The Mandalorian (2019 - Present)
Over the years, I have had what I would describe as an ever diminishing relationship with Star Wars as a franchise. I grew up with the original trilogy, seeing them all when they were originally released. Those three films were a wonderful, self-contained story. I also broadly enjoyed aspects of the Expanded Universe, as it was confined to other mediums such as books or comics. Hence it was an optional extra, as it were. Sadly, over the years, the additional film trilogies proved to be inferior products that suffered under the weight of their own ever expanding lore. The fetishisation of the hardware, actions scenes and overall aesthetic by both the filmmakers and the fans, came at the expense of good narrative content and character development. The one film that tried to take the franchise in a more mature and thoughtful direction, The Last Jedi, proved controversial and divisive. Overall it was the animated TV show Rebels that best showed an understanding of the franchise.
Last year, after the release of The Rise of Skywalker, I was pretty much done with Star Wars. Disney made a major mistake in not having a clearly defined story arc before they made their new trilogy, instead preferring to make it up as each new director was brought onboard. The franchise effectively descended into self parody as it desperately tried to plunder it’s own back catalogue in an attempt to please both fans and stick to a financially successful formula. The other major nail in the coffin was the zealotry of the fanbase. The hubris, bigotry and utter myopia of large swathes of this group, poisoned the well and turned Star Wars into a byword for everything that is wrong and toxic about fandom. And then, just as I was about to walk away and focus on that other major science fiction franchise that is currently experiencing a “renaissance”, along came The Mandalorian which quickly and calmly changed the entire direction and timbre of the Star Wars universe.
John Woo reference
The Mandalorian is an episodic show, much in the idiom of old cliffhanger cinematic serials like Flash Gordon (1936). The very things that inspired George Lucas originally. Some episodes have a plot that moves the story arc forward. Others have minimal dialogue and instead rely on the maxim of “show, don’t tell” to present their narrative . This approach works well for those familiar with the franchise and those without any prior knowledge. Another standout aspect of this show and something the original trilogy did well, is presenting the audience with a functional universe that feels lived in. The technology is not laboriously explained as with Star Trek. And although there is a wealth of lore in the Star Wars universe, this show exploits that with just enough information. Canonical characters are introduced in ways you can quickly come to grips without tons of exposition. The plot obliquely touches upon wider issues, like the way the New Republic struggles with filling the power vacuum left by the Empire. There is also a strong moral undercurrent to the proceedings.
Akira Kurosawa reference
The Mandalorian is clearly made by people who have a strong understanding of what works best with Star Wars. The production team are also extremely cinematically and pop culture literate. The references come thick and fast. Broadly, The Mandalorian has the structure and style of a Western. And a Sergio Leone Western at that. There are obvious elements of the Manga, Lone Wolf and Cub. Plus endless stylistic and visual homages to John Woo, Akira Kurosawa and many more iconic filmmakers. The visual effects work is great but this isn’t a showreel. The stories and characters are still front and centre. The appeal of “The Child” is also a major asset. Now that he has a name and a backstory, he’s transcended just being cute. And it would be remiss of me not to mention the soundtrack by Ludwig Göransson who has chosen to avoid writing in the idiom of John Williams and has instead delivered a more “organic” score. Overall The Mandalorian is an intelligent and well judged reset of a franchise that was until now, poorly managed. Let us hope it continues to maintain such a high standard.
