“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” is directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man, The Jungle Book) and stars Pedro Pascal (The Fantastic Four: First Steps, The Last of Us), Jeremy Allen White (The Bear, The Iron Claw), Brendan Wayne (Ahsoka, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Lateef Crowder (Mile 22, Tekken), Jonny Coyne (The Toxic Avenger, The Blacklist), Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, The Wolf of Wall Street), and Sigourney Weaver (Ghostbusters, Avatar). In this film, the title characters go on a mission to recover Jabba the Hutt’s son, Rotta the Hutt, in exchange for information.

To me, “Star Wars” is life. As someone who has been reviewing movies on this site for the past decade, I always try my darndest to separate myself from my predisposed biases. When it comes to the “Star Wars” franchise, I think I did a decent job at that for the most part. The one exception that comes to mind is “The Last Jedi.” I gave that movie a 9/10, but upon rewatching it, I found myself highly questioning my original grade. I found the characters more annoying, certain scenes less interesting, and I was reminded of pacing issues I brushed aside the first time around. There are neat things about the movie, but is it a good movie? Not really.

Since my surprisingly positive review of “The Rise of Skywalker,” and yes, I stand by my original 6/10 grade, “Star Wars” has not had a major motion picture come out. They mainly focused on TV, not all of which I watched, but I enjoyed parts of it. Thankfully, “The Mandalorian” is one of those things I enjoyed. “The Mandalorian” season 1 brought something new to the franchise while maintaining the fun of the property. Season 2 kept up the pace, at least for me. Season 3 is definitely the weak point, but it still had its moments. When I first heard a “Mandalorian” movie was going to happen, my first thought was, “Okay. I don’t hate it.” Frankly, a “Mandalorian” movie is probably the safest film idea that Disney and Lucasfilm could have done. Many hardcore and casual viewers know and enjoy the show. It was a huge sell for Disney+ back when the first season came out. And speaking of selling, Grogu merch continues to sell like hotcakes.

Even with a season 3 that is clearly inferior from the others, I was still onboard to see more adventures with the titular characters.

Having now come out of the first “Star Wars” movie in almost six and a half years, I felt that I wanted more out of my experience.

This is a film that checks some boxes. It has action. It has adventure. It has the same feel as the TV show, but one could almost argue that this project feels more TV-like than movie-like. It is weird to say that, because when “The Mandalorian” came out, it felt more film-esque than it did a TV program in some ways. It had a scope aspect ratio. Heck, sometimes the aspect ratio would change to emphasize the feel of certain scenes. The CGI, while not as crisp as some of the movies, was very good. The worlds were oftentimes immersive, even with the Volume’s imperfections.

Now that this is turning into a movie, maybe we’d see the next step in technology to make it look as crisp as say “Rogue One.” In some ways, it is an incredibly immersive film. But sadly, not everyone is going to be able to experience it in the best way possible. My first viewing of this movie was at the AMC Lincoln Square IMAX in New York City. This is one of the largest screens in the entire world. They showed this movie through IMAX’s dual-laser 4K projection system, which is only in a handful of theaters. But everywhere I look, this is the big sell for the movie. Well, maybe aside from being in the “Star Wars” franchise… But I am seeing slogans like “Filmed for IMAX” and “Forged for IMAX” everywhere I go. Trailers, posters, standees, you name it. Do not get me wrong, I am a sucker for IMAX, so I was sold. Should you see this movie in IMAX? If it is still in an IMAX near you, yes. This movie has sequences that are shot for the IMAX format, including the rarely used 1.43:1 aspect ratio. But it is not going to erase the film’s imperfections. Some of the color grading looks abhorrent. There is this one sequence ingrained in my memory perhaps meant to emphasize how green one particular environment is, and it honestly looks like “The Matrix” had a baby with guacamole. It was kind of off-putting. There is no particular scene that wowed me in terms of its looks.

