Star Wars : The Clone Wars S01E01, S01E02

Star Wars : The Clone Wars, the movie received mixed reviews. Apparently it was never initially designed as a movie, but instead as several episodes. Watching the first two episodes of the series proper it's clear that the twenty minute short episodes are a much better format. For a start it means that the plots career along at top speed, with lots of action and fighting. In many ways this is similar to the original hand-drawn series, but just with CGI instead. The main difference appears to be the small amount extra time which allows something other than full on fighting. For example in both of the first episodes the Jedi Masters take pains to explain to their clone troopers that they are not expendable cannon fodder.

Presumably some kind of arc will materialise within the series, but the first two episodes could be watched in an order and are completely independent. One episode, Ambush, focuses on Yoda and his fighting abilities (he's very hard) and the other, Rising Malevolence, on a rescue mission by Anakin and Ahsoka.

What the CGI is extremely good at visualising are the spaceships. Greivous's massive flagship looks, well, massive and menacing. And the Republic gunships still roar past and look like fighting machines.

Adults may get annoyed at the Battle Droids, who talk to each other in (rather feeble) comedy sketches, but this is a programme for kids, and I wouldn't like generalise and guess what they think.

Overall, I enjoyed them: bitesize, action filled chunks of Star Wars.

The official site has loads of extras, including episode guides, commentary and web comics.

Related Entries

Leave a comment

(Required)
(Required)

Recent Entries

  • Bruce Sterling - The Hypersurface of this Decade

    Iconeye Magazine have posted a short story by Bruce Sterling online, called The Hypersurface Of This Decade. Well, it's more a vignette than a story...

  • Books Which Arrived Via Father Christmas

    Some very lovely books arrived at my house on Christmas Day via the magic of Father Christmas and his Flying Reindeer. The books relevant to...

  • Makers by Cory Doctorow

    Makers by Cory Doctorow is about, amongst other things, people who make stuff. The story follows two makers Perry and Lester, a blogger/ journalist Suzanne, and a couple...

  • Being Human Trailer

    Being Human will return to BBC3 on Sunday 10th January at 9:30pm.Embedded below is a new trailer which is playing on the BBC channels quite...

  • The Doctor's TODO List T-Shirt

    So the current series of Doctor Who has ended. New Doctor, new priorities? Time for a TODO list. You can buy it from the UK...


Close