Star Wars : The Clone Wars S01E01, S01E02

Star Wars : The Clone Wars, the movie received mixed reviews. Apparently it was never initially designed as a movie, but instead as several episodes. Watching the first two episodes of the series proper it's clear that the twenty minute short episodes are a much better format. For a start it means that the plots career along at top speed, with lots of action and fighting. In many ways this is similar to the original hand-drawn series, but just with CGI instead. The main difference appears to be the small amount extra time which allows something other than full on fighting. For example in both of the first episodes the Jedi Masters take pains to explain to their clone troopers that they are not expendable cannon fodder.

Presumably some kind of arc will materialise within the series, but the first two episodes could be watched in an order and are completely independent. One episode, Ambush, focuses on Yoda and his fighting abilities (he's very hard) and the other, Rising Malevolence, on a rescue mission by Anakin and Ahsoka.

What the CGI is extremely good at visualising are the spaceships. Greivous's massive flagship looks, well, massive and menacing. And the Republic gunships still roar past and look like fighting machines.

Adults may get annoyed at the Battle Droids, who talk to each other in (rather feeble) comedy sketches, but this is a programmer for kids, and I wouldn't like generalize and guess what they think.

Overall, I enjoyed them: bitesize, action filled chunks of Star Wars.