This image released by Disney shows, from left, the titular characters of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu.Nicola Goode/The Associated Press
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu
Directed by Jon Favreau
Written by Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and Noah Kloor
Starring Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White
Classification PG; 132 minutes
Opens in theatres May 22
The Mandalorian was an escape for my household during the pandemic. We’d been curious about the phenomenon of “Baby Yoda” (yes, we quickly figured out that Grogu isn’t actually Baby Yoda) and all the acclaim the series had gotten after its release in 2019, the first live-action Star Wars TV series that had helped establish Disney+ as a serious streaming platform.
In those seemingly interminable days, we created structure by portioning out the episodes rather than binge-watching it. Set in the wider Star Wars universe, roughly five years after the Return of the Jedi, the story – charting the Mandalorian’s mission to capture a mysterious child, Grogu – captivated us. We looked forward to the episodic storytelling, with its western/samurai inspired format. But it was the paternal bond that developed between the gruff, helmeted bounty hunter and the cute green creature that kept us watching. “This is the way” became a meme within our household, even if was often accompanied by an eyeroll.
Eventually the pandemic restrictions were lifted, and there was competition for attention. So we didn’t get into Ahsoka, The Book of Boba Fett or even Andor. And I had not revisited the three seasons of The Mandalorian prior to watching Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. Which is to say, I am a fan of the ever-expanding Star Wars lore, but not a diehard one. It takes me a moment to connect the dots between obvious references, forget obscure Star Wars trivia.
Iconic director Martin Scorsese voices a fast-talking fry cook in The Mandalorian and Grogu.Lucasfilm LTD./The Associated Press
The good news is, for the average moviegoer, you don’t need to know the back story. Obviously, it helps if you have a sense of the connection between Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), better known as the Mandalorian, and occasionally Mando, and Grogu (an animatronic puppet). Or that the Mandalorian eventually tired of chasing the bad guys, and became more selective – honourable even – in his bounty hunting.
But the movie throws the audience into the middle of the action, with the duo chasing warlords of the former evil Empire who are scattered across the galaxy. Does it matter if you know that the Mandalorian flew a Razor Crest and it was destroyed? Probably not. But you can grin when you recognize it as payment for his work for the New Republic.
The not-so-great news for Star Wars stans is that they are likely to be disappointed by the limited scope of director and co-writer Jon Favreau’s vision for his foray into this storied cinematic universe. Notably, this is the first Star Wars film after 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, which had left fans and critics divided between satisfying emotional and action sequences, and a convoluted plot.
When The Mandalorian and Grogu opens, there is a feeling that it could be a commentary on our current political climate, with an impetuous leader seeking control. But that sense of a grand narrative is short-lived. The film quickly eschews that idea – if it even had it – and prefers to keep things simple and speedy, a space adventure following one bounty hunt after another.
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In return for the Razor Crest as payment, the New Republic’s Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver providing that elder stateswoman charisma) offers the Mandalorian another mission: Rescue the criminal gangsters Hutt Twins’ nephew Rotta (Jeremy Allen White) from the nefarious Lord Janu to get some intel about another former Imperial warlord whose whereabouts are unknown. Despite his reluctance to engage with the Hutts, the Mandalorian agrees. The rescue mission is leavened with diversions, such as a cameo by Martin Scorsese as a fast-talking street vendor, beside Grogu’s antics as a child let loose on a cool new ride.
The rescue mission for Rotta takes an unexpected turn. In this movie about fathers and sons, Rotta too is dealing with his legacy as Jabba the Hutt’s son. And as the Mandalorian anticipated, the Hutt Twins’ intentions are not what they seem. Which leads us to a wonderful part in the third act, where the Mandalorian has been injured. And it is up to Grogu to take care of him. Even though all the preceding and subsequent space chases and hand-to-limbs combat are evocative of previous Star Wars films, it’s this emotional core of The Mandalorian and Grogu that feels most akin to the myth-building aspect of the original saga.
In a way, Favreau has managed to translate the TV series that brought the titular characters into our home onto the biggest screen – “forged for IMAX” as the credits proclaim. The almost sepia-toned visual aesthetics look big budget and nostalgic. The music by Ludwig Göransson, who also composed for the TV series, also helps bridge the gap between the small screen and big. The cast performs well, limited as they may be to voice acting for most roles, or making cameos.
The Mandalorian and Grogu is perfectly suitable as a summer flick to beckon you back to the theatres. But will it make a mark as part of the Star Wars mythology? This may not be quite the way.