Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu
I might as well admit it now, though in all likelihood, I already have before. I am a sucker for a STAR WARS film. 
Having grown up adoring the original trilogy, there is still something thrilling about seeing the lights go down and watching as the saga set in a galaxy far, far away unfolds. It has been seven years since divisive THE RISE OF SKYWALKER was released, and in that time, the small-screen entries in the STAR WARS franchise have taken center stage. Chief amongst those was THE MADALORIAN. Starring Pedro Pascal as the titular character, it was his sidekick, the adorable “Baby Yoda,” who became a bona fide phenomenon.
After three successful seasons airing on Disney +, the duo found their way onto the big screen with the aptly named STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU.
For those expecting the expansive world-building that STAR WARS films have been synonymous with since their inception, I’d encourage you to temper expectations. This installment very much feels episodic in nature, despite its scale.
The Empire is in shambles, and its former leaders have scattered throughout the galaxy. Though their centralized government has collapsed, the heathens still find a way to exert their control over the weak, using their power and influence to extort vulnerable planets. Meanwhile, the Republic is on the hunt for these former leaders, and send bounty hunters out to capture them in hopes of interrogating them to procure information.
One of the best bounty hunters is Din Djarin (Pascal) who, along with Grogu, can find just about anyone. Unfortunately, his methods tend to be high on brute force and minimal on finesse, which means audiences get to see exciting action sequences, while the republic garners very little information. Despite his messy tactics, Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver) gives him an important mission. He is to track down a leader known as Commander Coin. Very little is known about him, including what he looks like. In order to garner information, Mando must travel to meet with the Hutt twins. Their nephew Rotta (Jeremy Allen White) is the last remaining heir to STAR WARS legend Jabba, and has been kidnapped. If the Mandalorian can save him, the Hutt’s will provide information on the elusive Coin.
THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU features heaping doses of spectacular action. Director Jon Favreau had made it clear that he wanted to illicit the same sense of awe he experienced when seeing the original films on the big screen for the first time. This endearment translates effectively within his film, delivering unique creatures, machines, and explosions that can only be experienced while watching them unfurl in a cinema. Though Mando has never had the pizzazz of Han Solo, Grogu shines in all of his adorable glory. Three seasons and a now a full-length movie in and he still doesn’t exactly have the greatest character development we have ever seen (by contrast, Luke Skywalker was taking on the entire Empire by this point in his journey) he remains a pleasant and undeniable source of entertainment. But this is where most criticisms will come in. For all of the high-flying theatrics, and the introduction of a Hutt who isn’t just a gross weirdo, there’s nothing within THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU that advances anything within the STAR WARS universe. It very much feels like a big-budget episode of the series on which it is based, and if that’s what you are showing up for, you’ll likely be entertained. I’d make that argument that this is all it was supposed to be. The title is pretty straight forward and it delivers on that promise.
STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU- B
Now playing in theaters.
