Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Lost Missions Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Lost Missions Blu-ray Movie Review

A decent collection of "lost" episodes, but not quite the farewell the series deserved...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown November 11, 2014

At this early stage, it's impossible to tell whether Disney's $4 billion acquisition of Lucasfilm will strengthen or weaken the Star Wars franchise. But there's been at least one casualty so far: supervising director Dave Filoni's The Clone Wars, the first five seasons of which were previously released on Blu-ray by Warner Bros. The popular Cartoon Network animated series was arguably cancelled in its prime, forced to wrap up its entire saga in 13 episodes shortly after its fifth season laid substantial groundwork for bigger, grander things. How much more story was there to tell? More than The Lost Missions encompass, that much is clear. With four Anakin/Obi Wan-centric episodes abandoned in pre-viz, four more Darth Maul episodes relegated to publication by Dark Horse Comics, dozens of plots threads still dangling, the fate of key characters uncertain, and several over-arching series narratives still unresolved, The Clone Wars arrives at a flawed, truncated, bittersweet end. The fact that the final episodes are being released is appreciated. The fact that it isn't the complete send-off the show warranted is not.

In these eagerly anticipated episodes of 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars,' some of the deepest mysteries of the conflict between the light and the dark sides of the Force are revealed. An intrepid clone trooper discovers a shocking secret, Anakin Skywalker's closest relationship is tested to its limits, and what Master Yoda discovers while investigating the disappearance of a Jedi could forever change the balance of power in the galaxy.

The Lost Missions' four story arcs sound intriguing. Gripping even. The sort of stories that might change the way fans see and feel about the prequel era of the Star Wars saga. In practice, though, the majority of the arcs -- specifically the first three -- are bloated, anticlimactic and less than revealing. Up first is a thriller that deals with the origin and mechanics of Order 66... which would be great if it weren't stretched out across four episodes. Next is a round of flames-o-jealousy between Anakin, Padme and former boy-toy Rush Clovis. (The tale Star Wars diehards have been demanding since A New Hope! Proto-Vader struggles with romantic insecurity!) Three more episodes down, six remaining. The third arc? A 2-part buddy comedy starring straight-laced Mace Windu and, brace for impact, bumbling senator Jar Jar Binks. (Anakin? Obi Wan? Ahsoka? Anyone? Nope.) Two of the least interesting characters in the series put through some truly uninteresting paces against an ancient, soul-sapping Force cult. Salivating yet? Didn't think so.

Finally, a 4-episode arc -- hands down the sixth season's best -- follows Master Yoda as he investigates Sifo-Dyas's death, discovers a supernatural link to an old friend, learns about the origins of the Force, and stumbles into a trippy, metaphysical, beautifully animated test of will. It's a strong, wonderfully sophisticated story with some nice surprises (call it "The Last Temptation of Yoda"), and it even dovetails into The Revenge of the Sith in several fascinating, perhaps even meaningful ways. I'd even go so far as to say it's worth the price of admission alone. But as The Clone Wars' finale, it doesn't resonate as much as it could, and it doesn't wrap up several more prominent mysteries and plotlines. Had more attention been paid to Anakin, Obi Wan and Ahsoka throughout the season, the Yoda episodes could have been viewed as a masterstroke. Instead, too much is left to the imagination to come away from Yoda's journey completely fulfilled.

