Star Wars: The Clone Wars is kind of like Episode 2.5, taking place between Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Focusing on the massive outbreak of galaxy-wide war between the Separatists and the Federation, the series is one part adventure serial, one part war drama. This is because of the mixture of stories that center on the Jedi and on the Clone Troopers. These formidable soldiers cloned from the DNA of Bounty Hunter Jango Fett first came into prominence in the other Clone Wars animated series (no relation) where Dexter’s Lab animator Genndy Tartakovsky showed how dynamic the Star Wars universe could be with a healthy dose of Sgt. Rock-style military action thrown into it.
For all of my accolades there are some flaws in the series (such as the inexplicable Jar Jar episode), however it all comes together so well in a remarkable season finale that will leave you hungry for Season Two (which has been outstanding so far).
Don’t take my word for it, though. The entire 23 episode first season has been released this past Tuesday November 3rd on DVD and Blu-ray. The packaging alone is amazing and looks more like a manual than a DVD set. This is due to the extensive 68 page booklet containing exclusive behind-the-scenes designs on characters as they appeared in the Clone Wars cartoon.
The solicitations promise easter eggs, crew confidential documentaries and many other inside peeks into the making of this ground breaking series. In addition to the episodes as they were broadcast, the box set contains 7 director’s cut versions and featurettes showcasing specific stories. The Blu-ray version has even more info, referred to as the ‘Jedi Holocron Vault’ and interactive components that will surely excite the lucky few who have Blu-ray players (read: not me).
The first series has several stand out episodes that will make even the most die hard Star Wars fan frustrated that the prequels were not fleshed out in the same fashion. I will admit that this animated series is aimed at children, but a recent episode featuring an all out assault on a droid factory where several troopers used flame throwers to get through heavy Geonisian resistance is a sign that the animators are producing a top notch action drama worthy of an adult Star Wars fan’s attention.
That said, I must stress that this is not for kids. If you are a parent and looking to get your ten year old nephew a keen gift, this is far too violent for their eyes in my opinion. While it does evoke a kind of childlike glee in adults, I can’t imagine a youngster getting anything good out of this series. The depiction of war is a fairly sophisticated one (hampered by the fact that the enemy is a bunch of vaudeville-knock off robots), but much of the attempted intelligence in the message will likely get lost in the soldered limbs and desperate screams that so populate Star Wars in general.
Last year I wrote several pieces on specific episodes from the first season as they aired. If you missed out, I suggest that you please visit my reviews of Season One here. After that, go hunt down a copy of this set and remember why you enjoyed Star Wars as a kid in the first place.
