Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Episode I: Army Of The Republic

Smudger9 has engaged in a monumental effort with their cuts of 'The Clone Wars' and it's quite remarkable just how much effort they have put into making these movie cuts from the TV series. A TV series I have to say, I was never a fan of, despite trying to get into the show several times and failing.

But the editor here has sliced out much of the show's most awful moments and therefore made for a far more enjoyable viewing experience. It's also a more "adult" experience too, in that a lot of the overly "kid friendly" elements have been eliminated. Unfortunately, annoying characters like kid Ahsoka and kid Boba are still present. But, there's nothing that Smudger9 can really do about that. Although, using some judicious cuts, they are less irritating here than they were in the TV show. I still just want to slap Boba though. And those "roger roger" droids still have the capacity to make me want to murder, despite them being heavily truncated.

My particular problem is not with Smudger9's version of 'The Clone Wars'. It's with 'The Clone Wars' itself. It just wasn't a very interesting show, had a tendency to ramble terribly and, unfortunately, some of that poorness comes through. Don't get me wrong, Smudger9 has made a very watchable and enjoyable cut here. But the problems are ingrained in the show itself.

It's usually accepted that 'The Clone Wars' didn't get good until Series 3. Although I was question if it was ever truly good and as of Smudger9's Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Episode V: Rise of the Dark Side, we've just got to Series 4 of the original show. So, the editor still has a bit of work to do, turning a generally poor show into a watchable one.

In spite of my criticisms of 'The Clone Wars' itself, I can highly recommend Smudger9's cuts. It's a great effort and well worth checking out. In fact, I'd recommend avoiding the TV series altogether and just watch Smudger9's far better versions.

A lot better than that crappy Clone Wars movie they released in theatres

Star Wars: The Clone Wars tells a universal story of war between good and evil, and in that turmoil the daunting challenge to not become that-which-you-fight in Anakin's efforts to stop the Dark Side. A scope that cries out for feature-length presentation on the big-screen.

Smudger9 merges multi-episode story arcs, skips inconsequential storylines, and removes repetition and filler. The result is more mature and better focused.

If you haven't the time to watch the feature film plus 6 seasons, settle in with Smudger9's movies instead.
If you want to find out why (and how) the clones turned on the Jedi, insert these Clone War stories in your Star Wars movie line-up.
If you enjoy animated Star Wars and are sad that Rebels is ending, watch Smudger9's Clone Wars.

I love the concept. I found the actual technical editing phenomenal. Prior to watching it, absolutely everything about it seemed to be my perfection vision of the Clone Wars.

The first seasons of Clone Wars were characterized by uneven animation and painful attempts at humor. Here the editor managed to salvage all the great action moments and character development to create a great adventure with the feel and vibe of classic Star Wars and none of the annoying stuff.