Seven years after the last Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu takes us back to a galaxy far, far away, in what may be the most contentious addition to the franchise yet.
I will admit, from the start, that I am a sucker for a small, adorable character and so anything with Grogu is going to be a good time for me. Throw Pedro Pascal, Martin Scorsese and Jeremy Allen White into the mix and, really, it’s a party.
The movie centres around, you guessed it, the Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his apprentice, Grogu as they embark on missions from the New Republic in order to stop the (defeated) Empire from striking back… again. This time, the pair have been tasked with finding and rescuing Jabba the Hut’s son, Rotta (Jeremy Allen White) and are to deliver him back home at the request of his aunt and uncle, The Twins. Din has to battle his ethics whilst working for the mobsters (the Hutts that is, not the New Republic) and the potential that he’d be handing Rotta over to his death. While he likes to state that a job is a job, you can see he feels differently, even behind the helmet.
While I am a fan of the first six episodes, thanks to my Dad, Star Wars movies since have been hit or miss for me. And for my second confession this review… I will also admit that I have only seen the first season of the Mandalorian so I went into this one expecting to be pretty confused by a popcorn movie. You know, those films that are pure entertainment for the masses without much substance; so, in that regard, the movie met my expectations. In fact, it was actually better than what I was expecting.
Even with a lack of knowledge on my part, the plot was relatively simple to follow and the introduction of characters and locations such as Rotta the Hutt or the Moon of Shakari had enough exposition around it for this film to stand on its own, at least for someone with little to no stakes in the game.
The Mandalorian and Grogu feels like a classic Jon Favreau film and if you’re a fan of his work, you will enjoy watching this one. It has moments for Star Wars fans with droid recognition and lineage to characters past, classic Favreau funny moments, and some genuinely heart felt plot points. Look at it this way, I wasn’t expecting to get teary at a Star Wars film but that Grogu is hella cute.
I will say that the movie does feel episodic rather than a traditional film; possibly because it’s in place of season four of the tv series, possibly because the structure of the Star Wars franchise just has that vibe.
Having said that, as a very casual fan, I enjoyed not having to think too much about the timeline and lore to work out where we were, when we were and with whom, and the slower transitions into the next chapter of the story meant that I was pretty comfortable in the world.
While the movie hasn’t been received with thunderous applause, I do think this is a fun addition to the franchise. It’s silly and doesn’t take itself too seriously. The fight sequences are a great length and give you the action you expect from these movies; and Rotta’s plight for redemption and his own identity is a nice change to the Hutt legacy.
If you’re looking for more than some light hearted Star Wars entertainment or of a movie featuring Pedro Pascal’s face more heavily, this movie may not be for you; but if you can’t help but coo at Grogu’s big eyes and cute little laugh, then you’ll be more than happy.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu hits cinemas across Australia on May 21.
