Every now and then a movie or video game disappoints me even when I've already set my expectations impossibly low. This is one of those times.
The new Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated feature recently arrived on DvD and found it's way into my Netflix queue. It was "highly" anticipated this summer, but I skipped it to watch on my small, yet big, screen. This new story of the intervening years between episodes 2 & 3, was also the launch-point for the new series appearing on Cartoon Network.
I have stated, numerous times to anyone who would listen, that the original Cartoon Network series of animated shorts is one of the finest parts of the Star Wars saga. The artistic style made famous in the Emmy award-winning Samaria Jack series was further proof that American animation could be as inventive and revolutionary as Japanese Anime. It was also further testimony that the animated medium could offer quality and compelling story-telling for adults and still be accessible for kids. It also saved the larger Star Wars saga for me, enabling me to rewatch the prequels and even connect with Anakin Skywalker.
Alas, Lucas Films is clearly plotting to destroy my last best hope for preserving my favorite childhood franchise with their latest film.
I want to start by saying that the film wasn't "bad." Nor can I say that the CGI was "bad." Sure, I miss the old animated style and that longing was sure to taint my perspective. They did a fine job. It wasn't mind blowing good. I think it should have been their goal. Knowing that they wanted to morph this into a weekly TV show probably shaped their decisions. If it was too perfect, the bar would be way too high to reproduce week in and week out. Still, my issue was and is not with the CGI.
The film had horrible pacing. The acting and dialog was so-so. There were times when I actively wondered if the actors had all done their lines separately in sound rooms and then it was all spliced together. The best animation can be destroyed by really bad acting. It's why some Anime (like Akira) must be watched in it's original Japanese. Inflection, tone, mood, interaction are all set by good voices doing their jobs right. That's not to say I disliked their voices, but it just didn't work.
It felt like a kids movie and not in a good way. I know that Lucas' intended goal was to make this for younger viewers. I don't fault him there. But great films for kids end up being great films for adults too. Movies like Disney's Aladin or Pixar's Finding Nemo are instant classics for all ages. I know adults who quote Finding Nemo that don't even have kids. That's quality cinema. So, I refuse to give Lucas a pass for the "Huttling" or the totally Gay Uncle the Hut. In fact, Lucas should be ashamed for drawing on such classic stereotypes for creating characters like that. Especially when the film is aimed at kids. Star Wars has it's androgynous token gay character. Adding a "flamboyant" hutt was in poor taste.
Still, the failure of the film was not the animation style, the phoned in voices, the bad choices in character creation, or even the truly flimsy plot (which was waifer thin.) No, the agregious problem was pacing.
It could have easily been done as 2 to 3 part premier episode of a TV series. It didn't have a sweeping movie plot. It didn't transition from event to event well. The sense of drama was completely lost. The big climatic moment of the film perfectly positioned itself to make a nice squishy plop like that of a freshly produced cow-pie. It was warm, stinky and you really wanted to avoid stepping in it. So close to a real Star Wars fight, but no.
And so, this is what they want us to ignore/replace the original Clone Wars series with? This marketing contrived, shallow, cow-pie of a movie?
I was so utterly disappointed with this film, I paused it several times to do some email, make some calls, by my wife's birthday presents on Amazon.com. Each time I went back expecting the next scene to be the one that propells this new franchise and convinces me to spend money to watch future episodes on DvD or iTunes.
Use the FORCE George, because it's the only thing you've got keeping me from never looking at another Star Wars product again.
5 comments:
The Star Wars franchise is at the point where I won't even pirate it anymore.
I sigh heavily every time I see a poor kid running around in a Darth Maul costume. That child will never know the wonder that was Star Wars.
All he knows is the double light saber is cool. Lucas has reduced himself to a parody of himself.
It really is sad.
To use your own phrase, "Acknowledge, move on!" "Your" vision of "Star Wars" will always be available to you through DVDs (even the "originals" are available on DVD now), repeat airings, and, of course, your memory. Today's generation has a different mindset, and they now have a "Star Wars" for them.
If your childhood memories are really SO fragile, isn't that something you should be concerned about?
Your commenter and you seem to feel George Lucas has no right to make "Star Wars" anything but what YOU think it should be. Next time you create a multi-billion-viewer franchise that is virtually as strong 31 years after it debuted as it was on the day you first saw it, you can do with it what you will.
My family -- my entire family -- absolutely loves "The Clone Wars." True, the movie wasn't what we expected, but we've watched it again on DVD (bought it this week, just the single-disc version) and we realized how bias we were against it when it came out, having read such negative reviews. We missed a fun movie with some really great scenes, and now we can watch it anytime we want.
Or we can watch the series.
Or we can watch the prequels.
Or we can watch the first three movies.
Or we can watch the "original" versions (which my kids think are a little slow and have HORRIBLE special effects -- the original ones, I mean).
And we can just stop listening to people who want to stay stuck in their childhoods.
Sorry, but you're missing one of the world's great storytelling experiences by refusing to acknowledge that the entire series is even better when it all comes together!
@ David
Great points and I'm glad your family is enjoying the new stuff. I've really enjoyed the prequels rewatching them. The first Clone Wars series on Cartoon Network was simply better than this new movie. Perhaps the new cartoons pick up and improve this new film.
Glad to see a different opinion on the subject.
@David
Plenty of people think that Adam Sandler is the height of comedy.
Plenty of people are wrong.
The prequels have both muddied and sullied the series that formed the basis for much of the science fiction coming out of the late-20s to early-40s year-old creators.
I don't weep for my childhood. I still recall the days playing with my land speeder while Han rode shotgun and Chewie hung off the back. That can't be taken away by a series of bad movies.
But I weep for the children/teenagers coming up now whose first thought of Star Wars is that stupid Anikan or his petulant older incarnation. We should be doing better for our kids...and Lucas, by virtue of creating an iconic movie series, should be a better steward of that icon.
Of course he can do what he wants with it...but that doesn't mean we have to watch it or like it when we do watch it.
And always remember, Han Shot First!
The online comic Sheldon supports my theory:
Sheldon 11/15/2008
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