The Mandalorian is the new television series that will make its official debut with the arrival of Disney +, the new streaming service of the American giant. This first series focused on the universe of Star Wars it is made up of eight total episodes, each lasting about 20 minutes. The duration of the episodes is practically perfect, in every single episode we will find a part of the story that unravels, of the clashes at the height of the fame of Star Wars (with a lot of "pew pew") and they will pass under our sight with a crazy speed and simplicity.
Timeline
The story of Mando and his companions takes place after "Return of the Jedi" and the fall of the empire, but long before "The Awakening of the Force" and therefore the rise of the First Order. We are precisely in a still unexplored space between the two trilogies, that space full of books and stories left to die after the Disney bought the rights from LucasFilm.
One of the things that fans of the brand will love the most Star Wars of this series, you will see how in some great scenes, The Mandalorian ties back to the most well-known animated TV show of Clone Wars. This is a step that should not be underestimated, because this series honors the original trilogy, a bit like JJ Abrams wanted to do, but with this one it has succeeded much better and with more room to act. The work done by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni is impeccable: although you may be homesick for the Skywalker family and the Jedi in general, it will be nice to be transported to new roads, still feeling immersed in the immense universe of Star Wars.
You will never feel outside the right perimeter, in every scene a meticulous work has been done on every detail. Every being is in the right place, yes they are Jawas red-eyed, Twi'leks criminals and scout soldiers who, as always, manage to hit nowhere despite the equipment. The decline of the Empire reads well: the few Stormtroopers are dressed in dingy and dirty armor, and very demoralized. We are on the outer edge and the signs of the New Republic are still not perceived, chaos and the law of the strongest seem to be the masters, just like the Wild West of a very distant galaxy. The Mandalorian, along this first series it seems almost a tribute to Sergio Leone, from the music (another extremely positive note) to the settings.
A new point of view
The Mandalorian has a background story that ties all the episodes together: the first half of the series plays out more like a procedural drama, with individual events autonomous from each other opening and closing each episode. This narrative choice is unusual nowadays, where we are used to seeing series with endless stories, events that unfold continuously in the myriad of episodes. In this case it is not so, it can only please us.
It is nice to see how every single show is born and ends, leaving however with the desire to find out what could happen in the following episode. This narrative style creates a totally different expectation, because, especially in the first few episodes, you want to know what's going to happen, but you don't know what to expect. This changing format makes you wonder at some point if Mando's story has a specific meaning, or if we will see the Mandalorian move from one planet to another of the infinite galaxy.
What makes it all work is the amalgam of chosen narrative, because if up to a certain point we are faced with unpaired episodes, at a certain point the story is channeled towards a more linear direction. So even lovers of the strictly serial path - such as Game of Thrones - will be able to easily find themselves and enjoy this little gem, transported to new planets and with the pleasure of visiting old ones, without however the nostalgia linked to the Skywalker family. A completely new and unprecedented perspective, where Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni introduce us to very important new characters and offer a very large part of the Star Wars universe.
In these lines we do not want to spoil the surprise or the emotion that will be felt in seeing the series for the first time, but know that perhaps the cutest and most adorable character ever to appear in the TV series will be present.
But are we really in the Star Wars universe?
I wanted to open this new paragraph of the review with a clear question: is it really the Star Wars universe? As for me (not all opinions can be the same), The Mandalorian, is the first TV series that clearly takes us into the Star Wars universe without resorting to any lightsaber combat.
This first adventure is a visually sumptuous and sentimentally fulfilling work, we have the opportunity to discover new planets, dirtier and less known, and it leaves us with a galaxy of opportunities for 2 season largely unpredictable.
This is what we can and should expect from a production Disney: in this series there is everything, accurate narration, endless special effects and the whole production is truly stellar. Pedro Pascal, the actor who plays Mando, does an impeccable job (it will also be that he acts all the time covered by a mask). Sure he plays a less talkative character, but the lines are similar to those of the best Clint Eastwood. Regardless, all the actors who have made their appearance along the course of the episodes do a perfect job: Gina Cute like Cara Dune and Carl Weathers as Greef Karga they are both fantastic in their respective roles and Werner Herzog he plays a shadowy client in full "Empire" style.
The original soundtrack is the classic icing on the cake. This is made up of Ludwig Göransson (the composer of Black Panther) and fully centers the setting of Star Wars, giving it that touch of Sergio Leone (as we anticipated) that would have made it wonderful even if it had not been linked to the Star Wars theme. Everything is in the right place, at the right time.
Conclusion
Talking about Star Wars with hardcore fans it can always be dangerous, so I think it's best to specify that I'm one of those rare fans who appreciate more movies like Rogue One e Solo, compared to the first trilogy. But to date, artistically speaking, I am fully convinced that The Mandalorian is the most beautiful of all. It's a truly exceptional and rare show to be seen in TV series today.
Every single episode is engaging and in its own right, you will be able to love every single minute of the film and you will not wait to find out what will happen in the following season. Obviously not all episodes are sparkling: there are good ones and better ones, as always in all TV series.
If with season two, the production will maintain the same depth of storytelling and on-screen spectacularity, we are sure they will make The Mandalorian one of the best television series ever, suitable for all users who have never seen and known the series of Star Wars, and for all those who have always loved it. The only advice we feel we can give to the most dispassionate lovers of the series Star Wars is to look at it putting aside skepticism, letting yourself be carried away by this adventure, because it is really worth it.
