Writer: Ezekiel Lee Zhiang Yang

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Watch this if you liked: All the "Star Wars" movies

I am no Star Wars fan. Consider that a disclaimer.

However, that might be a good thing when reviewing "Clone Wars" because it doesn't seem as if George Lucas and Co were trying to strike a chord with the old time fans anyway. If you are one of those people who have intense views on how a lightsaber should be held, then anything Lucasfilm throws at you would be gobbled up with applause anyhow. No - it seems as if this animated feature is either a grand prelude to the main product (the upcoming weekly TV series), or simply an "afterthought", as reported in some news, from the big man himself.

Picking out one of the more interesting conflicts in the "Star Wars" timeline, "Clone Wars" can be seen as a fresh introduction to this new generation of viewers who were not around when Hans Solo first flew the Millennium Falcon with Chewbacca. The understanding of the story does not really presuppose special knowledge on the Star Wars universe. One could imagine a 9-year-old going out to buy an Anakin Skywalker tumbler, worshipping his heroism - completely unaware of the dark spiral that would beset the gifted Jedi. Maybe that is what the franchise is going for with this animated feature.

So as to whether an overlong, animated Star Wars episode can work as a movie, the answer seems to be yes. The brother-sister portrayal of new Padawan character Ahsoka Tano and the embattled Anakin Skywalker already hints towards an effort to stretch Star Wars beyond its fanboy-accepted perceptions. Although this isn't "The Incredibles", there is enough story and humour to the battles and complex relationships that begets them - enough for first-time viewers to enjoy. Others with a bit more experience on the franchise will ask: isn't that one too many Jedi moves in one movie?

Anyway, end the review this writer must. "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" would probably win some new fans without disappointing the old timers too much. I'll just be staying away from the race allegories that infiltrate the franchise, maybe just concentrate on tiny little dialogue gems, like how shocking it must sound to hear someone playfully call Darth Vader "Skyguy".

Cinema Online, 23 September 2008