From two animated series, to books, video games and a slew of merchandising, Lucasfilm has milked every last ounce out of the once compelling 'Clone Wars' era of the 'Star Wars' saga over the last decade. As a result, it is now utterly demystified. Might the same be in store for the era in between the sagas? We'll soon see.
'Rebels: Spark of Rebellion' is a welcome change, recapturing the tone and spirit of the original 'Star Wars' trilogy in a way the prequels and the 'Clone Wars' never quite did. It's not just the superficial aesthetic, this actually *feels* like 'Star Wars'. This first pilot movie episode feels a bit rushed at times, and definitely would've benefited from a feature-length runtime, but what we get is a fun, fast moving adventure that features likable characters and a compelling set-up. Hopefully it can maintain a tighter overall narrative focus than the occasionally slapdash 'Clone Wars'. So far, so good.