Star Wars is finally back in theaters! After years of sticking to the small screen, the mega franchise returns to cinemas in a new adventure with The Mandalorian and Grogu. A story that, ironically, started on streaming now gets an upgrade.
The first Star Wars live-action TV show, The Mandalorian, continues its story when righteous bounty hunter, Din Djarin, takes his adopted son Grogu on a mission to help the New Republic bring in rogue Imperial officers who are trying to bring back the Empire. Director Jon Favreau takes on the challenge of elevating the popular show into a full-blown Star Wars movie by shooting a large portion of the film in IMAX and adding creative visuals to appease experienced moviegoers expecting a grand-scale blockbuster. Although the film aims for greater heights, it ends up falling short of anything beyond what fans have already seen in the show.
Star Wars has been in an interesting place these last few years. Lucasfilm has been trying to find out what to do with its franchise moving forward. From creating original live-action shows like The Acolyte and then quickly cancelling them, to announcing several films that have yet to enter pre-production, the beloved universe has seemed a little uneven in its vision for the future. However, The Mandalorian has remained consistently popular (despite a lacklustre third season), which is why the higher-ups decided to capitalize on its success by reworking what would’ve been a fourth season into a full-scale summer movie.
The move was, first and foremost, Disney betting on what was already working for them. It felt like they were trying to move away from the bolder, sometimes more controversial stories toward a wider, more appealing, safer story about an adorable, magical baby and his protective warrior father. The pieces were already in place, since the show had found a rhythm, so the production process would not be as gargantuan a task as in other Star Wars films. The only thing left is the story.
The Mandalorian and Grogu struggles with its story. It felt like it may have been the least important part of the filmmaking process for the team. The cute moments with Grogu, the action scenes with Din, and the creature effects, all seemed to have taken priority over the plot of the film. The character arcs were hardly there, with Din remaing the same, and Grogu only having one portion of the film to really explore his character outside of being adorable.
The structure of the film is also jarring. The three-act structure becomes difficult to trace as the movie feels more like a couple of episodes smashed together, with Din quickly going from place to place with a few exposition scenes that feel more like a TV episode mission. This is one of the film’s weakest aspects, as the easily predictable story beats become distracting.
Character growth is somewhat nonexistent in the movie. The movie lives and breathes cute moments and action scenes, and that’s about it. The Mandalorian is already a great character, with his arc in the show being exciting and significant; however, the film chooses not to expand on it, instead making him a one-note, mission-oriented warrior.
The action sequences are no doubt a lot of fun. Some are stronger than others, but several stand out. The final one is no doubt the best, with Din using close-quarters weapons like the Mandalorian warrior he is. Although there are some exciting scenes, the formula does become tedious. It feels like the film could’ve benefited from slightly less action and more character development. The creature fights, for example, may be fun for hardcore fans who recognize each species, but the CGI felt noticeable and was not nearly as intense as battles among human soldiers. Certain action scenes do feel grand, yet there is a slight TV, downscaled feel to quite a few of them. The camera doesn’t do anything too special and instead relies on the gags and stunt performers, which feels like a safe choice.
Grogu may be the standout for many fans. The cuteness factor of this film is crucial to the overall success. The film certainly aims to capture viewers’ hearts with special, one-of-a-kind puppeteering. Grogu and his Anzellan buddies are indeed precious and a testament to the classic puppeteering. The art form is on full display in this film, with an endearing performance by the gifted puppeteers that gives Grogu a full array of expressions and personality. For fans of charming puppets, this aspect will surely appease them.
The Mandalorian and Grogu struggles the most by creating a film that lives up to the quality one would expect from a Star Wars movie. As divisive as some Star Wars movies may be, each film features something special that fans can hold onto. Whether it’s a scene or a character moment, every Star Wars film features a unique, epic feeling that is noteworthy. The Mandalorian and Grogu doesn’t quite reach that throughout its runtime. It still feels too safe and too TV.
The episode-to-episode feels overwhelming, and the movie magic is not quite there. There are really fun action sequences and adorable moments, but it’s not enough to sustain a movie with the Star Wars title. The Mandalorian himself, is by far the standout with some stellar fight scenes, but the film doesn’t reach beyond that. There is plenty here to appease fans, but not enough to deliver that epic Star Wars feeling.
Rating: 6/10