TV Review: Star Wars: The Clone Wars - "Ambush" - Page 3

Speaking of the clones: the animators do a good job of working with the clones and making them distinguishable from one another. (I do miss Temuera Morrison’s voice for the clones, though the voices used are passable.) From my personal perspective this is distracting but that comes from the old soldier in me where everything has to be uniform. Animators use different hair styles, facial scars (nice touch there), and facial hair to better identify one from the other. (There is a neat sequence where Yoda talks with his battered clones and explains to them how they are indeed individuals. What makes this most poignant is these are the guys that will eventually blast the Jedis into bits later in the saga. Pity Emperor George couldn’t have left this to Vader as was alluded to in the first trilogy but that’s another entry.)

From there we move into the annihilation phase. The bad guys, headed by one Asajj Ventress (a fabulous character from Tartakovsky’s micro-series), offers up every scrap of hardware they can get their grubby little darkside claws on and chuck it at little Yoda and his torn up squad. What comes from this is nothing short of spectacular. Tartakovsky showcased Yoda in the micro series in full lightsaber mode and the writers of this episode give Yoda his opportunity as well. I hate to be such a naysayer in regard to the last movie (Revenge of the Sith). Yoda just wasn’t convincing as the hardcore warrior he was supposed to be. I won’t say he makes up for lost ground here though I will concede it was a lot more fun to watch. There is a touch of gleeful madness in his eyes that reminded me of the Yoda I knew growing up from The Empire Strikes Back. In short (no pun intended) Yoda does exactly what he should and that is carving up droids.

The droids are something of an issue and frankly overdone. It is difficult to suspend disbelief when an army of clanking, spindly droids would rather argue with one another and act in befuddling ways. It seems each droid has a comment to make, or would rather argue with a “superior”, or basically act like a buffoon. If the intent is to go for comic relief it fails and sours quickly into a Jar Jar-esque illustration of how to be an incompetent and irrelevant character. I hope the writers are listening! There must be menace! (And, dear God, please! No Phantom Menace! What the hell was that all about anyway?) There must be danger! There must NOT be droids resorting to the kind of antics the Three Stooges would have found embarrassing. Ventress shows some promise in this regard. She has a lethality that could be put to use (though I fear she will succumb to the Klingon Worf syndrome of being very tough and very easily beaten by everything Wesley Crusher can throw at him) if the writers can convince Emperor George a little blood frenzy would be a good thing.

Article Author: Tim Girard

Tim Girard is a mental gymnyst. He thinks too much and writes too little and enjoys caffeine with his sugar. When he isn't busy saving the world he is out writing. Good thing he doesn't write too much.

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