Star Wars - Clone Wars: Vol. 2 is the 2nd DVD of the animated series that was aired by cartoon network after Episode II and fills in just about all you need to know for Episode III. Where the first volume took us through all of the battles that the republic was fighting against Count Dooku and company, the 2nd volume focuses more on the story of Anakin and Obi-Wan and also brings a few other characters into play. It also ties up a few loose ends from Revenge of the Sith.

I actually enjoyed both of these volumes almost as much, if not more than Episode I and Episode II. With the animated nature of the film and the lower budget, the developers were able to go into more detail and really give us a great movie experience. In this DVD you get to see how Anakin finally achieves the rank of Jedi Master and the trials he goes through to reach it. This episode also develops the relationship between Anakin and Obi-wan more so than any of the actual theatre released films do.

One of the cool things about both of the animated volumes is that you get to see a lot more character development then you do in the films. The movies center around 4-5 major characters and all of the supporting cast kind of get left out. Even Mace Windu, who is one of the most powerful and well known Jedi, isn't done justice in any of the films in my opinion. In the animated series, you get to see Mace in all his glory through several battles and fight scenes. You also get to see how he almost single handedly takes out General Grevious and why the General has that nagging cough at the start of Episode III. Other Jedi also are featured in great deal including my favorite character from the series, Shaak Ti, the red skinned female Jedi who single handedly clashes with Grevious and his droids on several occasions and who rivals both Master Yoda and Mace with her light saber skills.

Of course Yoda gets into the action to which is always fun to watch. The animation is effortless and leads a great touch to the battle scenes because they flow together very well. The only problem I really had with the animated volumes was that it makes the Jedi seem way overpowered, especially when you watch the films. Throughout these animated volumes, Yoda, Obi-Wan, Mace, Anakin, etc. easily deflect laser bolts with their bare hands, Mace beats up the majority of a droid army on his own using Matrix style kung-fu and then takes out a world devestator on his own, and of course we all know that Yoda shows off his amazing Jedi talents. The problem I have is that if you take any version of the Jedi from this series and put them in the movie, there is no way the sith even have a leg to stand on. Mace would have crushed Anakin and Palpatine in less then 3 seconds during the famous scene where Anakin lops off his arm in Episode III. Yoda wouldn't have had any problems tangling with the Emperor and Obi-Wan would have made spare parts out of General Grevious in mere seconds if the film counterparts were half as powerful as the Jedi from the animated series. In this way, it kind of ruined the movies for me.

The best thing about this volume is it does tie up a lot of loose ends that you have going into Episode III. For one I always wondered what Anakin had been up to and how he is suddenly a Jedi Master out of nowhere. Also why does Grevious cough all of the time and how on earth did they steal Palpatine right out from under the republic's nose? Well this volume shows you exactly that, everything you need to see to bring you up to speed before the start of Episode III. In fact, volume 2 ends right as Obi-wan and Anakin are getting ready to get in their star fighters to attempt to rescue Palpatine. There are also some little goodies here and there about how light sabers are made and the added back story on several of the lesser known Jedi characters is also a nice feature.

Overall this is an awesome DVD. It has several cool bonus features including the Star Wars Lego short with Darth Vader and his orchestra of storm troopers, playable demos of the new X-box game and of course the normal interviews with the director and production crew and also a trailer for Episode III. The animation is flawless and breathtaking through out the DVD and the music is your standard amazing Star Wars score, with the unmistakable tunes of John Williams blended in perfectly to set the tone for each scene. In my opinion this volume is as good as any of the new Star Wars films(ep. I-III) and is a must have for any Star Wars fan.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older