Clone Wars vs. Clone Wars
Image: Wikipedia.com
Image: Wookiepedia.com
As most of you probably know, Disney recently announced that they would be reviving Star Wars, the Clone Wars, for a sixth season. Like many people, I was very excited by the news; The Clone Wars was one of my favorite things to watch when I was younger, and I can’t wait to see what Disney comes up with for the sixth season (though I felt that the fifth season was decidedly lackluster). But some of my friends began talking about the original 2003 version of the show, which I’d never seen before. So, I decided to watch it, and compare it to the 2008 version. Without further ado, here’s some of the key differences I noticed.
Animation
When it comes to animation styles, the two shows could not be more different. The 2008 version used computer-generated imaging, while the 2003 version used a more traditional, cartoonish approach.
There are merits to both styles, but there are also drawbacks. The 2003 version has an artful look to it; it’s clear that the show was a labor of love. The visuals are simply breathtaking at times. At other times, however, the characters look downright creepy and wrong. It’s also less detailed than the 2008 version, where every nook and cranny is animated. However, the 2003 version doesn’t have that artful, spectacular feel to it. The characters animations also appear stiff and janky, especially in the earlier seasons. Yet there’s still something refreshing about the detailed animation that just isn’t present in the 2003 version. I’m going to call this a tie.
Voice Acting
I’m gonna be honest guys, it’s really no contest here. The voice acting in the 2008 version of the show is better than the 2003 version by every conceivable measure. Mat Lucas, the star of the 2003 version, sounds more like an angsty Brooklyn teenager than he does Anakin Skywalker. There are some exceptions to this rule; James Arnold Taylor plays Obi-Wan in both versions, and he does a damn good job of it. But for the most part, the 2003 voice acting is pretty shoddy and uninspired. The 2008 version featured cameos from stars like David Tennant and Mark Hamill, and several of the cast members won awards for their performances. All the actors in the 2008 version are simply beyond reproach whereas the actors in the 2003 version don’t seem to have been putting their heart into it.
Point: 2008 version.
Plot/Characters
The 2003 version features remarkably little dialogue — sometimes, characters will go a whole episode without speaking a single word. But still, the stellar animation allows the show to communicate so much without the characters saying a single word. Instead of having the characters talk about their feelings, the 2003 version often uses a complete lack of sound to help build tension — and it’s a highly effective tactic. However, the 2008 version still wins out here. The show brought us lovable characters like Captain Rex, and portrayed the Clone Troopers as actual, thinking people. In the 2003 version, the Troopers are just a bunch of red shirts who are killed off without fanfare. The show had complex character arcs that examined themes like military discipline, slavery, and the ethics of war itself. While the 2003 version tells what little story it has very well, it simply doesn’t hold a candle to the masterful writing that was found in the 2008 show.
Point: 2008 version General Grievous
Maybe it’s odd to focus in on just one character for this review, but the fact remains that the shows have markedly different portrayals of the cyborg general. The 2008 version of the show is probably more in keeping with Grievous’s character in Revenge of the Sith, where he is portrayed as a cowardly, asthmatic cyborg who hates the Jedi with a burning passion.
In the 2003 version, however, Grievous is so much more than that. Gone is the athematic cough and cowardly disposition. When we first meet Grievous, he does battle with six Jedi, several of them Masters — and he wins without so much as breaking a sweat. While the 2008 version undoubtedly portrays Grievous as dangerous, the 2003 version of the show makes it clear that he is a creature to be feared.
However, there’s also a difference in the voice acting. In the 2003 show, Grievous was portrayed by two different voice actors; John DiMaggio and Richard McGonagle, neither of whom do a particularly good job. In 2008, the producers selected Matthew Wood to play the iconic character, and he plays his part beautifully.
I don’t really have a preference for which portrayal is better — both versions are spectacularly well written. But Matthew Woods does such a good job voice acting that the 2008 version wins out.
Point: 2008
If you total up the points, it’s clear that the 2008 show wins oIf you total up the points, it’s clear that the 2008 show wins out. However, that doesn’t mean that the 2003 version is without merit. In fact, I definitely recommend you watch it. While it’s nowhere near as good as the 2008 version, it’s still a worthy entry in the Star Wars saga.ut. However, that doesn’t mean that the 2003 version is without merit. In fact, I definitely recommend you watch it. While it’s nowhere near as good as the 2008 version, it’s still a worthy entry in the Star Wars saga.