Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away. For a long time, it looked like STAR WARS fans might have read those lines on the big screen for the last time in 2005, when EPISODE III, the conclusion of the prequel trilogy, hit our cinemas. But it was already clear back then that the STAR WARS universe wasn't really over. On television, cartoon mini-episodes established the story of the Clone Wars. However, these were only a kind of test run for a larger-scale computer-animated series called STAR WARS - THE CLONE WARS. And because STAR WARS is still at its best in the cinema, the pilot film for the series will be shown on the big screen rather than on television, as is usually the case. The result is a whole new STAR WARS feel that isn't really bad, but takes a lot of getting used to.
THE CLONE WARS is timed between EPISODE II and III. Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi are desperately fighting the Separatist army when they receive an urgent mission from Master Yoda. The son of Jabba the Hutt has been kidnapped. With a treaty to use Jabba's controlled territories of enormous importance, rescuing the little offspring is of the utmost urgency. Along with his new Padawan apprentice, the defiant Ahsoka Tano, Skywalker is tasked with leading the rescue effort while Obi Wan continues negotiations. But the sinister Dooku wants to prevent the Jedi from rescuing Jabba's son at all costs, and sets his best student to kill Skywalker and Tano.
The mere fact that this is the first STAR WARS film not to be introduced by the legendary FOX fanfare (since the film is distributed by Warner) makes it clear that fans are in for something entirely new here. Kevin Kliner's score, which rarely makes use of the classic John Williams themes, also feels so not STAR WARS typical. Rather, the score sounds like it was borrowed from the remake of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA or a similar sci-fi series. However, this has very little to do with the beloved Star Wars. Two things become clear here: firstly, how closely the six films are linked to the music of John Williams, and secondly, that CLONE WARS "only"is a TV production.
This is also clear from the animations. Spaceships, robots, landscapes - all of it is very well staged. But the characters are extremely angular, have few facial expressions and therefore look very wooden and lifeless. Those who thought Hayden Christensen delivered a soulless Anakin might revise their opinion after seeing how stiff and expressionless his animated alter ego looks. Granted: Much of what can be criticized about the style of animation is entirely intentional. George Lucas and his creative team made a conscious decision to go with a simplistic animation style for the characters that takes a bit of getting used to. Whether this pleases or not, lies therefore completely in the eye of the beholder.
The story of CLONE WARS is on the other hand without any doubt richly thin and is pepped up by many, admittedly very well staged and entertaining, in the long run however somewhat tiring fight sequences. And every now and then, thanks to the great sound design, there is even a real STAR WARS feeling. But the movie has to fight with a very big problem, from which also the quality of the series could suffer. This problem is called: Ahsoka Tano. This character has clearly been inserted as an identification factor for little viewers (especially girls). And it's quite clear here that Lucas hasn't learned one bit from the Jar Jar Binks debacle. The precocious, constantly annoyed and recalcitrant Padawan student is so annoying that Jar Jar Binks seems like the most wonderful creation in the STAR WARS universe next to her. While it's clear what this character is supposed to represent (a sort of female Anakien - so that the teacher now experiences firsthand what he was like as Obi Wan's apprentice), the extremely high annoyance factor could have been dialed down a bit.
Also quite bad, at least in the eyes of the veteran STAR WARS fan writing these lines, is the character of Ziro, Jabba's uncle. The latter lives on Couracant and runs a nightclub of sorts there. Not only does he, unlike his nephew, not speak unintelligible gibberish but - in our case - fluent German - he is also portrayed as a sort of lisping Hutt tranny. And it's all just to provoke a few cheap laughs. This character seems about as out of place in the STAR WARS universe as Alf would if he were hunting for cats on the Death Star. But that would have been funny at least in the beginning.
Such derailments make clear: STAR WARS - THE CLONE WARS is primarily NOT aimed at those fans who grew up with the original trilogy, but at a new, quite young target audience. This is then on the other hand scared away with very long battles and scary creatures. A somewhat clearer target group definition would certainly have done the film and the series good.
Even though the film has quite good moments and especially the big battle scenes are extremely fun, some creative decisions made here are extremely dubious and do not necessarily contribute to maintaining the good reputation of STAR WARS, which has already suffered under the prequel trilogy. Let's hope that the series is still evolving and that the live-action series targeted for 2010 better captures the spirit of the films.
Original title: Star Wars - The Clone Wars
Directed by Dave Filoni
Length: approx. 98 min.
FSK: age 12+
Ein Artikel von Frankfurt-Tipp
