “Free Enterprise”, as well as the legendary fan film “Troops”, which featured a guest appearance by Tom Servo.