Star Wars: Clone Wars - Volume One

DVD Region 1 Review

By Mark Newbold

Following on from the events of Episode II -Attack of the Clones, the events of the Clone Wars micro series chronicles the events of the legendary Clone Wars, known to Star Wars fans since its first mention in the 1976 novellisation by George Lucas (or was it Alan Dean Foster…).  First showing on the Cartoon Network (Toonami in the UK) and simultaneously on the paid Hyperspace section of the official site, these three minute samplings of the Clone Wars conflict were vividly brought to life by the efforts of Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky and his skilled team.  Lucasfilm and George Lucas, knowing already that the opening of Revenge of the Sith would chronicle the final battle of the Clone Wars, knew that long time fans would fell short changed if the events of the wars occurred off-screen and so commissioned this twelve part series of mini adventures – and what a dazzling array of episodes we were brought, now finally arriving on DVD in the shape of Star Wars: Clone Wars - Volume One.

Freshly edited into one hour long episode and broken into chapter stops where the original episodes were (and far better for it, bringing hope that the third season of five twelve minute episodes will allow for more character growth and development), this exciting peek into the worlds and conflicts of the Clone Wars is a rollercoaster ride.  Bringing us the further adventures of the Episode II cast, it also introduced new characters to the mythology.  Durge, a vicious advocate of the banking clan, Asajj Ventress, a bald student of the dark side who believes she is a sith and is prepared to fight Dooku to prove it, and the first appearance of General Grievous (in much the same way Boba Fett made his first showing in the Star Wars holiday special back in 1978) proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that he will be Ben Kenobi’s toughest foe in the final film.

Except for Anakin, but that’s a tale for another day.

Tartakovsky does much the same as the wizards at ILM; he fills his stories with wild and vast environments, and populates them with startling characters.  The stylisations of the familiar characters are excellent, much in the vein of the ever amazing Samurai Jack, the voice actors provide good imitations of the film cast, with the obvious exception of the two trilogies Anthony Daniels as Threepio. James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan, Grey DeLisle as Padme, Mat Lucas as Anakin, Tom Kane as Yoda and Corey Burton as Count Dooku all acquit themselves well. The action sequences are nothing short of stunning, in particular an episode featuring Mace Windu in a one-on-one with a huge, ground thumping machine.  A small complaint is, due to the initially short running times of the episodes were are barely introduced to the characters before the episode ends and we are transported to another world and another fight, but this is a small gripe as Expanded Universe fans are easily able to fill in the gaps with the publishing programs of Dark Horse and Del Rey.

In much the same way as the Animatrix, the Pitch Black animated episode Dark Fury and the Van Helsing – London Assignment episodes expanded upon their origins and led into sequels, this is surely the first of many such Star Wars expansions, and a welcome one at that.  And with the third season of Clone Wars bringing us neatly into the opening scroll of Revenge of the Sith, let’s hope that this is just the beginning of a series of Tartakovsky/Lucasfilm collaborations.