Enlarge Lucasfilm/Warner Bros. Pictures Ahsoka Tano engages in battle in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. ABOUT THE MOVIE
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
(* 1/2 out of four)
Voices: Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, Ian Abercrombie, Tom Kane, Anthony Daniels, Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson
Director: Dave Filoni
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Rating: PG for sci-fi action violence throughout, epitome language and momentary smoking
Running proper time: 1 hour, 38 minutes
Opens Friday in the USA
Though I’m hardly the biggest Stars Wars use a fan upon, I have generally enjoyed the franchise. But this CG animated feature feels wooden. Maybe we’ve gotten so used to seeing the live-action versions that the animated tale feels like a pale autograph copy. But it’s not just the format that is the problem.
MORE: Is ‘Clone Wars’ just kids’ stuff?
The story lacks narrative tension. The dialogue is stilted and overblown, a problem in addition in some of the live-action incarnations. That, combined with visuals that consistently lack punch, leaves little to engage us.
The pellicle opens with Jedi knights distressing to restore peace within the galaxy. It revisits favorite characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Queen Amidala and Yoda, as well as villains Count Dooku, Palpatine and General Grievous. Jabba the Hutt has a small, but key, party, as does his son, who becomes a pawn. The reptilian Hutt look is more appealing on a “youngling” than on the adult Jabba. And there is some humor surrounding the young Hutt.
Some of the better scenes involve a cocky Padawan named Ahsoka. Her repartee with Anakin enlivens things
And it’s pleasant to hear some of the actors reprising roles, such as Anthony Daniels as C3PO and Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu, but the dialogue is forgettable.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars may not satisfy any but the very young or the very devoted.
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