Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Directed by Dave Filoni, Star Wars: The Clone Wars follows Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter) as he and his new protégé (Ashley Eckstein’s Ahsoka Tano) are tasked with finding and rescuing Jabba the Hutt’s son. Filmmaker Filoni, armed with a script by Henry Gilroy, Steven Melching, and Scott Murphy, delivers a hit-and-miss animated endeavor that fares especially poorly within its frenetic opening stretch, as Filoni kicks the proceedings off with an action-heavy (and somewhat context free) first act that boasts one larger-than-life action sequence after the next – with the less-than-impressive, arms-length atmosphere compounded by the palpably low-rent bent of the picture’s animation style. It’s clear, then, that Star Wars: The Clone Wars improves considerably once it progresses into a midsection focused on Anakin and Ahsoka’s aforementioned mission, with the impact of this watchable stretch heightened by the chemistry between the two characters and the inclusion of a few memorable interludes and digressions (eg the pair pay a visit to Jabba’s uncle) – which, when coupled with a satisfying climax, confirms the movie’s place as a decent (albeit forgettable) Star Wars story.

**1/2 out of ****