If anything, this movie reminds me a bit of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” Specifically, the 2008 movie. Funny enough, without giving much away, there is a callback to that movie that made me chuckle. Much like 2008’s “The Clone Wars,” “The Mandalorian and Grogu” has its moments that are not as cinematic as maybe they should be. This is partially evident in the story. The story does not quite have an identity. What is this movie actually about? Sure, it is about the titular characters, the Mandalorian and Grogu, but what are they doing exactly? What is their purpose? The movie suggests that the team must deal with a hutt, but it sometimes feels unfocused.

I have heard from others that this movie comes off as if it were an extended “Mandalorian” episode or multiple “Mandalorian” episodes combined into a two hour movie, and I see where they are coming from. I don’t mind the first comment, because if it were an extended episode, it would likely maintain focus and stick to one main idea. But it doesn’t. The film ends up feeling like a couple different episodes. These either resemble “Mandalorian” episodes that ended up getting rejected, or episodes that perhaps could have made for a small season or a half-season.

Pacing-wise, this film may be the worst I have experienced during a “Star Wars” installment. Again, with this coming off as several episodes in one piece, there are times where the film felt like it did not know when it wanted to end. I am not saying that I hated what happened in this movie. I was quite entertained through a good portion of it. But all of it probably would have been better if it were divided into bits and pieces. This movie, even though it does not span that much time, feels too heavy. I cannot recall a single moment during this film where I wanted to slap myself in the face or punch the screen or force choke myself to death. At the same time, I also cannot recall many instances where I wanted to jump for joy or cheer or go, “This is the way!” There are scenes where I kind of felt nothing, and that is shocking for a franchise whose original movies gave me a range of emotions from excitement to chills… Whose prequel movies sometimes made me cringe, but at other times made me drop my jaw at some of the lightsaber battles… Whose sequel movies had me locked into whatever the characters were going through such as Rey’s personal struggle of figuring out who she is, as well as Kylo Ren trying to live up to his grandfather, while also sometimes showing his humanity by destroying objects with his lightsaber whenever something goes wrong. This movie does not have any moment that made me go, “I’m going to remember that for as long as I live.” Instead, it is filled to the brim with moments that I passively glanced upon.

I think if you are a huge fan of “The Mandalorian” on TV, you might enjoy this movie. But even as I say that, I question my comment. While I am a fan of the show, I have to admit this movie did not quite do it for me. Is it horrible? No. It has some redeeming qualities, and one of those redeeming qualities is Ludwig Göransson’s score. …Sort of.

Of course, Goransson’s iconic theme music from the show is here and gets some extra pizazz on occasion. That said, I was not a fan of some of his new themes. There was one theme in particular that sounded like Hans Zimmer’s Electro theme from “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” became blood brothers with Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor’s headache-inducing “Challengers” score. Yes. I cannot stand the “Challengers” score. All film is subjective, and in the spirit of subjectivity, I believe that all the cinephiles that raved about that techno nightmare are entitled to their wrong opinions.

There is a particular piece of techno-style music in this film as well, which was not as headache-inducing as the “Challengers” score, but it felt very out of place with the environment. I questioned why it was even playing to begin with. That said, I did stay for the credits and I heard the theme play one more time. I would not say I warmed up to the piece, but it did sound better the second time around. Maybe it works in the right context, but for whatever reason, it does not work here. It was one of the few times I remember watching anything “Star Wars” and thinking the music doesn’t work. Sure, there are times where the music is forgettable, but even in those cases, they still match their scenes and movies overall. This is a massive and unfortunate exception to that idea.

