The summer time should be made for Star Wars movies. I can understand Lucasfilm’s hesitance to release another film, especially a standalone effort, during blockbuster season because of the “failure” of Solo: A Star Wars Story a few years ago. That so-called disaster (the film is actually quite enjoyable) was designed as a fast-paced crowd-pleaser for casual audiences. The Mandalorian and Grogu actually shares quite a lot of the same DNA, which is to its tremendous benefit. Yes, it feels like a big-budgeted storyarc of the hit Disney+ series, but isn’t that what it should be? Fans of the show are going to love the new locales, some interesting twists on their favorite characters, some higher stakes, and yes, a Grogu who is even cuter (and more in the action) than ever before.
In keeping with the idea that The Mandalorian and Grogu is simply an extension of the show, the plot is pretty basic. Din Djarin aka Mando (Pedro Pascal, helmeted of course) and Grogu are continuing to do their Lone Wolf & Cub thing, traveling around the galaxy taking out remnants of the fallen Empire for the fledgling Republic. The opening 20 minutes, which was shown to press some days ago, feature Mando and Grogu in a perilous mountainside scrap in an Imperial chicken walker against lumbering AT-AT Walkers. This sequence plays out a lot like a Star Wars video game, with tons of CGI doing a lot of the heavy lifting. Director Jon Favreau doesn’t change much from the house style of shooting episodes of The Mandalorian; simple, easy-to-follow framing that might not be the most exciting in the world (Favreau has never been a dynamic filmmaker), but gets the job done.
The plot kicks into gear when Mando meets with New Republic colonel Ward, played by the legendary Sigourney Weaver. I have to say that every scene with Weaver, especially in the film’s closing minutes, felt like pure fan service. Again, I’m okay with seeing the iconic sci-fi actress get her moment in a Star Wars movie, in a role that’s actually pretty important. Not only does Ward have a glistening new ship for Mando, but she has a mission for him. He’s to work with the criminal Hutts to rescue their kidnapped nephew, Ratta, voiced by The Bear‘s Jeremy Allen White. If he can do that, the Hutts will reveal the location of Commander Coyne, the “Ace of Spades” in the Republic’s deck of ex-Imperial fugitives.
The Mandalorian and Grogu is full of surprises, some are pretty big, like the appearance of Star Wars Rebels favorite Zeb (voiced by Steve Blum) as Mando’s pilot, and others less noticeable, like director Martin Scorsese voicing four-armed Ardennian street vendor Hugo. Another comes when Mando eventually locates Ratta, and he’s not a little baby Hutt anymore, but a massive, Hulk-sized brute fighting in gladiatorial combat for gangster Lord Janu. Ratta, in defiance of his lineage as Jabba’s son, eats up the adoration of the crowd and doesn’t want to be rescued. This throws a monkeywrench in Mando’s plans.
Mando finds himself in multiple life-or-death struggles with an array of grotesque monsters, some of which are going to be too terrifying for smaller children. The scariest, a venom giant snake lurking in the Hutts’ watery dungeon, a mix of the trash compactor scene from A New Hope and Luke’s fight against the rancor in Return of the Jedi. But it’s balanced by some of the light-hearted, all-ages stuff that George Lucas loved. Look, I’m a well-known hater of Ewoks and Porgs alike, but I love the returning Babu Frik and his fellow droidsmith Anzellans, who play a key role in the film.
In keeping with the kid-friendly stuff, Grogu takes center stage for an extended sequence that could try the patience of some adults. It’s a bit slower in pace, but finds Grogu fending for himself with Mando out of commission. His journey is very Yoda-esque, with moments where the little guy must figure things out for himself and learn to trust his instincts. It’s also quite silly (his attempts to disguise Mando are a riot) and if you love Grogu it will make you love him even more.
There are so few human characters that CGI and puppetry are used heavily, which turn out to be a mixed bag. Some of the puppet characters can look awkward as more of them are packed into a scene. The Hutts are also really tough to capture as mobile, brawling creatures because they’re basically giant slugs. To White’s credit, he delivers surprising emotion as Ratta, even if some of his dialogue is as dry as old cardboard.
Disney and Lucasfilm have a lot riding on The Mandalorian and Grogu. I’m a bit mixed on its prospects as a box office smash, a return to the $1B form that seems like a lifetime ago. The film exists in this weird space where fans are hungry to see Star Wars treated like a big deal on the silver screen again, but at the same time, more casual audiences likely know they can see it on Disney+ before too long. For the sake of the franchise, I hope people turn out in droves. It’s not saddled with decades of canon baggage, and you don’t even need to have seen every episode to get what’s going on. Not only is The Mandalorian and Grogu an adrenaline shot of summer spectacle, but Star Wars hasn’t been this fun in ages, and I want more of it.
The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters on May 22nd.
