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Matthew Freeman is a Brooklyn based playwright with a BFA from Emerson College. His plays include THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR, REASONS FOR MOVING, THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE AMERICANS, THE WHITE SWALLOW, AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR, THE MOST WONDERFUL LOVE, WHEN IS A CLOCK, GLEE CLUB, THAT OLD SOFT SHOE and BRANDYWINE DISTILLERY FIRE. He served as Assistant Producer and Senior Writer for the live webcast from Times Square on New Year's Eve 2010-2012. As a freelance writer, he has contributed to Gamespy, Premiere, Complex Magazine, Maxim Online, and MTV Magazine. His plays have been published by Playscripts, Inc., New York Theatre Experience, and Samuel French.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Clone Wars

Well.

I saw it.

I look forward to seeing it on TV. Which is clearly where it was meant to be.

I liked the art direction. I liked a couple of moments. I think the love story between Anakin and Padme has so far worked far better in the original Clone Wars cartoon and its small reference in this film. I like the idea of the clones as individual characters with different jobs a whole lot. I liked the vertical battle. I think that it's possible they could tease out a good serialized cartoon episodic TV show out of it.

There are, though, some pretty big problems with the plot they chose to hang the fight scenes on (Jabba the Hutt's son?). And there's no "new" information here. It's just "the further adventures of characters whose fate you already know and have known since 1983." It's also animated in a way that would be fine on TV, but with things like Wall-E out there, it looks a little inexpensive and rushed. Plus the lightsaber duels, once the highlight of the movies, seem really shoehorned in here and they never seem to have much at stake.

So.

The movie is an ad for the series. Hopefully, the series will create an identity all its own.

8 comments:

Jamespeak said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jamespeak said...

Wow, a "smeh" review coming from such a die-hard Star Wars fan as yourself...that's really saying something.

Well, that clinches it. I'm definitely skipping this one.

Anonymous said...

Agreed James. Considering the source, I'd say this is an outright pan.

Freeman said...

Trust me. I love Star Wars wars more than any six teenagers you know. And I'll say that if you saw it on TV, or rented it, or brought a kid, it would probably be just fine.

Let's just say on the scale of other non-movie things they've put out this is probably third best. First would be the Timothy Zahn Trilogy of books, second would be the original Clone Wars cartoon shorts. Below this is all the other books (too many, too many); the comics; and then Ewok Adventures and the Droids cartoon.

Do not speak of the Christmas Special.

David D. said...

I saw Goody Proctor with The Christmas Special

RVCBard said...

Why isn't Lucas advancing the Star Wars story anymore? Why all this prequel shit? I'm interested in knowing what happens after the events of Episode VI. Yes, yes, we have the Expanded Universe (which in some ways is better than what Lucas came up with), but still . . .

Freeman said...

I think Lucas's argument is thus:

Once Darth Vader has been redeemed by Luke Skywalker, the actual story is over for all intents and purposes. Which makes sense. After Episode VI, there's really nothing to talk about. The expanded universe tries, but the main movies are about mythmaking and love 'em or hate 'em, they do that.

The arguement FOR Clone Wars stories is that the movies leave the Clone Wars basically untouched. You see the beginning in Episode II and the end in Episode III. So he can legit say there's stuff within the movie continuity we haven't seen.

Problem is...the Clone Wars, as such, are an odd war story to tell because, according to the films, they're a big trick in order to make the Republic warlike and effectively turn it into a military state. Hard to cheer when the clones win, when essentially, they're evil.

Anonymous said...

I saw the film and thought it was great...i did not expect anything other than an introduction to a series. Most people think that this was suppose to be Revenge of the Sith. Another thing Freeman is right in his statment, but i for one find that Lucas took a bold statment by taking a Republic into the grey. Anakin, Yoda and Obi-wan all are being led into a war that erases borders of black and white. A grey zone that say brothers turned against each other and clones troopers fighting wth Jedi. A very interesting twist that may have cost Lucas some fan anger but i for one LovEd the idea.