The Mandalorian and Grogu
Director: Jon Favreau
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Jeremy Allen White, Sigourney Weaver, Jonny Coyne, Steve Blum, Martin Scorsese
Rating: ★★★.5
If there is one thing that holds true for Star Wars as a franchise post 2010, it’s that the sequel trilogy has largely disappointed (barring some moments), but the standalone films and shows have salvaged the franchise’s aura and pride. The Mandalorian has been one of the IP’s shining lights in recent years. And in the spinoff film, The Mandalorian and Grogu, everyone’s favourite galaxy-traversing duo is back, bringing the same spirit of camaraderie and cuteness, even if it is slightly diluted.
What are The Mandalorian and Grogu up to?
In the film, Din Djarin, aka The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal), now works for the New Republic as a bounty hunter, capturing Imperial loyals, but mostly eliminating them, much to the annoyance of his handler, Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver). After the twins, successors of Jabba the Hutt, ask the New Republic to rescue Jabba’s son Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White), Din and Grogu begin their adventure. But crossing the twins costs them dearly, forcing both the Mandalorian and the little one to find the hero within.
A fun ride propped up on Grogu’s cuteness
I have always maintained that Star Wars is a ripe buffet of genres. The original trilogy was a space opera, while the prequels were a political thriller mixed with lightsabers. The spinoffs range from heist (Rogue One) to Western (The Mandalorian) and even high fantasy drama (The Acolyte). The Mandalorian and Grogu carries forward the show’s gunslinger-for-hire trope, but discards the episodic plot for a well-rounded two-hour arc. It mixes Western with arcade-style action and some good old 70s-esque chase sequences to form a quintessential Star Wars film.
Is the Force strong with this one?
The film benefits from having existing characters that we care for, who we know, and whose stories we have seen before. That means it does not have to waste a lot of time in exposition. Having said that, the film will not feel too alien for non-fans of the show or anyone watching a Star Wars story for the first time. It is a nice standalone story about a father and son on an adventure, with Star Wars lore mixed in somewhere in the middle. The way the backstories are introduced as throwaway lines is done in a manner that it feels like exposition for new viewers and fun Easter eggs for diehard fans.
The USP of The Mandalorian and Grogu is the chemistry of its leads, or rather, Pedro Pascal pretending to have chemistry with a puppet for two hours. But props to the man for emoting without having his face seen for more than two minutes. With just his voice modulation, he makes Mando a likeable character again, and also conveys his protectiveness and love for his ward. The character design of Grogu is perfect (to sell toys but also make the viewers go aww). In sequences where Grogu takes centre stage without Mando, he carries the film so beautifully, like a cuter Little Groot, minus the sass.
Jeremy Allen White is a nice addition to the Star Wars universe, bringing some vulnerability and depth to a Hutt, earlier seen as one-dimensional bad guys. Martin Scorsese and Sigourney Weaver’s cameos were nice little cherries on top, but what made me happiest was seeing Steve Blum as Zeb again, nicely tying in so many Star Wars titles together.
But The Mandalorian and Grogu is no perfect film. It is insanely fun, don’t get me wrong. But so was Rogue One. And that one had more heart in it. This one seems to lag in places where the stakes feel unreal. It doesn’t make for great, immersive viewing when the outcome feels foregone. That is something Star Wars has been fighting in its new incarnation. The Mandalorian and Grogu falls prey to the ever-expanding genre’s fatigue a bit, only saved by the charm of its leading man and the overwhelming cuteness of his ward. And despite its flaws, it somehow works. Probably, this is the way!