There is only one thing that Hideo Kojima likes more than making weird video games with long cutscenes: going to the movies and sharing his opinion so that everyone knows what he thinks. What a character he is. Aware that a large part of the audience is guided by his recommendations, the genius and creator of Metal Gear Solid has never hesitated to be brutally honest when he goes to the cinema… Or, as is the case here, surprising with details about how a movie he enjoyed was made.
Kojima Feels the Force
Without caring a bit about what the critics or the box office say about The Mandalorian & Grogu, Kojima has reflected on his experience with the saga: “In 2019 I had only seen the beginning of The Mandalorian while examining the virtual production technology used to film it, but this time I had no trouble diving in“. In other words: he had a blast.
“Action, chases, close-quarters combat, sword fights, shootouts, death battles, aerial fights, giant monsters, giant mechs. A “free-for-all”. CGI, puppets, special makeup, animatronics, stop motion. Even the craftsmanship behind the scenes seems to have given it their all. X-Wings, AT-ATs, AT-RTs, speeders, stormtroopers, droids. Almost every element of the saga is there. A fun spectacle made with artisan skills by Jon Favreau”. Honestly? It’s not the best movie of the year by any means, but it’s true: few can match its entertainment value.
I don’t know if The Mandalorian and Grogu will recoup the money that Disney has spent on it (especially on the promotional campaign), but I hope it does, because we need more movies like this. That show that franchises and sagas can also have smaller, more contained chapters, where the fate of the multiverse is not always at stake. That it can simply be a spectacular entertainment.
