review

By Heather Witherspoon

Our daughter has been asking to see this movie everyday since the trailer debuted on television. She loves  everything Star Wars. My first thought was, "Is this going to be appropriate for a 5-going-on-6 year old?" Most of her friends have seen the whole series of movies (we've only let her see Star Wars). She plays the xbox lego game and knows the story well (thanks to her dad). I saw the first movie at 6 in 1977 (Dear God!) I decided to take her to see it, and let other parents know "my opinion" on whether or not it was appropriate for kids her age.

Main plot: The movie starts with the ongoing battle between the Separatists and the Galactic Republic. Both sides are trying to gain alliance with Jabba the Hutt as a part of their war strategy. The Separatists kidnap Jabba's son with help from Jabba’s uncle, Zero Hut (picture a very flamboyant southern version of Jabba). Jabba asks the Jedi to help rescue his son. They reluctantly agree. Jabba is convinced by the Seperatists that the

Jedi have kidnapped his son and are plotting to kill both to end the Hutt clan.

Ok, I will cut to the chase, Anakin gets a fiesty female apprentice. Yoda shows up a couple of times. Lots of fighting. For now, the good guys win.

I've seen the last 3 movies so I had an idea who the characters were. If you haven't seen them, before this movie it really doesn’t matter.

Questionable content: I have seen several references to the bar scene with Zero the Hutt. He smokes a Hookah and the aliens at the bar could be drinking alcholic drinks. This is a stretch considering what some kids see today in "live action" movies. I mean, they could be drinking alien lemonade for all we know. And correct me if I am wrong, but isn't there a Hookah Smoking Caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland and doesn't Pinocchio get sick smoking a cigar?

Violence: Lots and lots of fighting. Dismembering. No humans. Only clones, droids and aliens. The most disturbing part of it was the return of Jabba's alien bounty hunters' heads on a stretcher. I thought the Harry Potter trailer was much scarier than anything in this movie.

Language: I only heard the "d" word once. You know, what a beaver builds.

Lessons: Yoda is much more believable animated.

What I liked best about it: Not much about the story at all. I will give credit to the Star Wars franchise for creating strong female characters. The Clone Wars features Senate member Padmé Amidala, and new characters Ahsoka Tano (Anakin Skywalker's apprentice) and one of the Emperors evil doers Asajj Ventress. Despite other reviews I've read, as an artist and movie-goer, I liked the animation. I didn't mind that the people were very chiseled and had an "action figure" quality. The painterly touch they used to render the artwork was very refreshing. It's unsettling when animated films try too hard to make the people real. They end up cold and creepy (see The Polar Express). After all, it's a cartoon people!!!

What our daughter liked best about it: "When the good guys won and when baby Hutt burped". That's a 5 year old for ya.

Overall, there are thousands better animated movies. Our daughter wasn't scared and I think the content was fine for her to see. The kids clapped at the end and seemed to enjoy it. If it wasn't for retrieving snacks, the visuals and Christopher Lee as Count Dooku, I would have fallen asleep. Who knew there could be worse acting than Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson in the real movies?

Photo: Warner Bros. & Lucasfilm Ltd/The Associated Press