I'll take it one step farther. If The Lost Missions represented the first half of a full season -- one that featured the fate of Darth Maul that made its way to the comic page, the Anakin/Obi Wan arc that's presented through pre-viz animation among the Blu-ray's special features, and a finale that bridged The Clone Wars and The Revenge of the Sith, preferably with the still-MIA Ahsoka -- these 13 episodes wouldn't be such a letdown. As is, it's no wonder the episodes have been dubbed The Lost Missions instead of Season Six. I'm by no means suggesting fans should skip this 4-arc set. My mind keeps coming back to the Yoda episodes, which almost redeems all the filler that precedes it, and even then, there's some really good stuff nestled amongst all the disappointment. But the first 9 episodes could have occurred prior to Season Six and no one would have been the wiser. There's nothing here outside of the Yoda arc that screams fitting Clone Wars closer, and even less that screams Star Wars at its finest.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Lost Missions Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Disney's 1080p/AVC-encoded 2.35:1 video presentation of The Lost Missions is largely comparable to the best of Warner's Clone Wars Blu-ray releases of previous seasons, save one key difference: the sixth season boasts a higher average bitrate and isn't prone to as much banding or macroblocking. Certainly none that's as severe as that which crept into past seasons. Some minor instances of both still pop up here or there, but it appears as if most of these instances, if not all, trace back to the source animation rather than the encode. But make no mistake, whether examining the quality of the animation or the quality of the presentation, this is the best the series has ever looked. Colors are neither overbearing nor underwhelming, striking a nice balance between the cinematic hues of the Star Wars films of old, the brighter primary punch of the prequel trilogy, and the darker, thematic palette established in Seasons Four and Five of The Clone Wars. Contrast is dialed in precisely and consistently as well, with deep, carefully resolved black levels. Detail is also excellent, without anything in the way of aliasing or ringing. Crisp, refined and perfectly rendered, there's no real flaw to be found and nothing that suggests this is anything other than a highly proficient, highly satisfying presentation worthy of praise.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Lost Missions Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Unfortunately, the same can't be said of The Lost Missions' audio. While Warner presented Seasons Three, Four and Five of The Clone Wars with lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround, Disney's release of the sixth season only offers a lossy 640kbps Dolby Digital 5.1 track. Still, it's a fine mix, with plenty of low-end heft, problem-free dialogue and effects prioritization, decidedly decent dynamics, and a reasonably immersive soundfield. It may not have the same kick, or arrive with the same clout, but it's more than serviceable, and comparable to Warner's releases of the series' first two seasons (which also featured lossy audio).

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Lost Missions Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Story Reel: Utapau Arc (HD, 91 minutes): Four lost... erm, "Lost" episodes are the highlight of what would otherwise be a lackluster supplemental package. Presented via a story reel comprised of pre-viz animatics and final voicework and music, the Utapau arc is actually quite good and well worth watching. In it, Obi Wan and Anakin track down a strange, enormous and very powerful crystal that's fallen into the hands of the Separatists; a crystal capable of firing a tremendously destructive beam of energy. (Why oh why would Palpatine ever need one of those?) How this arc remained unproduced while the Mace/Jar Jar team-up made it to broadcast is a mystery we may never solve. Episodes include "A Death on Utapau," "In Search of the Crystal," "Crystal Crisis" and "The Big Bang."
• The Clone Wars: Declassified (HD, 16 minutes): Tracking the genesis, development and evolution of The Clone Wars, with supervising director Dave Filoni, story and layout production supervisor Michele Yost, supervising editor Jason Tucker, lead designer Kilian Plunkett, post production and editorial manager Trisha Brunner, technical director and texture artist Pouchon Venerin, episodic director Kyle Dunlevy, digital asset supervisor Paul Zinnes and other key members of the series team.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Lost Missions Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There's a lot of hit-and-missing to The Lost Missions, with only four episodes -- the Yoda arc -- lingering on the mind and leaving a lasting mark. Rather than earning a full-fledged send-off, The Clone Wars comes to something of a frustrating close, with far too many fates, mysteries and storylines left unresolved. Disney's Blu-ray release is just as hit or miss. Its video presentation represents the best the show has ever looked, its lossy Dolby Digital audio track is more shoulder-shrug than jaw-drop, and its supplemental package surges (with four additional episodes presented via a pre-viz story reel) then relents (with very little in the way of behind-the-scenes material). All told, if you own the first five seasons of The Clone Wars, by all means complete your collection. There's enough here to justify a purchase. Just don't expect to walk away completely satisfied. Cancellation came too early.