THE CLONE WARS gets clumsy...
I will preference this discussion blog with the warning that I am not a Star Wars fan. While I grew up in the late 70s and 80s, I enjoyed the first three Star Wars films with most Americans. Luke and Hans, Chewy and Yoda, Princess Leia and Obi-Wan. These stories hooked me further into the genre of science fiction. Already a huge fan of STAR TREK, Star Wars allowed me to see another version of space--this one not so much on a exploratory scale, but one where a galaxy had been fully settled, colonized and utilized as countries, factions, and politics played out on a plantery scale--not just a world scale. Sure, Episodes I, II, and III left something to be desired,
I still found the STAR WARS universe one of signifcance and solid storytelling.
So, now, some twenty plus years later, I was super excited to take my own children to see THE CLONE WARS. I saw this as an initial introduction to a great slice of American culture and a huge slot of science fiction. I had already read some of the children's version of STAR WARS books to my children and they knew enough about Darth Vader and Hans and Chewy and Yoda to understand those the basics, but here was a movie, in the movie theater, they could watch and fall into. The same as I did when I was younger.
And I was sorely disappointed. Perhaps it could be because I am an adult that the magic conjured by woody dialogue and cheap theatrics no longer entertained me. Or it could be that other science fiction movies have come such a long way in regards to material covered and situations (i.e. WALL-E) that THE CLONE WARS felt more like a television show for Saturday morning. The storyline was clumsy, and it stumbled along without the normally smooth transitions between scenes and situations.
Yes, I could read the subtle hints and connections to the other movies that failed to play out in CLONE WARS. True. However, my kids couldn't and it seemed they missed much of the story because they hadn't seen the other movies and weren't old enough to catch the comments, etc. that spoke of other things. So in essence, THE CLONE WARS was neither a kid movie nor an adult one. It fell haphazardly in the abyss that exists between. Leaving it wholly unfullfilling as a movie and a big let down for those who wanted to see that magic Lucas is so often touted as possessing.
Sure, every franchise has its misses. This one is STAR WARS...
I still found the STAR WARS universe one of signifcance and solid storytelling.
So, now, some twenty plus years later, I was super excited to take my own children to see THE CLONE WARS. I saw this as an initial introduction to a great slice of American culture and a huge slot of science fiction. I had already read some of the children's version of STAR WARS books to my children and they knew enough about Darth Vader and Hans and Chewy and Yoda to understand those the basics, but here was a movie, in the movie theater, they could watch and fall into. The same as I did when I was younger.
And I was sorely disappointed. Perhaps it could be because I am an adult that the magic conjured by woody dialogue and cheap theatrics no longer entertained me. Or it could be that other science fiction movies have come such a long way in regards to material covered and situations (i.e. WALL-E) that THE CLONE WARS felt more like a television show for Saturday morning. The storyline was clumsy, and it stumbled along without the normally smooth transitions between scenes and situations.
Yes, I could read the subtle hints and connections to the other movies that failed to play out in CLONE WARS. True. However, my kids couldn't and it seemed they missed much of the story because they hadn't seen the other movies and weren't old enough to catch the comments, etc. that spoke of other things. So in essence, THE CLONE WARS was neither a kid movie nor an adult one. It fell haphazardly in the abyss that exists between. Leaving it wholly unfullfilling as a movie and a big let down for those who wanted to see that magic Lucas is so often touted as possessing.
Sure, every franchise has its misses. This one is STAR WARS...
