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Here is a non-canonical, or canonical – perhaps the distinction has begun to fade – story from the Star Wars universe, offering a fun yet classic Star Wars tale on an impressive Imax scale. And if you thought it was possible to end a movie like this without a space battle scene involving X-wing fighters, think again. It is made from the Disney+ streaming TV series The Mandalorian and set right after its time there Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jediin which military commanders from the defeated Empire prepare to return to the New Republic.
Pedro Pascal plays the Mandalorian, a free-lance hunter not unlike Han Solo, but with Grogu, his “ward”, on his shoulder. (The classic Victorian voice is revived here for the first time since the days of Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne.) Grogu is a Yoda-type baby with telekinetic powers. As for the Mandalorian, he has a voice like Clint Eastwood’s nameless character, and is essentially a faceless man; he never takes off his helmet – except in one important scene – although this should limit his appearance. + He must remove it so that he can eat and drink and shave his beard. The Body duo Lateef Crowder and Brendan Wayne play different versions of the Mandalorian walking around, giving directors Jon Favreau and Pascal a unique opportunity to film and record voices. The Mandalorian it’s a clear sign of the importance of the IP genre over the presence of former stars and the obvious comparison to Dave Prowse’s body double Darth Vader is disturbing.
The Republic’s Colonel Ward – a military role that Sigourney Weaver makes a phone call to, as she did with her role in the Avatar films – enlists the Mandalorian and Grogu to break out of prison Rotta the Hutt (voiced by Jeremy Allen White); he is the son of the evil Jabba the Hutt, and Hutt Jr is being guarded by a warrior played by Jonny Coyne. A deal with the hostile Hutts is that in return for Rotta’s freedom, they will give the Republic intel on what the Empire’s planners are up to.
TM&G embark on their valiant quest aboard a refurbished fighter jet not unlike the Millennium Falcon, and encounter a handful of oddballs, including a four-armed caffeinated street food vendor, which is said to be hilarious. Martin Scorsese. Favreau presents us with a number of strange and terrifying creatures that the Mandalorian, often referred to as “Mando”, has to contend with, including a super-strong snake that emerges from the depths under the guidance of multiple and recurring Hutts.
The film is barrel-chested enough, but maybe not enough personality, humor and atmospheric melodrama that has made and continues to make. Star Wars lovely.
