Why The 2008 'Clone Wars' Movie Is A Good Movie

It is safe to say that almost everybody, if not all, who watched the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series enjoyed it thoroughly - from the profound exposition and humanization of the clone troopers, revelation of a murkier side of the Jedi Order amid the war, and incorporation of numerous engaging story arcs, it is rather hard to imagine that the series had a controversially rocky start in the form of the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie, a production that garnered only 18% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, despite its flaws and well-justified criticism, The Clone Wars movie certainly has its merits and is holistically a good movie.

Bringing Animated Star Wars Back Under The Spotlight

Aside from the prequel trilogy, the only primary Star Wars production was the 2003 Clone Wars animated micro-series that ran until 2005. With the series being a success, The Clone Wars movie was undoubtedly a most intriguing addition with its new animation style, making it highly anticipated. The animation style was influenced by the popular maquettes of the 1960s seen in shows like Thunderbirds. While the storyline and character development were argued by many to be rushed and somewhat problematic, it paved the way for the return of animated Star Wars that enticed even those who think animated productions are "only for kids." While the movie's animation quality is nowhere near the quality of The Clone Wars Season 7 and The Bad Batch, it was certainly impressive in 2008.

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Resurfacing Familiar Faces And Introducing New Characters

The Clone Wars movie saw the return of fan favorites, including but not limited to Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Count Dooku, and Asajj Ventress. The film also introduced new characters that stood the test of time with further, all-rounded development in The Clone Wars animated series, such as the tenacious clone Captain Rex and budding Padawan Ahsoka Tano.

An (Arguably) Good Balance Between A Mature And Childish Tone

It is understandable that in the pursuit of appealing to audiences of both children and adults, The Clone Wars movie attempted to strike a balance between a mature and childish tone throughout the film's storytelling. Opening with the Battle of Christophsis that showed the brutal side and casualties of war, appropriately-placed breaks relaxed the movie's pace with humor and banter between the protagonists. However, the latter may be seen as a bit over the top, such as the battle droids on Teth.

"Concentrate fire on Sector 11374265!" - Unidentified battle droid commander.

Introduction Of Ahsoka Tano

The introduction of Ahsoka Tano undoubtedly bore the bulk of criticism towards the movie - while her character development throughout The Clone Wars and Rebels animated series was among the best in Star Wars, her rushed, and brash attitude was not quite palatable to many viewers. However, it is undeniable that her inclusion was designed to be a relatable character targeted at children, enabling the audience to mature alongside the Padawan later on.

Showcasing The Strong Bond Between The Jedi And Clone Troopers

The Clone Wars animated series did spectacularly demonstrate the humanity of clone troopers, portraying them as individual living beings rather than mindless drones. Among such human characteristics is the strong sense of comradery between the clones and between them and the Jedi. A vivid example was during Captain Rex's struggle in holding back hordes of battle droids on Teth, in which it clearly pained Anakin Skywalker to notify his second-in-command that he could not help them, to which the Captain expressed his understanding that the mission always came first.

Overall, The Clone Wars as a cinematic production evidently falls short of the mastery of classics such as The Empire Strikes Back and Revenge of the Sith. However, it is also by no means a bad movie, and many would say it lays a rocky but certainly conducive foundation for the spectacular animated series that was to come. In addition, The Clone Wars marked the beginning of an era of excitement and nostalgia in prequels era content, truly fleshing out the many characters that fans come to love.

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Written by Geoff Lo

Syndicated from Culture Slate

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