jephtha
I've already mentioned how I suspect that the positive reception of the new Star Trek films is at least partially due to their following the Star Wars prequels. As hesitant as I am to admit it, this suspicion also applies to this show. Maybe fans were so taken with the writing, which is mostly an improvement over the prequels, that they leapt to the conclusion that this series better embodied the spirit of the original films, never mind the fact that strong dialogue usually was not the point. Normally I make it a point not to refer to other peoples' experiences, but after hearing endless favorable comparisons with the newer films (especially from the staff of IGN) I couldn't help but wonder, "Are we watching the same series?" That's not to say that "The Clone Wars" is a failure, as there is plenty to admire. The animators should really be commended for not only producing numerous impressive settings, but also in drawing inspiration from various sources. The planets shift from technologically refined to desolate and foreboding, with its inhabitants following suit. Dathomir and Mortis are probably my favorites, as they seemed the most "real" to me, the most rich in their history. The action sequences are a more mixed bag. The animators deserve credit for ambition, which is evident in several exceptionally complex bouts, some of which involve as many as 4 combatants. Unfortunately, I could never overlook that these characters move as mechanically as any video-game character. For some reason, the traditionally animated "Clone Wars" series just did a better job with this type of thing. The mundane fist fights are even worse, since they don't benefit from visuals and sound. As is, the clashes involving vehicles and vessels are the best the show has to offer. It's funny, though. Some people claim the swordfighting in the prequels is boring because the abundance of jedi makes their abilities trite, but I don't buy it. The prequels showed innovation or upped the ante with each installment. They drew a clear line between the ordinary, the gifted and the exceptionally accomplished in terms of fighting ability, and treated the majority of jedi appropriately: as a background presence. When this series started focusing on those background bozos that have nothing unique to offer, THEN it stopped being exciting. All of them, from Plo Koon to Barriss Ofee to Kit Fisto to Ahsoka resorted to the same old lightsaber/force push shtick. The only exception is the criminally underused (and miscast) Quinlan Vos, who briefly used a Force variation of Abe Sapien's psychic trick. Naturally, the writing is (mostly) an improvement over the 3 companion films. The key players have more distinct speech patterns and mannerisms, and there are frequent injections of humor, particularly from Obi-Wan, who clearly benefits the most from his stints on "The Clone Wars". Most of the others, as far as I'm concerned, are not capitalized on fully. I'm not including the likes of Asajj Ventress or Cad Bane, both of whom are impressive. It's the ones not exclusive to the show that concern me. Consider Grievous, who is consistently pathetic when he should be formidable as in the original "Clone Wars" cartoons. How about the most prominent clone troopers? Sure, they have names and gobs of screen time, but such an asset fails to make them compelling or colorful as individuals. At the end of the show, I still had trouble distinguishing them. Need I say anything about Tarkin, who is soft spoken and smug when he should be conniving and subtly sinister?The biggest offender in this category, shockingly, is Skywalker. Sure, he's more mature and whines less, but he's also duller. At least in the films he is shown to have aspirations and an interesting life, whereas here he mostly goes through the motions in a war that scarcely affects him as a person. Any development on his character, whether it be waning confidence in his leaders or attitude about his secret marriage, were already covered sufficiently in the original "Clone Wars" series. Furthermore, Skywalker's mentorship of Ahsoka is just a vehicle for the latter; it lacks insight or a memorable dynamic. His best moments are his interactions with Obi-Wan or Padme. Foremost amongst my concerns, though, are the story lines. While there are many intriguing subplots and missions that brought insight to the conflict and characters, especially Obi-Wan and Ventress, the series frustratingly punctuates the more consequential subplots with thoroughly extraneous ones. The worst offender (or victim) is the Darth Maul/Savage Oppress storyline, which, additionally, has tremendous build-up only to be cut short and its progress nullified. Frankly, Maul was much more impressive before he was given the baggage of a brother and suffered difficulty against an ordinary human in a swordfight. Attempts to expand upon the mythos are hit-and-miss. Mortis, despite being impressive as a place, is setting to a storyline that tries something new that unfortunately doesn't mesh with the rest of the mythos, only feigns deeper understanding and ultimately feels inconsequential. The best expansion upon the concept of the Force is Yoda's excursions in the "lost episodes", because it reveals something that complements the larger story. "The Clone Wars", admittedly, is a competently made show, and I may have liked it more were its production not belated. As it is, there's just an overarching feeling of "why bother". We already know the most significant details, and nearly everything here is just meant to inflate the matter.
