Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Movie: The Retro Review

So a lot has occurred to the Star Wars franchise within the final 14 years that it may be troublesome to do not forget that the brand new canon really started with Dave Filoni’s Clone Wars cartoon. It was retroactively added into Disney’s new Star Wars tales by advantage of being a reasonably good present helmed by the man who would ultimately be the driving drive behind Star Wars’ live-action TV collection. It might be even tougher to do not forget that The Clone Wars kicked off with a film—a theatrically launched film—that was completely horrible.

The movie, launched in 2018, got here collectively considerably actually when then-head of Lucasfilm George Lucas noticed the footage of the CG cartoon set between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith and have become utterly enamored of it. He steered a smattering of the earliest Clone Wars episodes collectively and releasing it in theaters. If you’re questioning, “Wouldn’t that just feel like four episodes of an after-school Star Wars cartoon smashed together instead of a real movie?” you’ve discovered its first deadly flaw.

While the second, third, and fourth episodes inform one steady story concerning the kidnapping of Jabba the Hutt’s son, the primary is a standalone story about Republic clones preventing a droid military that necessitates Anakin and his new padawan apprentice Ahsoka hiding in a field and creeping down the road like they’re in a Looney Tunes cartoon (or Metal Gear Solid recreation). It’s needlessly goofy, however the “main” story is simply as goofy and feels even smaller in scope.

Count Dooku has kidnapped Jabba’s toddler son Rotta in a needlessly sophisticated plan to border the Jedi and get the crimelord to permit Separatist forces to make use of the interstellar commerce routes in his territory. The Republic additionally desires entry to the commerce routes, in order that they ship Obi-Wan to speak to Jabba, whereas Anakin and Ahsoka monitor down the horrible little slimeball with arms that’s Rotta, a.okay.a. “Stinky.” What could have labored as three episodes of a cartoon turns into a multitude when watched back-to-back, as “plots” shortly come up and resolve themselves. Obi-Wan leaves Tatooine to assist Anakin, however Anakin is already leaving when he will get there. Rotta is sick, however there’s drugs on the ship random ship the Jedi commandeer. A bunch of Grievous’ Magnaguards accost Ahsoka on Tatooine, however she kills them with ease.

Speaking of, Ahsoka has since change into some of the beloved characters to not debut in a live-action film, however I’m not exaggerating after I say she is horrible within the Clone Wars film. It’s not voice actor Ashley Eckstein’s fault, who does the most effective with what she’s given. But what’s she given is dialogue written by 40-year-old males who’re totally assured they understand how a 14-year-old woman talks. It’s atrocious. She calls Anakin “Skyguy” and R2-D2—who already has a really established nickname—“Artooie.” She’s overconfident and pouty and precocious and smarter than everybody generally and dumb as rocks at others.

There’s additionally Ziro, Jabba’s uncle, who seems to be partially chargeable for Rotta’s abduction. He comes throughout as a stereotype, talking Galactic Basic (versus Huttese) with a lisping, high-pitched Southern drawl, based mostly instantly on the overtly homosexual creator Truman Capote. Ziro is roofed in glow-in-the-dark make-up, wears feathers on his head like a Nineteen Twenties flapper headband, and smokes from a protracted cigarette holder. Now, whether or not you’re offended by this or just delighted by the very fact that 2008 Star Wars had any semblance of queer illustration is as much as you, however there’s nonetheless the truth that George Lucas particularly requested that his children’ film embrace a caricature of a author who died greater than 20 years prior.

But that’s hardly Clone Wars’ solely adherence to issues its younger viewers wouldn’t know or probably be interested by. If you’re a fan of the TV collection—as a result of it definitely improved on this regard because it went on—you might not do not forget that the animation and look of Clone Wars was impressed by Nineteen Sixties British marionette exhibits like Thunderbirds and Space Patrol. These puppets have been visibly wood and moved in awkward, janky methods, which have been lovingly and inexplicably recreated within the 2008 cartoon. Sometimes, I swear you possibly can see the woodgrain within the strong chunks that made up the characters.

Again, fortunately, Clone Wars bought higher, each within the animation and storytelling departments. Now it’s remembered for the way it went on to develop Ahsoka Tano into one of many franchise’s most beloved characters, the way it humanized the Clone Troopers, its evolution of the Mandalorians, and so, a lot extra.. Well, not less than till Dave Filoni makes The Book of Boba Fett: Chapter Two, wherein Stinky the Hutt returns to say his father’s throne.

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