If you are a newbie to the “Star Wars” franchise, I doubt “The Mandalorian and Grogu” is going to be the best entry point for you. Not necessarily because it piggybacks off of a streaming series. I don’t think you have to watch the “Mandalorian” show to understand every single thing that is going on in this film. However, this is not only one of the weaker films, at least in my opinion, but it also comes with very little substance. We do not really see Mando develop much as a character. He does not go through much noticeable change. He feels about as flat as this movie’s color palette. Now Grogu on the other hand is the most interesting of the titular characters. Since he can barely speak, it allows for more show than tell with his character. I found his challenges much more compelling, and as much as I do not want to judge a book by its cover, his challenges fit the “Mandalorian and Grogu” name. It shows how the two work as a team. At times this movie reminded me of those group projects in school, where one person ends up doing all the work. Grogu is that individual sometimes. There is one particular point in the story about two-thirds of the way through the movie that shows what Grogu is capable of.

Although this movie is rather predictable. Do not go in expecting the next “I am your father.” I have no problem with predictability if the story beats are handled decently. But they are not. They feel way too been there done that, not to mention done better. Say what you want about “The Last Jedi,” which I will remind you, is a film I did not like, but at least the film took risks. It came from the singular mind of Rian Johnson. I did not agree with all of his choices, but it felt like his movie for the most part. “The Mandalorian” feels more committee-esque, and I hate to say that because this film is done by a fabulous director. Jon Favreau has proven he can make great movies. “Iron Man,” “Chef,” “Elf,” and while I am not a huge fan of the Disney live-action remakes, I will defend “The Jungle Book.” That film is a technical marvel. I even liked the one “Mandalorian” episode he helmed. So, what happened here?

Admittedly, when it comes to certain technical choices, I think Favreau does a good job. If anything, it felt kind of video-game esque in the sense that we were closely watching characters behind their back in the third person perspective, or getting their view from a first-person perspective. There is a scene where Grogu is blazing through a city and the camera shows the world from his eyes. It was really cool to see it on a big IMAX screen in 1.43:1.

The action scenes are also well done. The opening 10 or 15 minutes are easily the best part of the film because while Mando does not develop much throughout the movie, the movie sets him up as this name that should be feared. Kind of like John Wick. It shows that through and through as he is taking down baddies left and right. While the Mandalorian never takes down a Stormtrooper with a pencil, this movie convinces me he could.

After those opening 10 to 15 minutes, we are introduced to Sigourney Weaver’s character, Ward, who does not really have much to do in the story other than to give Din orders and remind Grogu not to overeat. It is an easy paycheck for her. I do not hate the character, but I wish Weaver, who has built a legendary career in film, had more to do. Weaver’s basically the queen of sci-fi at this point between “Ghostbusters,” “Alien,” “Avatar,” “Galaxy Quest,” and “WALL-E…” Now that she is in “Star Wars,” I wish she had a character that were more memorable than the one we got. Aside from the recently mentioned “WALL-E,” as well as another Pixar feature, “Finding Dory,” the latter of which features Weaver voicing herself, this is probably the easiest money that the actress has made in her entire career.

Speaking of easy money, Martin Scorsese has a voiceover role in this movie as a shopkeep named Hugo. Was the name inspired by Scorsese’s own movie? You decide.

It is honestly hilarious to me that Martin Scorsese is in this movie. Not because I was under the impression that he would never work on a “Star Wars” movie. Weeks before checking out this film I watched an episode of “Light and Magic” on Disney+ and it reminded me of Scorsese’s friendship with George Lucas, but this film nevertheless reminds me of what I would imagine Scorsese thinks of Marvel movies.

“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” and keep in mind, I say this as a fan of the franchise, plays less like a movie and more like a crappy theme park ride. And if anything, the film is using the over the top IMAX plugs in the marketing almost as a way to compensate for its lack of quality in terms of the story. I did say it was cool to see this film in true digital IMAX, but I honestly think that is one of the only reasons this movie should be seen at all, regardless of watching it in a theater and at home. The IMAX enhanced ratio, as incredible as it looks, ultimately feels like a gimmick. I hate saying that, because much like the “Star Wars” franchise, I am also an IMAX fan. I have seen filmmakers like Ryan Coogler, Christopher Nolan, and Jordan Peele play with the coveted aspect ratio and utilize it well in their own productions. This is not Jon Favreau’s first time making something in 1.43:1. 2019’s “The Lion KIng” remake also had 1.43:1 scenes. But I cannot judge those scenes as I missed the film in theaters. The aspect ratio in a way makes up for every other technical aspect that does not work like the lighting, the color grading, as well as the sometimes flat framing.

