Is 'The Mandalorian' Any Good? Here's What The Reviews Say
"The Mandalorian," the first live-action Star Wars TV show, is available for streaming on the newly-launched Disney+ today. Does the show match the quality of the movies or is it a disappointing addition to the "Star Wars" universe? Here's what the reviews of the first episode say.
The Story Begins With The Mandalorian, A Bounty Hunter Played By Pedro Pascal, Embarking On A Mission
Set between the events of "Return of the Jedi" and "The Force Awakens," "Mandalorian," created by "The Lion King" director Jon Favreau, follows a lone bounty hunter, patterned on original trilogy character Boba Fett, who's known only as "The Mandalorian" (Pedro Pascal), the name of his tribe. It depicts a gritty, lawless, murderous world where Pascal's skilled warrior hunts bail jumpers and criminals without a flicker of feeling[.]
The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) is tasked with tracking down a mysterious bounty by someone we only know as the Client (Werner Herzog). Along the way he meets an Ugnaught named Kuiil (Nick Nolte) and a bounty droid called IG-11 (Taika Waititi).
[GameSpot]
Pascal Really Shines Through The Episode, Playing The Warrior With The Soft Heart
This guy is The Mandalorian, even if we never see his pretty face[…] We get plenty of action sequences to show how proficient The Mandalorian is at his job, but, perhaps surprisingly, an equal amount of time is spent in quieter moments where our antihero deploys diplomacy or non-violence rather than laser blasts, flamethrowing, or wrist-fired harpoons. He's a well-rounded character with a tragic past, and that's someone we can all rally behind.
[Collider]
[E]ven the most meticulous world-building would mean nothing without a compelling protagonist, and Pedro Pascal anchors the series with swagger and a surprising amount of humor, even under a costume designed to keep everyone at a distance. Despite his lone gunman routine, episode 1 introduces several characters who effortlessly bring out different shades in his performance, from assertive to deferent to downright quippy.
[IGN]
Although Pascal Would Have Been Better Served Without The Mask He's Forced To Act Behind
[M]y assumption was that The Mandalorian wouldn't simply cast the hugely charismatic actor and then trap him behind a mask for its entire running time, stranding him in a space where he's deprived of a lot of what makes him charismatic (those eyes!). And yet the show's first episode has hidden one of the world's most handsome men behind a mask while also giving him minimal dialogue. It's just objectively a terrible idea!
[Vox]
The Show's Strongest Point Is How Cinematic It Is
The show looks fantastic; Disney clearly spared no expense. Everything from the CGI for the spaceships and blasters to the elaborate sets and costumes feels right at home with the giant blockbusters that have made up the franchise so far.
While some of the CGI may not quite be on par with the movies, it's interesting that Favreau has elected to include so many funky looking aliens. The show never strays into clunky Doctor Who-type territory, as the costumes all look fantastic. Especially the Mandalorian.
You can really feel the many set pieces that are on display in the premiere, from an ice-crusted planet inhabited by ne'er-do-wells (who frequent a dive bar), to a more urban locale resembling Tatooine that's populated by ne'er-do-wells (who frequent a dive bar), to a mountainous desert setting that also features ne'er-do-wells, though they opt to guard a highly prized bounty target when not chilling at a dive bar.
[Collider]
… But The TV Series Seems To Have Opted For Spectacle Over Story
The Mandalorian episode 1, however — as unnamed as its title character — is all beginning. For all the blaster fire, the pace is slow, almost stately […] Which is fine when you're practicing the hypnotic immersion of watching a movie (or binge-watching a series), but may be a tad frustrating given that Disney+ intends us to watch The Mandalorian on a week-to-week basis.
[Mashable]
The premiere episode of the first live-action series in the "Star Wars" universe is a direct descendant of the big-budget film franchise in both tone and execution. It's long on impressive special effects and alien shootouts, and short on a fresh story line beyond the usual unwitting hero with a mysterious family tree and a destiny that involves saving the universe (or part of it). The first installment of the eight-episode sci-fi drama is replete with swaggering bounty hunters, grotesque aliens yukking it up in bars and a narrative that must make a lot of sense to "Star Wars" fans — because it's seriously confusing to the rest of us.
So much information is packed into any given moment of the episode that it can be hard to track. The premiere only runs 40 minutes, and throws a lot of elements at viewers–very quick flashes of the Mandalorian's childhood, nods to the history of the planet Mandalore, a number of familiar alien creatures, and more than one battle.
[GameSpot]
Still, If Nothing Else, 'Star Wars' Fans Will Want To See 'The Mandalorian' For The Huge Cliffhanger At The End
We won't spoil anything here, but the episode introduces a pair of fascinating mysteries. One relates to the Mandalorian people, and the other to the Client's bounty — the latter of which will make Star Wars fans' jaws drop.
[IGN]
There is, at least, a cliffhanger, and wow, what a cliffhanger. It comes out of left field and is not something Star Wars fans expected to see in this context, or ever, but it is guaranteed to make their jaws drop. I am beginning to see why Disney refused the usual practice of giving TV critics advance screener copies. The urge to spoil is strong with this one.
[Mashable]
TL; DR
It doesn't match the quality of the films or, frankly, the franchise's superb animated series. But it does offer something almost no other TV series can: A trip, every week, to a world of blasters, light sabers and parsecs. And for many fans, that might just be enough.