After years of delays, abandoned trilogies, streaming spin-offs, and endless speculation about the future of the franchise, The Mandalorian and Grogu finally arrived as the first theatrical Star Wars feature in years. Directed by Jon Favreau and continuing the storyline launched in Disney+’s enormously successful The Mandalorian series, the film reunites audiences with Din Djarin, played once again by Pedro Pascal, and his tiny green companion Grogu, still affectionately known to much of the world as “Baby Yoda.” The supporting cast includes Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, Brendan Wayne, and Lateef Crowder, while longtime franchise collaborator Dave Filoni co-wrote the screenplay with Favreau.
Reviewed by Allan R. Ellenberger
Aimed after the fall of the Empire, it picks up Din Djarin and Grogu as they get roped into a New Republic adventure which concerns Rotta the Hutt, organized crime groups, remnants of the Empire, and everything else star chases, shoot outs, monsters, and galaxy-spanning chaos you could ask for in a modern Star Wars film. Visual effects are inevitably top-notch, the creature designs are fantastic, and Ludwig Göransson’ score once again lends the proceedings an epic feel. Technically speaking the film is everything Disney and Lucasfilm said it would be: glossy, bombastic, and stuffed with enough fan service.
Still, sitting in the Chinese Theatre with probably fifteen people total spread out across the entire theater, it was hard not to feel like something had shifted. I’ve been a science-fiction nerd my whole life. I remember distinctly standing in line to see the original Star Wars film way back in 1977. At the time, it felt pioneering; secretive and unlike anything people had ever seen before. Those early movies had an aura of exploration and film magic that reimagined what blockbuster cinema could be. But even growing up with Star Wars, I was always more passionate about Star Trek. It felt like it had better ideas, more robust characters, and a larger philosophical awe—but that’s me. Watching Mando and Grogu, I found I missed that sense of wonder.
The issue with the film is not how it's put together. It's how familiar it feels. Reviewers have observed repeatedly how little this picture feels like a blockbuster theatrical experience and more like some overstuffed streaming episode given extra padding for theaters. Some applauded the charms and action but lamented how thin the plot is and how little is riding on an emotional level. Others asked if the movie even warranted a theatrical release. Unfortunately, that criticism rings true. It moves predictably from one plot point of action to another with little emotional drive. Grogu is still cute, Pascal still anchors the movie with subtle swagger as Din Djarin, and fans will no doubt be delighted to spend more time in this corner of the universe, but the movie is seldom more than serviceable fan fodder.
Audiences have had mixed reactions as well. Some veteran fans enjoyed the film as popcorn entertainment recalling old-fashioned Saturday matinee serials with appreciation for the creature effects, comedy, and paternal relationship between Din and Grogu. Other viewers, however, felt underwhelmed by what they perceived to be an emotionally hollow, "inessential" installment of the franchise, suggesting that Disney's constant buildup of the Star Wars mythos has watered down Star Wars films' previously special event nature. Watching the movie, I often felt detached from the action despite the constant movement on screen. The spectacle is there, certainly, but the sense of urgency is not. At times it became difficult to maintain interest, which is perhaps the most damaging criticism one can level at a Star Wars film.
None of this is to say the movie is bad. Not at all. There are enough flash and fan-service energy here to keep die-hard fans happy. Favreau knows how to play the game of Star Wars iconography. There are glimpses here of old-school serial-adventure fun that the franchise used to excel at. But what makes the original movies special—the way that they wed mythic narratives to indelible characters we cared about—The Mandalorian and Grogu just feel fine settling for existing inside the machinery.
I wonder if that is something that can’t be helped with current Star Wars efforts. What made the originals so ground-breaking was that they felt revolutionary. Now the universe feels very corporate, stale, and burdened down by too much history. It’s ironic that for a franchise that was once so expansive in its imagination, the current films feel very reserved creatively.
There is enough going on here for Star Wars die-hards to warrant a watch. For everyone else, you might want to wait until it comes to streaming or Blu-ray, where its television-style storytelling will probably feel more at home. 2 ½ stars.
Tomorrow on The Hollywoodland Revue: step inside a vanished world as Part One of Hollywood in Miniature explores the astonishing craftsmanship, forgotten dreamers, and magical history behind Hollywood’s tiny masterpieces.
If you’ve seen The Mandalorian and Grogu — or are planning to — please take a moment to comment on, rate, and share my new review.
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