Plot

Like the 2003 animated short films of the same name, STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS reveals what happened during the conflicts of the title, which are set between EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES and EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH. Unlike the former series, this CLONE WARS feature film uses computer animation (rather than more traditional 2-D animation) to tell its tales, which follow Obi-Wan Kenobi (voiced by James Arnold Taylor), Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter), and precocious new Jedi recruit Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) as they face off against the sinister Separatist forces led by Count Dooku (the legendary Christopher Lee, who reprises his role from the live-action movies). The film also features appearances by such beloved characters as Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson, also of EPISODES II and III), C3PO (Anthony Daniels), and Yoda (Tom Kane).

Directed by Dave Filoni (AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER), THE CLONE WARS shares the same era and characters as the 2003 series, but is stylistically quite different, with a blocky look influenced in part by the marionettes of the 1960s U.K. show THUNDERBIRDS. While the voices of actors such as Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christiansen, and Frank Oz are missed, their successors handle their mantles well, confidently leading the heroes in fierce battles and tense chases. Though diehards of the original STAR WARS trilogy may shrug their shoulders at the CGI wizardy, young fans will find much to enjoy in this action-packed movie, which promises to be continued in a regular Cartoon Network TV series.