It’s always worth revisiting Star Wars: Clone Wars, Genndy Tartakovsky’s animation gem — perhaps even the best thing Star Wars has ever done.
The debate over the best Star Wars is endless, even if the feature films of the original trilogy are cited more often than those of Disney’s post-trilogy or George Lucas’s prequel trilogy. But what if, in reality, the best Star Wars wasn’t a movie, but a series? An animated one, to boot: Clone Wars by Genndy Tartakovsky, who also gave us the series Dexter’s Laboratory and Primal or the first three Hotel Transylvania films.
This gem, which is no longer part of Lucasfilm’s official saga canon, aired on Cartoon Network from 2003 to 2005 and breathed new life into the license, while also giving fans an unforgettable burst of action. The strengths of Clone Wars are many, from its hushed narration, to the distinctive visual language inherited from the artist’s previous works, the surgical precision of movement and editing, the kinetic pace of the battles, and the inventiveness of the choreography.
It’s also the first (and perhaps the last?) time that an artist has planted their mark so deeply and enjoyed such freedom to play with George Lucas’s baby. And maybe that’s why the result remains so impactful, even nearly 23 years later.
And if you want our take on The Mandalorian & Grogu, currently in theaters:
