9) Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
Directed by: Dave Filoni
Written by: Henry Gilroy, Steven Melching, and Scott Murphy
Starring: Matt Lanter: Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Dee Bradley Baker, Ian Abercrombie, Catherine Taber, Kevin Michael Richardson, Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Daniels, Christopher Lee.
The fact that Star Wars: The Clone Wars occupies the lowest position on this ranking is not an indication of a poor movie, but rather an indication of the level of contribution this animated film makes to the overall franchise. It is essentially an anthology story – but one that is of little real consequence when stacked against its live-action stablemates.
It tells the story of a young Anakin Skywalker, who works with his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi to help the clones advance against Separatist forces during the Clone Wars. The son of Jabba The Hutt – Rotta – is kidnapped in order to manipulate the powerful Hutt clan into joining the Separatist movement. With the help of a young Padawan named Ashoka Tano, Anakin and Obi-Wan must follow the guidance of Yoda to safely retrieve Rotta – while Senator Padme Amidala uncovers more sinister political ramifications of his abduction.
Perhaps it’s because the character of Jabba The Hutt is not terribly compelling in the wider saga, or perhaps it’s because the plot relies too heavily upon the more complex political wrangling that framed the Prequel Trilogy – but Star Wars: The Clone Wars carries little weight. Unlike the current crop of anthology stories, it does not deal with an episode in the Star Wars timeline that the general fan is curious about. It tells a story that is additional, and perhaps even frivolous, rather than a narrative that’s necessary.
