I’m not afraid to admit that Star Wars has been on a downswing lately. The franchise has been in a slow decline in the success of its live-action properties. Sure, they’ve had huge success projects like The Mandalorian and Andor, and moderate success with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. However, there are abjectly bad projects like The Acolyte, Solo, and The Rise of Skywalker. Lucasfilm and Disney hope that their latest live-action product, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, will bring the Star Wars franchise back to its glory days.
Although Jon Favreau gives his ‘Lone Wolf and Cub’-esque creation the feature film treatment, the story on this scale barely justifies it on the big screen.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, also known as simply The Mandalorian and Grogu, features the return of Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin, the Mandalorian, with Favreau directing. The bounty hunter is still collecting bounties with his adoptive son, Grogu, but this time for the New Republic. After completing a hunt and a meeting with Colonel Ward, played by Sigourney Weaver, Mando is offered a job that will help rebuild the New Republic in a big way.
First, the good.
The Mandalorian and Grogu, for all intents and purposes, is a fun movie. The first fifteen minutes catapulted me into the action. Seeing Mando doing what he does best was an awesome reminder of why I fell in love with the series. The action set pieces played out like a rollercoaster ride well worth the wait. The CGI was of top-notch quality at the beginning and made me eager for this new adventure. I was even thrilled to see a beloved Star Wars: Rebels character make an appearance and have an impact on the overarching story.
A decent portion of the direction from Favreau kept me engaged and entertained throughout The Mandalorian and Grogu. The director even gave Grogu several scenes on their own that showcase the character surviving, making an impact, and just plain fun to watch. Additionally, Favreau displays impressive directing in a crucial scene in The Mandalorian and Grogu. It’s a great combination of camera work and CGI, featuring Mando battling a deadly, massive creature. The intense scene plays out with excellence and leans hard on the danger of the story’s galaxy.
In terms of acting, Jermey Allen White stands out the most. His role as Rotta the Hutt is the emotional push for the movie and a great addition to the Star Wars franchise. Rotta’s arch gives to the underlying message of going against legacy and forging your own path. White’s acting legitimized The Mandalorian and Grogu, giving the movie the acting it desperately needed.
Now for the bad stuff.
Where White is trying his best in the acting department, most of the cast are “meh” to phoning it in. The Mandalorian is what helped make Pascal a household name. However, I got a strong sense that he’s way past done with the role. There was a level of life in the series that Pascal took to the role. His character was someone trying to find a family and a place in this galaxy. In The Mandalorian and Grogu, Pascal comes off as someone who wants to move on and possibly leave the character behind. Sadly, Weaver follows suit.
I love Weaver’s work in and out of the Alien and Avatar franchises. Gorillas in the Mist, Working Girl, Dave, Galaxy Quest, to name a few, show what the actress is capable of. In The Mandalorian and Grogu, Weaver is straight phoning it in. There were several scenes where her line delivery delivered nothing of value. It gave me a strong sense that Weaver just signed on to the project for the paycheck, making her character forgettable.
The biggest problem with The Mandalorian and Grogu is the decline in the VFX quality. The first action set piece showed promise, but many of the other CGI scenes just looked plain bad. For example, Mando has to fight his way out of an arena filled with alien beings. Many of the creatures could’ve been rendered better or made to look as if they carried some weight. That continues for much of the movie.
There’s a climactic battle between Mando and a horde of enemies that gave the movie its obvious green-screen look, or a poor use of The Volume. Which is so perplexing, because some parts of The Mandalorian and Grogu look great and depict something worth watching. Instead, the final big action set piece just reminded me of someone smashing their toys together and making explosion sounds with their mouth.
The Mandalorian and Grogu can be a fun watch if you like an overextended action ride and seeing Mando and Grogu go on a sidequest. There are some issues with the script if one thinks about it for more than 30 seconds, and the acting could be better. Watch it on the big screen if you miss these characters and need an overindulgent action film. I wasn’t expecting anything deep, but I guess I held this part of the Star Wars franchise to a higher standard.