“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” follows legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu as they help the New Republic protect everything the Rebellion fought for.
There are many problems with “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” It over-relies on nostalgia. The CGI is inconsistent. There is no narrative structure. The worst of them all is that it doesn’t seem to know its core audience.
“The Mandalorian and Grogu” goes through the motions in its 132-minute runtime. It has the iconic characters that you know and love… that’s about all. Outside of that, it isn’t quite able to feel like a true “Star Wars” movie. Instead, it just ends up coming across as an extended episode of the Disney+ show.
This is because the film doesn’t push Mando forward as a person. Instead, it’s a collection of side quests that don’t fully come together. For Grogu, though, there’s “some” development. Rather than keeping the character one-note, the movie actually gives him things to do. Grogu at least feels purposeful in this story, going on his own individual adventures and helping Din Djarin stay alive on their journey.
“Your turn. Go ahead.”
“The Mandalorian and Grogu” presents an interesting string of creative choices. One second, it’s completely focused on accessibility — emphasizing the cuteness of Grogu and going all-in on material that younger viewers will enjoy. There are times where it inherently feels like a movie “made for kids.” In the next, there are enormous, frightening creatures or bodies being slashed in half. This, and the episodic structure that the film follows, leaves it without identity.
On a dialogue level, it’s a dry experience. Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) never has much range in his delivery. Even in frantic scenarios, his voice remains calm and collected. This is a part of his character, but it also prohibits additional development. Brendan Wayne (The Mandalorian Suit Performer) and Lateef Crowder (The Mandalorian Stunt Performer) do much of the heavy lifting.
You also get performances from Sigourney Weaver (Colonel Ward), Jeremy Allen White (voice of Rotta the Hutt) and Steve Blum (voice of Zeb Orrelios). While these actors round out a star-studded cast, they’re never utilized enough. Relegated to more cameo-esque statuses, they are quickly forgotten after appearing.
It can still be “fun” at times; you just need to know what you’re getting yourself into. Here, the stakes are low. From the start, it’s clear that the titular characters are safe, leaving all that occurs within the film’s confines devoid of tension. At the same time, it’s full of spectacle. The action is massive — with large-scale combat, hand-to-hand fighting, dogfights, explosions and… plenty of creatures. While the visuals can grow shaky (much like in the show), the choreography itself often makes up for this.
And even with plenty of screengrabs that can be labeled as “bad,” there are plenty more well-executed visual effects.
David Klein’s cinematography brings these moments to life. Rather than remaining still, the camera is always moving alongside the action. Even with small visual shortcomings, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” still achieves a cinematic feel. Ludwig Göransson’s score aids in this as well. The music contains classic components from other “Star Wars” installments while also remaining faithful to the show. What results is a unique hybrid of orchestral and atmospheric sounds.
There’s an overwhelming sense of just “OK” as “The Mandalorian and Grogu” credits begin to roll. And after the divisive sequel trilogy, a safe adventure is not what “Star Wars” needed right now.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
