There’s a new Star Wars movie opening this week. And there’s nary a lightsaber to be found, and that’s not a bad thing. Instead, the incredibly popular characters of The Mandalorian (voiced by and sometimes played by Pedro Pascal) and Grogu find themselves on a big-screen adventure.

And while it’s arguably a fun popcorn movie, it ended up being a mixed bag for me. It also made me nostalgic, not for my youth when Star Wars was fresh and spaced years apart, but for practical effects, model work, and matte paintings. Things that the Original Trilogy built a galaxy on.

There is some fantastic puppeteering and animatronic work on the beloved Grogu, as well as a quartet of Anzellans. But the rest of the film is jam-packed with obvious digital creations, characters, sets, ships and more. It’s easy to suspend most of your disbelief about something like that in your home theatre, but when projected onto an IMAX screen, it becomes a little more obvious.

To be fair, some of the digital visual effects, and I love John Knoll and his team’s work, are outstanding. There are other moments when you don’t even believe the characters are in the same room.

The film plays out like a big-screen episode of the series, and was overseen by Dave Filoni (watch for his cameos), who scripted the film alongside director Jon Favreau and Noah Kloor. I love Filoni’s work when it comes to Star Wars, and he’s definitely the keeper of the flame, which is why I think my expectations were a little higher.

That being said, the younger members of the audience are going to love this film, and there are enough well-crafted action beats to keep fans interested. I personally think the film works best when it takes a breath and engages in the smaller moments.

For newcomers, the narrative of The Mandalorian is set after the events of 1983’s The Return of the Jedi, and before 2015’s The Force Awakens. The Mandalorian and young Grogu are working with the New Republic to round up Imperial warlords. Their latest assignment from Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver) is going to get them in big trouble with the galactic crime species, the Hutts.

The pacing seems more episodic in nature than cinematic, something illustrated in some of the dialogue. The narrative itself feels familiar. That being said, there are also tons of nods and homages to other films and Star Wars moments. Three specifically stood out for me: there’s a bit of a nod to The Clone Wars movie, Blade Runner, and Hard Boiled. Not only that, there’s at least one homage to Star Wars artist Ralph McQuarrie. There’s also a battle droid, which reminds me of Solo’s Enfys Nest.

We also get some familiar characters from other Star Wars tales, like Zeb (Steve Blum). And therein lies one thing I loved about the film: it expands the universe. There are species we’ve only caught glimpses of in other Star Wars tales, and here they get featured, and that’s cool.

The expected cameos are there, and the film is undeniably fun, but it doesn’t foster or pay off the emotional investment people have given Mando and Grogu over the course of the Disney+ series. It has cute moments, some great stunts, the walker assault at the beginning of the film is a fun showcase for Mando, as he moves through a trio of AT-AT walkers.

It’s a fun film, and as long as you temper your expectations, you’re bound to enjoy yourself.

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu opens in theaters Friday May 22.