Review Detail

This edit was really well done, particularly considering I was not the biggest fan of this variant of the Clone Wars. I liked the use of an opening crawl along with turning it into a movie format. The story logically flowed throughout the movie. This is a much more enjoyable way to enjoy this. There were no noticeable visual or auditory issues.

The first half of this movie can function as a prequel to the other Clone Wars series. A portion of the second half can somewhat fit into the other Clone Wars series. In particular, the portions involving Dooku training Grievous along with the invasion of Coruscant. (As a brief aside, I do hope somebody can make an episode out of the second half of this movie that could fit seamlessly with the Eddie Dean edit of the Clone Wars. Not all of it fits, however).

My understanding was that this was the 2nd version of this edit. I do have some recommendations if the editor were ever to proceed with a part 3.

1) This movie contains a fairly large time gap from when we see Anakin as a Padawan, and then we suddenly see him as a Jedi knight right before the events of Revenge of the Sith. I suggest adding some form of an intermission or new introductory crawl after we see the ceremony of Anakin becoming a Jedi knight to help the audience understand that we moved forward in time and give some background about the events we are about to see.

In essence, I think this movie should have a part A and B.

2) I think that “dream sequence” with the child Anakin and Qui Gon Jinn can be removed. It did not really have a direct fit in this movie and I also do not see how it fits with the rest of Star Wars lore. This is my opinion and I am sure others will disagree.

3) This critique is one that many Star Wars fans had with the prequels: I found Obi Wan constantly ordering and lecturing Anakin to be excessive. I think nearly all of Obi Wan’s shouting at [padawan] Anakin can be removed. This would give greater meaning to their brotherhood. Likewise I think the dialogue referencing Qui Gon between them can also be removed. It made Anakin and Obi Wan both look excessively whiny.

We should show them actually liking each other.

4) I do agree with the editor keeping that first scene with Mace Windu fighting the droids, but I do believe it should be condensed significantly. Windu taking out and entire droid battalion with his bare hands comes off as over the top and excessive. Trimming most of this out would make this scene more adult friendly. It otherwise came across as overly childish.

I do again want to commend the editor for taking this project on. He stated himself that he was working with a disjointed mess, and managed to turn it into something respectable. This was watchable and enjoyable. The editor was also correct in the other material he omitted, but like I mentioned, I think further cuts could be made.