Look… I am a “Star Wars” fan, so I will plead guilty to watching movies I did not enjoy as much as the others more than once. I have done this with some of the prequels, I have done this with “The Last Jedi.” And like those lesser titles, “The Mandalorian” has redeeming qualities in it. The only “Star Wars” film I have not seen multiple times to this day is “Solo.” If you ever read my review of it, you would know I gave it a 6/10, a barely positive score. At the time I thought it was the most middle of the road “Star Wars” movie ever. I think “Mandalorian and Grogu” gives it a run for its money. I bought tickets to a second screening for reasons beyond simply seeing the movie again, but if I were to buy tickets for this movie one time, and I did not have those tickets, it would be somewhat difficult for me to come up with a valid reason to spend money on this once more.

This is a movie that barely develops its core characters. I think it does a somewhat decent job on Grogu’s arc, but less so on Mando’s. Rotta the Hutt was fascinating at times as he tried to separate himself from his father, Jabba. But there are not many other characters who stood out. Say what you will about that one “Mandalorian” episode with Lizzo and Jack Black, at least it was weird. This movie does not really have a distinct feeling to it, other than blandness. Say what you want about the prequels. At least they had color! Say what you want about “The Rise of Skywalker,” at least it has me quoting “They fly now,” every once in a blue moon.

The more I think about “The Mandalorian and Grogu” the more I am going to think about it the same way others may think about “Star Wars: The Holiday Special.” This is a clear money grab that could best be described as content. It is not clear who this is for. Is this for grown adults who like watching bounty hunters double tap people like they’re pawns in a game of chess? Is it for young children or infants who like watching Grogu get into shenanigans? Is it for fans of the show who just want to see more episodes? As I ask all these questions, I continue to think to myself that maybe this movie is not for me, even if there, admittedly, doses of entertainment.

In the end, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” is by no means the best or worst “Star Wars” movie. It winds up somewhere in the middle. I have seen this movie twice now, and it is admittedly better the second time. The pacing problems still exist, but it did go by a little faster. Probably because I had a clearer concept of what to expect going in. If you enjoy “The Mandalorian” on Disney+, this will likely come off as a comforting return to a long lost home. But is it as good as the first, or even the second season? I don’t think so. I would rather watch all of those episodes again before putting on this movie.

Of all the “Star Wars” films I have seen, I think this one may have the least personality. The action, while good, is not as memorable as some of the other “Star Wars” titles. There are bits of humor, but the comedy does not land quite as well as other installments. The dialogue is not that memorable or quotable. Who knows how this project will age from here? That said, I am having trouble coming up with a reference I would use in a conversation with friends down the line. The movie bridges off of a show that already has three seasons, maintains a look and feel that is somewhat reminiscent of said show, and to my surprise, it sometimes looks cheaper than some of the show’s episodes. I did not hate this movie. It is entertaining, but not to the highest degree. I am going to give “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” a 5/10.

“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” is now playing in theaters everywhere. Tickets are available now.

Thanks for reading this review! Before we go any further, I would like to remind everyone that Scene Before’s original web series, Movie Requests, is going to feature five additional guests, on top of the 10 that have already been announced! I am not announcing their names at this time. But if you want a hint as to who these guests are, check out the poster above! While you are at it, please be sure to check out the latest episode of the series featuring “Clerks” star Brian O’Halloran. If you want to see more episodes as soon as they drop, you can watch them here on Flicknerd.com, but the fastest way to be notified about the episodes is to subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the notification bell!

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