Clone Wars

I just saw Star Wars: Clone Wars tonight. It was pretty awesome. I'm still partial to the Cartoon Network Clone Wars cartoon, but the movie was still very entertaining.

I do have a few gripes though (warning: spoilers):

Firstly, no intro scroll.
For me, it's not a Star Wars movie without a scroll. The Cartoon Network Clone Wars didn't have a scroll, but it was only an hour long each season. Forgiven there, not here. This feature length film replaced the scroll with a narrative intro that just didn't satisfy me.

Second, lost continuity.
This film falls into the Clone Wars timeline fairly well as far as I can tell without looking up an online timeline. Although, it conflicts with some of the elements from the Cartoon Network version. I loved how the Cartoon Network version led perfectly into the third movie and this one led on to more stories which I recently found out will be supplemented by a weekly television show... I know I won't be able to keep up.

Third, weak and strong voice acting.
I loved that Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, and Anthony Daniels (and Matthew Wood?) all voiced their respective characters for this movie, but the big question is "will they commit to a weekly television show?" If so, great, but if they can't I fear the quality will only further diminish. I also was very disappointed in the choice of voice acting for Anakin. The actor gave Anakin a strength that isn't seen in the movies (or is it that I am disappointed in Hayden Christensen's portrayal of Anakin, I don't know...). The actor voicing Obi-Wan did a good job, capturing the timbre and pacing of both Sir Alec Guinness and Ewan McGregor.

Fourth, new character.

I took a day to write this because I wanted to let the new character sink in a bit, but I'm still indifferent about the new character to the Star Wars Universe. Ahsoka Tano is Anakin's new padawan and is almost like Anakin except female, and non human. Generally the vibe I get from this is to make Anakin grow up, but from the movies there wasn't much growth from Anakin between episondes II and III, so it doesn't really work for me. That and the weird nick names they use throughout the movie once she arrives. She calls Anakin "Skyguy" and R2D2 "Artooey," I'm just not ready for such a change in the Star Wars universe I guess.


All in all, the movie is a good Star Wars romp, but for die hard SW fans it could disappoint. But I think it's too late, Lucas put his stamp of approval on it and now we just have to live with it. I guess I can embrace it.

Tomorrow: Tropic Thunder.