When I first heard that there was going to be a movie version of the new CGI-animated series The Clone Wars, I got really excited. After all, here was another chance to see Star Wars on the big screen! I thought after Episode III, that was it, but no!  Here was another chance for a possible midnight show (although that didn’t end up happening - oh well.)But for some reason, most of the other Star Wars fans I spoke to were less than ecstatic about this new movie. It wasn’t “real” Star Wars, they reasoned. This was just a cartoon.

Kids stuff.

Well, those people are both right and wrong. The Clone Wars is, unarguably, more designed for a younger audience. But not in an over the top, Jar Jar Binks stepping in Bantha poo-doo kind of way; rather in more of a Harry Potter sort of way.  Death is a real theme in those novels and movies, and kids today in general aren’t being talked down to.  “Young adult” has come to be a lot more “adult” than “young.”

Still, there are things about The Clone Wars that hardcore fanboys won’t like: the way the battle droids are used for constant laughs (although I should mention that “Roger roger!” was NOT used to death as I had feared), the way that Ashoka Tano, Anakin’s new apprentice calls Anakin “Sky-guy,” and Artoo “Artooie,” and of course, there’s the matter of the Hutt family.

There have been a lot of gripes about the Hutts in this movie, and while I understand that seeing Jabba’s son (aka Stinky, aka the Hutt-lette) was a little jarring at first, plot wise it totally makes sense; Jabba controls the Outer Rim, and the Republic wants him as an ally, so they seek to reclaim his kidnapped son to get in his good graces.  Although as it turns out, the Separatists were behind the plot in the first place, and were hoping to further splinter the Republic by forcing them to fight the Hutts as well as the Separatists.

As the Hutt plot is being explained, Anakin and Obi-Wan are off fighting a battle, and Anakin is given a new Padawan.  The further exploration of the character of Anakin is, I think, one of the primary draws of this series.  In the live-action movies, we see how powerful Anakin is, but only in glimpses.  And the guy is, after all, the Chosen One, so it makes sense that he would have kicked all kinds of ass during the Clone Wars.  But not only is there potential for cool battle scenes, this movie and TV show provides the opportunity to see Anakin as a good man, a good friend to Obi-Wan, and a good Jedi.  And part of being a good Jedi is teaching new Jedi the ways of the Force.

Ashoka is bound to rub some people the wrong way, but I liked her, and the way that she interacted with Anakin.  Skywalker was not the easiest apprentice for Obi-Wan, and now Anakin is learning first-hand what it is like to try to teach a stubborn and head-strong student. In the movie, he is at times frustrated with her, but he also becomes protective of his new Padawan, and their relationship has a lot of room for growth.  Of course, the fact that she is not in Episode III doesn’t bode well for her, but perhaps her downfall will provide further motivation for Anakin’s slip into the dark side.

Ashoka is the only new main cast member in the film, and all of the familiar Episode II and II guys and gals are all there.  Asajj Ventress, Count Dooku’s apprentice that was introduced in the Cartoon Network Clone wars series, returns as a main villain.  Apparently, she did not die when Anakin force-pushed her off the cliff in that series.   (As an aside, those cartoons had their fun parts, some great moments that set-up the opening of Ep. III, and that very cool scene where Anakin is “knighted.”  That said, I can see why George Lucas said they were too “cartoon-y.” All of the characters can more or less fly, and Mace Windu dispatched entire armies of battle droids single-handedly.  But I like the fact that they kept some elements of that series in with the new one.)  Most of the voice actors are new, with the exceptions of Christopher “As-long-as-I-don’t-have-to-do-back-flips” Lee, Anthony “No-one-else-can-ever-voice-Threepio-EVER” Daniels, and Samuel L. “Why-yes-as-a-matter-of-fact-I’d-love-to-be-in-your-new-movie” Jackson.  But the new actors all do fine jobs, and none of the characters sounded particularly off.

Of course, the visuals are amazing, and the battle scenes really showed off what they can do with CGI animation.  Obi-Wan’s beard could have used a little more movement, but maybe he just has stiff facial hair.   My biggest complaint with the movie has to be Jabba’s uncle.  I don’t want to spoil it, but when you meet him, you’ll know what I mean.  He was just too over the top, and his story wasn’t necessary to the plot except as a way to shoehorn Padmé and Threepio into the action.

Overall, The Clone Wars was really enjoyable, and if you are able to tap into the kid in you to enjoy some silly moments, you’ll be in for a treat.  The action was fun, the animation was good, and the stories and characters that were introduced have a lot of potential in their new upcoming series.  There will likely be some more missteps along the way, like with Jabba’s uncle, but I have faith that those will be the exception as opposed to the rule, and that the majority of the show will be pretty damn cool.

Alan’s Score: 8.1 out of 10