“The Mandalorian and Grogu” is a breath of fresh air for a Star Wars movie, mostly because it doesn’t feel like one.
Tonally and visually, it felt like multiple episodes of “The Mandalorian” put together, which isn’t a bad thing, as it amplifies elements that have worked before. The show's titular characters now work as bounty hunters for the New Republic, which is slowly eliminating threats from the villainous Empire. They are tasked to capture an Empire leader in hiding known as Janu. To find him, they will seek help from Jabba the Hutt, the head of one of the most powerful and feared criminal organizations in the galaxy.
What keeps “The Mandalorian and Grogu” as a Star Wars story, beyond the familiar characters from the IP, is its sense of adventure. Our two leads jump from one planet to the next, looking for clues on their target or evading imminent threat. It’s refreshing to see Mandalorian and Grogu at this scale, as the series only follows them in smaller-level situations.
The film is more narrowly focused than the usual Star Wars fare, only dealing with situations that the characters can handle on their own. There are plenty of opportunities to go deeper and play around with its characters more, but it’s faithful to keep a tight narrative throughout. I wish the Hutts got more screen time instead of being serviceable plot devices. The film effectively used Grogu to the best extent, though, with his animatronic-heavy scenes in the wilderness and saving the day with minimal help becoming the main highlight.
“The Mandalorian and Grogu” works on its own merits. Does it deserve to be on the big screen? I see why not? Most “Mandalorian” episodes do. Treating it as an “adventure-of-the-week” story, the same way the series episodes were structured, benefits from the gigantic expectations a viewer might have for the franchise. Give it a go.
“The Mandalorian and Grogu” is now showing in New Zealand cinemas.
Featured images from LucasFilms/ Disney.
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