Clone Wars follows Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi's exploits during the period between Episode II and Episode III. The lead off for an animated TV series which will air on the Sci-Fi Channel as well as TNT this fall, Clone Wars holds up in the well established Star Wars universe, with a few grievances. It's not a bad film, there are just a few things that really hurt this ambitious project.
The story goes like this – Darth Sidious and Count Dooku have kidnapped Jabba the Hutt's son in order to fake a rescue so they can get Jabba on the side of the Separatists. Obi-Wan and Anakin, along with Anakin's precocious new padawan, Ahsoka Tano, must actually rescue Jabba's son for the same reason, as well as to expose Dooku and his apprentice Asajj Ventress for what they truly are.
I know it isn't a very strong plot but this is the lead off for a TV show that is aimed at children as well as hardcore fans. And that is where the problem lies. Amidst rather brutal scenes of clone trooper deaths and massive destruction, scenes of over humanized and way, way over the top humorous battle droids have been added for comic relief. If the pendulum didn't swing so fast and far between brutal and humorous, it might have worked. Well, at least Jar Jar Binks doesn't show up. Another point of contention is the lack of John Williams famous score. It's there, but “re-imagined” or “updated” some may say, but it didn't work for me, at least for the beginning and end credits, that is. When I go to a Star Wars film I want that first, familiar, blaring note to blast out at me and make it feel like I am returning to something familiar and well loved.
Most of the voice acting is spot on, however, the voice used for Chancellor Palpatine stands out like a sore thumb among voices who at least try to match their real life counterparts. Which is really too bad as the voice actor who plays him – Ian Abercrombie, does a decent Darth Sidious, but as Palpatine is sorely lacking. Anakin's voice, provided by Matt Lanter is even better for Anakin than Hayden Christensen, less whiny and a tad more serious while still retaining some of the impertinence from Christensen's performance. And James Arnold Taylor's Obi-Wan brings forth a well set tone of authority and wisdom that fits Obi-Wan to a T. Some of the best work was for Yoda and Padme, Tome Kane and Catherine Tabor respectively. I was surprised to find it wasn't Frank Oz and Natalie Portman voicing them since they had gotten Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Daniels and Christoipher Lee to reprise their roles.
As well as as decent voice cast, Clone Wars has some great animation, even if some of the character design is slightly lacking. The battle scenes are gorgeous, continuing what was previously showcased in Episode's II and III. The lightsaber duels were tight and beautifully choreographed except for the fight between Obi-Wan and Asajj Ventress which seemed a little jerky at times. But, ever since the original trilogy, I have always been excited to see what a Jedi in his/her prime can do and I have not been disappointed with the prequels, and Clone Wars continues to wow me with the feats of the Jedi.
All in all. Clone Wars may not be a perfect Star Wars film, but I will be watching every episode that is aired, if only to see how Ahsoka fairs by being trained by the future Darth Vader. I mean, you know it isn't going to end well right? Some have said that giving Anakin a padawan ruins established continuity, but I believe we will just have to see how everything turns out.
7/10
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Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com
Title: Meet The Robinsons
Meet The Robinsons is the way an animated kids movie should be done. With the onslaught of CGI films in the past few years, the market has been saturated with mediocre films designed just to make a buck. Meet The Robinsons hearkens back to a day when kids movies were fun for both children and adults without having to use jokes designed to go over children's heads. Dare I say that this may be the best computer animated film since Toy Story, or at least Shrek. I really can't sing enough praise for this movie. The story is a wonderful tale of not letting failure stop you from trying. The main motto is “Keep moving forward” and that is a great lesson for our children to learn. The animation is top notch, there are reflections from glass that look like the animators inserted actual glass domes in the scenes. Textures of clothes pop without seeming repetitive. I want to mention one character design, Bowler Hat Guy. Now, I don't usually get creeped out by an animated character but there was just something about him that got to me, in a good creepy way of course.
I saw this in Disney 3-D and I must retract my statement made in my A Nightmare Before Christmas review stating that Disney's 3D didn't compare with the IMAX 3D. Well, that was a film that was converted to 3D and Meet The Robinson's was made for 3D. There is a big difference between the two and Disney 3D is just as good as IMAX. Before the film started, Carl, a robot from the film comes onto the screen to tell you to put your glasses on. He then extends his arms and various body parts out into the audience. I flinched and jerked back. No kidding. It was that good. While this extreme use of 3D isn't used in the feature, it sure impressed me.
Some final thoughts. With some twists that even got by me, Meet The Robinsons is a very refreshing children's film that gets almost everything right. I highly recommend this, and for those of you who are my Constant Readers, you know how much I don't like seeing a kids movie in a theater full of children but this was well worth it. Just the dinner scene alone is worth having your seat kicked for an hour and a half. Oh yea, you know that line that the T-Rex gives that everyone quotes? Well, there is more to it that makes it even funnier.
After the defeat of their old arch nemesis, The Shredder, the Turtles have grown apart as a family. Struggling to keep them together, their rat sensei, Master Splinter, becomes worried when strange things begin to brew in New York City. Tech-industrialist Max Winters is amassing an army of ancient monsters to apparently take over the world. And only one super-ninja fighting team can stop them-those heroes in a half shell-Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael! With the help of old allies April O'Neil and Casey Jones, the Turtles are in for the fight of their lives as they once again must face the mysterious Foot Clan, who have put their own ninja skills behind Winters' endeavors. -Yahoo Movies
Those wisecracking, pizza loving, trouble finding turtles are back. This time with a makeover that makes them a little darker, leaner, meaner and greener. OK, maybe not greener but I had to throw that in. Animation technology keeps growing in leaps and bounds and I have a feeling that it won't be long before we won't be able to tell the difference between CG and live action. So obviously I liked that part. Especially the rooftop fight in the rain. The reflected light playing off of their skin is just gorgeous. And the attention to detail is phenomenal. The character design was really good too, everybody was recognizable and everyone got the lean mean makeover as well. For the Turtles, I found it interesting to note that all of their under shells had some variation to them. Not like the cartoon where you could only tell them apart by their mask colors and weapons. The Nightwatcher – his armor design just plain bad ass. I hate to sound like a weirdo but I found April, (Sarah Michelle Gellar) when in her ninja suit, and the new leader of the Foot, Karai (Ziyi Zhang) to be kind of sexy. The other villains looked just as cool except for Max Winters (Patrick Stewart), where they went with the super big chest that looks a little ridiculous.
Casting – What can you really say about voice acting except that when it works, you buy it without question. Sarah Michell Gellar, Chris Evans (Johnny Storm from Fantastic Four) and the Turtles are a good example. But, when it doesn't work it sticks out like a sore thumb. Case in point, Master Splinter. Now I don't want to speak ill of the deceased but Mako just wasn't right. Every incarnation of TMNT has always had a raspy voiced Splinter and while the character and his actions were the same, the voice just didn't work for me. And that my friends, brings me to my major issue: Patrick Stewart as Max Winters. Not only is the character design a bit over the top, but with Stewart's extremely singular voice I just couldn't get the picture of Picard/Xavier out of my head. That may just be me though.
For Turtle and animation fans, go see this at the theater. For non-fans or casual fans, this is a good jumping on point as well as a way to get a taste of what the TMNT are all about without having to watch the dreadful cartoon series.
