The Mandolorian is a Star Wars spin-off show that is exclusive to Disney+. Ever since its release of the first season, the show blew up huge as critics and fans alike praised it for being great in its adventurous storytelling and keeping true to the spirit of the original trilogy of Star Wars. all I can say is that everything the people have been talking about is true because it really is a true work of art.
In the first season of the show, we see a lone bounty hunter named the Mandolorian who is tasked by imperial forces to retrieve an unknown child creature from its home. However once discovers the baby creature nicknamed Baby Yoda and his mysterious abilities, Mando finds he can not bear to see him in the hands of the imperial forces. So he takes Baby Yoda for himself and soon after the imperial forces realize what he has done and they chase after them. Along the way, Mando and Baby Yoda come across many different characters and many different worlds as Mando tries to return Baby Yoda to his original habitat.
The most interesting thing to bring up when discussing this series is that the head of the writing department for most of the episodes is none other than Jon Favreau who is known for directing Zathura and the first two Iron Man movies. His writing style completely matches the tone of the star wars universe. There is no complicated lore or unnecessary political talk like in the prequels. The plot of each episode is mostly straightforward and the world-building forms around the adventures that Mando and Baby Yoda Face. The characters are all new to the Star Wars franchise and they fit the style very well. They introduce new robots and new bounty hunters that have just as much character as Mando himself. Motivations are understandable and simple enough so we can get the idea of what happens with them in each episode the show presents.
Let me just say, wow, the visual style is gorgeous. It’s a combination of both modern and throwback filmmaking because there are just as many practical effects as there are CGI effects and they blend so well it is hard to tell them apart. I also like its use of a new technology where instead of filming the characters on a green screen they use large tv screen panels and shoot the characters in front of those screens. I gotta say I’m impressed because you’d think the lighting above or the camera would cause a glaring on the lenses but they pull it off so convincingly that it’s hard to tell. One of my favorite things about the show is during the end credits of each episode where they have digitally painted versions of scenes we have witnessed in the said episode.
This is a must-watch for Star Wars fans both young and old. It harkens back to Star Wars’ glory days while also pushing the envelope for new ideas for stories and world-building. Jon Favreau along with his amazing crew has done it again and I can tell you that I’m looking forward to viewing the next chapter of what’s to come of this solidly crafted piece of genius.
(Final Grade: A-)