Title: Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Release Date: 2008
Director: Dave Filoni
Summary/Review:
Feeling all Star Wars-ish lately, I decided to watch this animated movie set in between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Obi Wan and Anakin are leading clone armies into battle against the separatists and have to negotiate a treaty with Jabba the Hutt and have a padawan Ahsoka Tano delivered into their midst. The animation allows for visual sequences that might not be possible/plausible in a live-action film, although some of the battle sequences remind me of 1980s GI Joe or Transformers cartoons (which may be good or bad depending on how much you enjoyed them). I thought that the character work was pretty strong especially the interactions between Obi Wan and Anakin and Anakin and Ahsoka. Much better than in the prequel trilogy where characterization and development was given short shrift. But really this movie is worth watching for the scene in which R2-D2 basically uses a Baby Bjorn to carry Jabba the Hutt’s son.
If that’s not weird enough, we also meet Ziro the Hutt, Jabba’s uncle who is coded as being fabulously gay with the voice of Truman Capote. Padme is introduced late into the story, and while it’s good to see her, she is swiftly taken captive and doesn’t add much to the story. But I found myself enjoying this movie despite myself. I hear that the spinoff series is better, so I may give that a watch.
Rating: **1/2
Panorama of the Mountains 