STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS (DVD)

And you thought George Lucas was finished?

Out now on DVD is Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

This computer animated film is the first of its kind in the line of Star Wars movies. The Clone Wars takes place between Episodes II and III, when the war between the Separatists and the Republic is heating up.

For all the crap George Lucas got from the last few Star Wars episodes, I think it was a good move to throw in an animated film in the series. The animation gives you a way of seeing the franchise in a totally different way. First off, the computer animation is really, really good. For a movie like this, you need to have some killer animation to backup all the fierce battles. And as far as action goes, there is plenty of it. From the explosive battle scenes to awesome lightsaber duels, there’s enough action to grab your attention from start to finish. The story is also filled with lots of twists and turns. Some parts are predictable, and some take you by surprise. Then there are parts that bordered on being “cutesy”, especially when they included Jabba The Hutt’s son, also known as “Stinky”. Then again, this movie is also for kids, so there’s no harm done there. All of the main characters such as Anakin, Obi-Wan, Mace Windu, and Yoda are here along with some new ones. Characters like Anakin’s new Padawan Ahsoka Tano and the evil bald chick known as Asajj Ventress were the newcomers here. Asajj got lots of screen time as she was given the task of destroying the Jedi’s plan to rescue Jabba’s son. She was a pretty mean chick that gave Obi Wan a good fight. For all the negative stuff that was said about the last few episodes, I think this film restores a little hope in the Star Wars films. It also blows open the door for a new Clone Wars series that we can expect in the near future. Speaking of that series, there are previews on the 2-disc set that give a little taste of what’s to come. Lots of behind the scenes material are also included in the special features, including some great footage of the actors in the studio recording their characters' lines.

Overall, The Clone Wars is an exciting ride of a film that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults.