Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

Spoilers!

The consensus on this summer's THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU is that it feels like an extended episode of the Disney + series, which debuted in 2019.  Or maybe a few episodes strung together.  I can see this, though it feels a bit more cinematic (though maybe not enough).  I might add that it also feels like a season finale, yet at the same time like a inconsequential mid season episode. Odd.  Lots of stuff happens, plenty of fights with colorful creatures and all.  Let somehow the movie has this low key vibe, as if it threatens to evaporate at any moment.  Like something disposable has been provided for public consumption, not meant to be thought about seconds later.

But I did think about it quite a bit afterward.  The adventures of Din Djarin, a Mandalorian warrior/bounty hunter and Grogu, or "baby Yoda" of the same species as the sage we saw in the earlier STAR WARS sagas are essentially recycled old serials.  As is everything in the universe originally created by George Lucas.  Director Jon Favreau's new movie does a few things right.  Most importantly, emphasizing the bond between the titular characters.  Especially during a lengthy sequence during the second half, when Grogu saves his guardian's life.

For me, that sequence makes the movie.  For many other viewers, it stops it cold.  Disrupts the flow.  I felt it was the heart of the picture.  Why I should care about a helmeted badass and a big eared green puppet?   Perhaps I'm becoming a softie in my old age.  Favreau handles these scenes with sentiment that resonated with me.  Made all their scrapes with ever present danger that much more tense.  Their relationship is both sweet and tough.

There is a decent amount of action.  The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal is under that helmet, mostly heard and rarely seen) has some pretty slick skills as he battles human and Dragonsnake alike.  The plot takes place after the Empire has fallen, while Imperial warlords attempt to resurrect it.  Mando now works for the New Republic and is enlisted to hunt the rogue baddies down.  Siblings of our old buddy Jabba the Hut have some info. in exchange for the return of their nephew Rotta, Jabba's son.  Who the twins claim was kidnapped.  Mando is on a new mission.

Things aren't what they seem, and of course don't go as planned.  Mando amusingly remarks that he tries to avoid violence, right after he takes out a group of lowlifes in a bar.  We are always worried about little Grogu, but the Force is with him.

Did you notice Martin Scorsese's name in the credits? He lends his voice to Hugo, a four armed food truck vendor who gives Mando some intel.  To me he played it more like Woody Allen than Marty.

Sigourney Weaver is on hand as a New Republic leader.  She isn't given much to do, but fits in nicely in this world.  Occupying yet another iconic sci-fi franchise.

David Klein, who shot several Kevin Smith movies, does not impress with his cinematography.  It looks like crap, honestly.  Really dilutes even the best moments.  Thankfully Ludwig Goransson's varied score picks up the slack.  I also liked the BLADE RUNNER inspired set design of the cityscape on the planet Shakari.  There are many references to earlier films in MANDALORIAN AND GROGU, including ROBOCOP; Phil Tippet does some welcome stop motion work here as well.  

While everything here may be a lateral move at best, I enjoyed this movie, helped along by my efforts to see it through a child's eyes.  It really is for them.  All the thrills and emotional weight would've captured my younger self.  Maybe almost as much as it did that for this fifty-something.