Star Wars: Clone Wars, Vol. 1 – Review

Posted by Samuel Walters

Overview:

“Star Wars: Clone Wars” was as a series of very short (two to three minutes) cartoon episodes detailing the intergalactic strife which took place between the end of Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. The initial series ran in two separate seasons of ten episodes each. The first season debuted in November 2003 and was followed by the second season in March 2004. The series had a distinct style, designed by Genndy Tartakovsky and it employed a liberal use of hyperbole – both in terms of animation and storytelling. At the time, it was a fairly well-received show, with plenty of action and even a few character moments.

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Analysis & Criticism

The short time limits for each episode didn’t seem to diminish the show’s effectiveness in telling a good story. But for the DVD release, each chapter has been edited together to create an hour-long film, eliminating the original episodic nature of the series. The result is a narrative that is, at times, disjointed – which diminishes the overall impact of the show. And now, with a brand new CGI variation on the series, one has to wonder how relevant this series will remain. Regardless of whether or not it does so, one thing is certain: for big fans of Star Wars, Clone Wars will always remain a “must-see” event. But for everyone else? They can pass it by and not miss a whole heckuva lot.

Part of the success of Clone Wars was that it gave audiences what they felt was missing from the second Star Wars prequel, Attack of the Clones: War. Indeed, in Attack of the Clones, we witness merely the opening salvo in what was an epic conflict. And with the release of the third prequel, Revenge of the Sith, only showing the final moments of the war, the narrative of Clone Wars became all the more important for Star Wars fans, filling in the very noticeable gaps left by the film franchise. This meant that the cartoon series, at least in terms of action, of seeing the devastating effects of the Clone Wars, was quite welcome in Star Wars fandom. What’s more, with all of the action, there was the potential to catch the interest of even less fanatic fans.

But the primary barrier to anyone’s enjoyment of the series is its extensive use of hyperbole (purposeful exaggeration). For starters, the animation style itself turns all of the familiar Star Wars characters into caricatures that range from intriguing to nearly laughable. And truth be told, while the style does run the risk of turning off viewers, it can be easily overlooked. More threatening to the series is the hyperbole of the action sequences – which are well beyond the “realism” (and I use that term loosely) presented in the film franchise. This happens from start to finish and if a viewer is looking for the true devastation that the Clone Wars wrought upon the galaxy, they will be disappointed by the heavy-handed approach in the cartoon.

But with all of that said, there is much to praise with the series. The action, though hyperbolic, is indeed worthy of the Star Wars brand with plenty of battles in space, on land, and even in the seas of various planets scattered across the galaxy. One benefit of the disjointed narrative is that we’re given glimpses of numerous battles on planets such as Mon Calamari, Hypori, Ilum, and Dantooine, following the exploits of Yoda, Ki-Adi Mundi, Kit Fisto, Luminara Unduli, and Mace Windu. Outside of the hyperbole, each battle is fairly well-done, and highly entertaining.

But the main focus of the show is Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi as they do battle with the forces of the Banking Clan on the planet Muunilinst. This is about as close as we get to seeing the true consequences of war as the battle takes place in and around a dense city. The scenes are an opportunity to not only see the two Jedi as war heroes, but also to showcase the exploits of the various Clone Troopers which are under the command of General Kenobi and Commander Skywalker. And in some sense, it’s a tradeoff that is to the detriment of the show. More attention to the characters of Kenobi and Skywalker would have grounded the exaggerated animation and action in a way that would have given the stories a much more timeless and universal appeal.

What little character development occurs happens by way of the villains both Kenobi and Skywalker face. This is actually a good idea – nothing reveals true character quite like adversity. And so when we see Kenobi dueling with a character that foreshadows General Grievous, named Durge, we learn that indeed he is a much more powerful warrior than we have seen in the films. And his final defeat of Durge is certainly entertaining.

But the lion’s share of attention is paid to Anakin Skywalker. In a series of smaller scenes, we see Count Dooku and Darth Sidious recruit a potential new apprentice – a powerful female warrior by the name of Asajj Ventress. Using a gladiator-style approach, the show lets Ventress demonstrate her prowess in such a way as to try and establish her as a worthy foil for Anakin. Under regular circumstances, it should seem highly implausible that a rogue character, with no formal training, could possibly challenge The Chosen One, who has had over a decade of rigorous Jedi training. But the surprise is that, because of the hyperbolic approach, Ventress does come across as a potential rival for Anakin – even if we know that such an idea is ludicrous.

In any event, the two first confront one another in the space battle above Muunilinst. Luring Anakin away, Ventress leads him to the jungles of Yavin VI. There the two do battle with lightsabers in the signature sequences of the show. From the trees to the ruins to the edge of drop off, the duel is impressive and it serves one very important purpose in terms of character: to show Anakin once again tapping into the Dark Side. With Ventress on the verge of defeating Anakin, with the red gas giant hovering symbolically in the background, he uses his anger, steals one of her two lightsabers and goes on a blistering offensive, eventually striking her down …

The show ends with a very tantalizing cliffhanger: the introduction of General Grievous. Once again, the sequences need to be taken with a grain of salt, but Grievous is certainly portrayed as a formidable, and lethal, opponent for the Jedi. The final scene shows the General hovering ominously over an almost-certainly doomed Ki-Adi Mundi. The question of his survival is settled in Star Wars: Clone Wars, Volume 2 …

Overall Grade: C+

“Clone Wars, Vol. 1” is without a doubt a fun, entertaining hour of television – especially if you’re a Star Wars fan. And there is enough new information for it to be a worthwhile investment of time. But if you’re looking for something to revitalize the prequels, or Star Wars in general – or even something to create legions of new Star Wars fans – then you won’t find it here. In which case, you might as well enjoy “Clone Wars” for what it is: a chance to revisit and explore the Star Wars universe in a setting (the Clone Wars) that many think ought to have been part of the films.

Topics: TV Reviews
Filed under: Clone Wars