Warner
Rated 'PG' for sci-fi action violence throughout, brief language and momentary smoking.
Is it possible to overcommercialize “Star Wars”? After six live-action films, DVDs, books, comics, video games and merchandise lines that include countless action figures, the latest addition to George Lucas’ cash cow is the animated movie The Clone Wars.
That it was released in theaters implies it’s at a similar level in status to the six blockbuster live-action epics. It isn’t. The under-promoted theatrical exhibition doesn’t amount to much more than a marketing tool for Cartoon Network’s animated “Clone Wars” cartoon and spinoff toy line. The movie is really little more than a pilot for the series, and plays like a marathon of several episodes. The plot gives us battle after battle, and once the film seems to run out of steam, it offers another half hour (episode) to wrap things up. The pacing is reminiscent of similar projects such as the direct-to-video “Futurama” movies that are clearly paced to be broken into episodes. The Clone Wars will probably meet a similar fate.
The movie takes place during the famed Clone Wars set between Episode II and Episode III, territory briefly covered in the earlier “Clone Wars” cartoon shorts produced by Genndy Tartakovsky, and also in several books and comics. In fact, the movie has the feeling of such spinoff material, offering several sly references to established “Star Wars” mythology that often originate from creators more observant of and reverential toward the “Star Wars” universe than Lucas seems to be.
The story involves Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi being assigned the task of tracking down Jabba the Hutt’s kidnapped son. Failure to do so could jeopardize the Galactic Republic’s access to shipping lanes in the wake of the military expansion of Count Dooku’s Separatist forces. Along for the ride is Anakin’s new Padawan apprentice, Ahsoka, an impetuous youngling clearly designed to appeal to younger viewers. Her absence in Episode III probably yields some clue to her ultimate fate in the series.
How episodic is the plot? First, Anakin and Obi-Wan must lead their clone troopers to victory in battle on one planet, only to turn around and attempt to rescue Jabba’s son, leading to another battle. Then they must deal with Dooku’s behind-the-scene’s dealings with Jabba, while the audience tries to keep track of which characters and ships are supposed to be where. The pacing is so uneven that central characters such as Padmé Amidala and C-3PO don’t even appear until the final act. She volunteers to negotiate with Jabba’s uncle Ziro the Hutt, a laughable combination of Boss Hogg and Truman Capote.
The Clone Wars has the disadvantage of an audience that knows the fates of most of the major characters. The six live-action films at least encase their stories within grander themes and story arcs befitting a cinematic experience. The Clone Wars is more an attempt to fill in details of a time frame most fans will be more or less familiar with. As a “Star Wars” story, it doesn’t really contradict anything, but it’s also hampered by the constraints of not being able to further any grandiose changes to the bigger picture presented in the core saga of films. The biggest digression is a musical score by Kevin Kiner that, while servicing the film adequately in its own right, is a dramatic departure from the musical identity of the saga established by John Williams.
As a half-hour cartoon for the pre-teen set, it should work just fine, and probably better, than a long-form format. Fans will find it an amusing, inoffensive diversion.
