It’s been six and a half years since the last time we went to the galaxy far, far away on the big screen. Various attempts to bring the legendary “Star Wars” saga back to the cinema after the controversial “Rise of Skywalker” came to nothing. Nevertheless, the franchise has been more omnipresent than ever on home screens thanks to the massive expansion that has been underway since 2019. A total of twelve (!) new series (seven live-action plus five animated titles) have since found their way to Disney + – which makes the “Star Wars” replenishment per se a less big event than was the case at the start of the sequel trilogy ten years after “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”.
It’s only fitting that the space fairy tale’s comeback to the screen now also comes from the aforementioned streaming expansion – and that’s definitely noticeable in the result. “The Mandalorian And Grogu” doesn’t have the epic proportions of an episode of the Skywalker saga, but it mostly makes up for it with the same charm that characterized the three seasons of “The Mandalorian”.
In the search for Imperial survivors, the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu are an unbeatable team.
Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal)’s days of taking on even the shadiest jobs as a bounty hunter, as long as the pay was right, are now long behind him. His little foster son Grogu is not entirely innocent of this. The Force-sensitive rascal from Jedi Master Yoda’s species melted the heart of the stoic Mandalorian (and that of the audience) – and was ultimately even adopted by him.
The unlikely duo now travels the galaxy together to hunt down survivors of the fallen empire on behalf of the New Republic. But when they are hired by former rebel pilot Ward (Sigourney Weaver) to track down the mysterious Commander Coin, they are forced to once again work together with dubious characters. Because of all people, the relatives of the late gangster boss Jabba the Hutt lure people with valuable information in exchange for the rescue of Jabba’s son Rotta (voice in the original: Jeremy Allen White). A scavenger hunt across the universe begins…
Despite being based on a series, it is an independent “Star Wars” adventure
“The Mandalorian” masterminds Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni had actually already developed the scripts for a fourth season of their revolutionary “Star Wars” series when the brand’s cinematic future was reconsidered during the Hollywood strike in 2023. “The Mandalorian And Grogu” was chosen to bring “Star Wars” back to the big screen. But that’s not why the planned fourth season was transformed into a two-hour screen spectacle. Instead, Favreau (director, screenplay) and Filoni (screenplay), who once again share the main creative responsibility, have come up with a completely new, essentially completely independent adventure – which is both a blessing and a curse.
“The Mandalorian And Grogu” is pleasingly self-contained and basically works without any prior knowledge of “The Mandalorian” and also without “Star Wars” fan service or cameos being thrown at you at every turn. The closest thing is to Dave Filoni’s “Baby” “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”, especially with the return of Rotta the Hutt, who (surprise No. 1) is well trained and (even bigger surprise No. 2) surprisingly vulnerably struggles with his legacy, which allows him to successfully forget his inglorious debut 18 years ago in the dull “Clone Wars” pilot movie.
The hardened Rotta the Hutt no longer wants to have anything to do with his infamous father Jabba.
At the same time, the latest “Star Wars” chapter naturally has a stronger emotional underpinning if you are familiar with the history of the two main characters and the development of their relationship over three seasons. However, the events are now left to stand on their own to such an extent that this relationship is hardly developed further during their detour to the big screen. Basically, “The Mandalorian And Grogu” is an overlong and somewhat more complex case-of-the-week episode of the original series – which doesn’t necessarily mean a bad thing for a spectacular series like “The Mandalorian,” even if everything is a little more reduced and it’s not immediately about the fate of the entire galaxy.
In any case, the joy of seeing each other again three years after season 3 is great – and without question also justified. Mando and his protégé are still one heart and soul in the large format and prove that they can effortlessly carry a movie with their wonderful dynamic. After his initial passivity, Grogu in particular is able to really show off in the second half of the film and demonstrate that he is much more than just a cute piece of merchandise genius and has truly earned his mention in the film’s title. The fact that “Iron Man” director Favreau deliberately slows down the film for a quarter of an hour in order to give his little protagonist the space to grow beyond himself is a real blessing, especially in today’s often overloaded blockbuster cinema.
Great sets, few visual highlights
This little break is also made atmospheric by the swamp landscape on the planet Nal Hutta, which, as a mixture of Yoda’s exiled planet Dagobah and the American Everglades, is so lively that you can actually smell and taste it. In general, the world of “The Mandalorian And Grogu” is full of life, not least thanks to the wonderful blend of different effects already known from the series, from the haptic puppet work on Grogu and the Anzellaner mechanics who almost steal his cuteness crown with their cute babble, to state-of-the-art CGI and even a stop-motion interlude in the finale!
The visual power and action can’t quite keep up. The strongest moments here are undoubtedly the first few minutes, when Jon Favreau initially only stages Din Djarin as a ghost or via surveillance cameras as a phantom who, from the shadows, frightens his opponents with his skills and gadgets, as if he were the “Star Wars” answer to Batman. This is followed by a fast-paced battle against the Imperial war machine, culminating in a breathless one-shot sequence inside an AT-AT.
The Anzellans known from “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” are sometimes almost cuter than Grogu.
Fans of “Top Gun” in particular can then enjoy an opening credit scene based on the cult aviation actioner, in which the New Republic’s base, located on a tranquil coast, is picturesquely staged. However, “The Mandalorian And Grogu” has largely used up its powder when it comes to visual exclamation points. The “Star Wars” vibe is there when you indulge in planet hopping in the best franchise style. However, you won’t find any truly eye-opening scenic highlights as the film progresses.
However, this is offset to some extent by the fantastic music by Ludwig Göransson. He not only brings back his now iconic “Mandalorian” theme in various variations, but also dares to boldly expand the musical “Star Wars” palette, for example when spherical synth sounds on the approach to the dark city planet Shakari finally perfect a “Blade Runner” reminiscence. The three-time Oscar winner (for “Black Panther”, “Oppenheimer” and “Blood & Sinners”) is submitting what is probably – alongside “The Astronaut – Project Hail Mary” – the most promising application to date for one of the most diverse and memorable blockbuster scores of the year.
Conclusion: Despite the long absence from the cinema, you shouldn’t expect “The Mandalorian And Grogu” to be the big “Star Wars” epic. But the clearly defined focus also makes the warm-hearted space chase of the unbeatable buddies a thoroughly entertaining continuation of “The Mandalorian” and therefore a must for all fans of the series.