There hasn’t been a Star Wars movie in theaters since before the pandemic, yet the excitement levels here feel low. While The Mandalorian and Grogu doesn't do anything to break the mold of the series, it’s a film that boasts solid action and a decent amount of comedy.
After the events of the show, the titular Mandalorian is taking on contracts for the New Republic involving ex-Imperial officers. One contract involves a deal with the Hutt twins from The Book of Boba Fett, who seek the return of their nephew Rotta in exchange for intel on another officer.
I know that there has been some revisionism with how the rebellion from the original trilogy is portrayed, but cutting a deal with the most notorious family of gangsters in the galaxy for one old officer from the Empire is far-fetched. That reflects the plot overall; it's shallow
The opening scene, in which he hunts down remnants of the fallen Empire on a snowy mountain, is compelling. It sets a good precedent for the rest of the action scenes in the film. Lots of fluid choreography and impressive special effects. Action scenes are also full of small comedic moments, thanks to Grogu and other odd characters.
The puppetry behind Grogu goes a long way in making him a charming character. He still acts like a toddler, and his interactions with Mando, like rapidly tapping his helmet to warn him about an explosion, add a lot of personality to the movie. That being said, neither of the main characters get any significant development.
That’s the biggest issue with the movie overall. Despite a solid foundation and some engaging action, there’s nothing to really sink your teeth into in terms of characters or plot. The whole thing feels like a vehicle to have more scenes of Mando looking cool and Grogu being an adorable mascot. It clears that low bar with ease, but doesn’t aim much higher.
Rotta the Hutt ends up being the most likeable secondary character in the film. He’s the last son of the famous Jabba, who ends up as an indentured arena fighter who naively thinks he’ll be set free after one last match. That, of course, doesn’t happen, but his fear of life as a Hutt makes him weary of Mando’s help
Even though Rotta comes off as, well, dim, sometimes, his kind nature makes him one of the few compelling aspects of this film. It’s necessary, because the drama about the New Republic versus the scraps of the Empire isn’t interesting.
It’s a big reason why the film isn’t making any big waves. It’s good, but it doesn’t have any sense of importance. The Mandalorian already ended on a “happily ever after” note, so this film feels unnecessary from the start. It doesn’t move the story forward in a significant way, and both the main characters end up feeling stagnant.
It serves as more evidence that the series should move on from this whole time period. At the very least, a film or show that covers the New Order’s rise to power in the sequel trilogy would fill an important gap in the overall plot.
Fans of Star Wars likely won’t regret spending the time and money to see The Mandalorian and Grogu. It’s not the grand return to theaters the series needed, but it’s far from a total dud. Still, I fear that the series will continue to wallow in nostalgia instead of taking the necessary bold step forward.
Author Bio:
Ulises Duenas is a senior writer and film critic at Highbrow Magazine.
For Highbrow Magazine