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Parents' Guide to

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

By James Rocchi, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

CGI Star Wars saga is dull, despite action.

Movie PG 2008 98 minutes
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 17 parent reviews

He's no good to me dead
He's no good to me dead Adult
January 31, 2021
age 12+

12 and up would be best.

I have watched this show since I was 15 years old and now that I am re watching it with my kids, I noticed that there is a few scenes that are not suitable for children under 12. For example in the episode Slaves of The Republic it shows Ahsoka in a revealing outfit that you could almost see her bum! my 8 year old daughter and son asked me why she was wearing that, It was very hard to explain to them at such a young age and I didn't like explaining it to them either. This show is pretty violent too with some brutal deaths such as getting stabbed by a Lightsaber or getting shot, no blood though. This show also had a few minor curse words but nothing too bad. There are some episodes to skip such as slaves of the republic but overall it's a great show to watch with older kids.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
1 person found this helpful.
Lilteapot27
Lilteapot27 Parent of 12-year-old
July 16, 2023
age 9+

This title has:

Great role models
See all 17 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS -- which is set between the films Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith -- Jedi knights Anakin Skywalker (voiced by Matt Lanter) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (James Arnold Taylor) are once again plunged into the thick of things, helping Republic troops seize a planet back from the robot army led by separatist Count Dooku (Christopher Lee). In the middle of the fray, viewers learn that Anakin's been assigned a new student by Master Yoda (Tom Kane) -- plucky young Jedi Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein), whose skills are matched only by her impetuousness. When word comes that intergalactic gangster Jabba the Hutt's son has been kidnapped, Anakin and Ahsoka are dispatched to rescue the infant, partially in hopes that a placated Jabba will give free passage to Republic ships as they try to stop the separatists. But the separatists have their own agenda, and Dooku's assassin Asajj Ventress (Nika Futterman) is on the hunt for Anakin and his new student.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (17 ):
Kids say (75 ):

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is aimed at kids, but it has a big flaw: the constant repetition of lines, themes, concepts, and information in the script. This suggests that the people who made it don't have a terribly high opinion of their target audience. The movie's computer animation also sometimes looks shabby and shoddy compared to other computer-animated films -- hair is stiff and unyielding, and skin textures look mottled and flat. The character of Ahsoka feels fairly generic -- she's plucky and spirited, sassy and yet eager to learn from her elders -- and is clearly being set up as a new lead character for future animated tales set in the Star Wars universe.

The film unfortunately has more in common with the heavy, clumsy paces of the "new" Star Wars trilogy than the more graceful, spirited ones of the three original films from the '70s and '80s. There are plots and conspiracies and stratagems, usually over-explained by characters appearing in a holographic communication with our heroes and villains; watching The Clone Wars feels like listening in to several tedious phone conversations, interrupted by fight scenes. Yes, the action is non-stop, but as The Clone Wars takes place between two movies viewers already know the outcome of, it's hard to shake the fact that the entire film feels like money-making filler, an attempt to wring more story -- and money -- out of a long-established franchise.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about different kinds of movie violence. Does the fact this film is animated make its depiction of war and combat more acceptable to viewers? Does the sci-fi angle make the consequences of the fights and conflicts seem less realistic? Families can also discuss how this film compares to the original 1970s live-action saga that many parents grew up with, as well as the more recent trilogy. Why do you think George Lucas decided to make another Star Wars movie?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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