Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his apprentice Grogu continue to hunt down wanted men throughout the galaxy. Only now they're working for the New Republic. In order to gain intel on the whereabouts of a particularly illusive imperial officer, Mando and his little friend are forced to do a job for Jabba the Hutt's siblings, who took over his territory after his death. They want the duo to rescue Jabba's son, Rotta (Jeremy Allen White) from the planet Shakari, where he is forced to participate in gladiatorial games.
So the first Star Wars movie to hit cinemas in seven years is a leap from streaming platform to the big screen for Mando and his adorable little friend. It's an arguably safe move, I'll give you that, but also a smart one. In the year when NASA sent people to the moon for the first time in half a century, the bosses at Lucasfilm are apparently following a similar plan. And much as Artemis II worked for the legendary space agency, The Mandalorian & Grogu is seemingly doing the same for the famous movie studio. Even if the movie follow-up to a particularly popular show is slightly less of a gamble, and more of a sure thing than sending four people to the moon and back. That said, it didn't work out so well for Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan.
If you're even partly familiar with the show, you know what you are in for. The movie is essentially more of the same; a mostly fast-paced space adventure, chock full of fun call-backs and references to all things Star Wars, as our two heroes hunt down the galaxy's most wanted. It does result in some uneven pacing here and there - the movie's two halves certainly feel a little episodic - but it also delivers everything we'd want from a movie featuring this loveable duo. Including what seems like an impossible mission, epic fights in which Mando is pretty much unstoppable and unrelenting, while Grogu is both cunning and adorable. Not to mention some pretty good aerial battles, featuring X-Wings, Y-Wings, U-Wings (one of my personal favourites), a certain jetpack, and the return of the beloved Razor Crest. All of which is set to a new and delightfully funky soundtrack, on top of the signature Mando track, of course.
While it is true this approach doesn't exactly expand this galaxy far, far away, it does take us to a few far flung corners we haven't seen before. This includes the curious planet at the centre of this little adventure; Shakari. Where, among other things, we find a surprisingly buff Rotta the Hutt doing his best 'Maximus Decimus Meridius'. Rather than a rehash of his involvement in The Clone Wars movie, here we something very different from a Hutt - and I'm not just talking about abs - with Jeremy Allen White bringing, by way of a brilliant voice performance, something of a sense of humanity to Rotta. While Sigourney Weaver is another welcome, albeit somewhat under utilised addition as our heroes’ point of contact in the New Republic. But The Mandalorian & Grogu would obviously be nothing if it didn't do something to dive further into the relationship between its two leads, and thankfully it doesn't disappoint. Not only do we get to see how their bond has grown, the same can be said of their partnership.
As with the show, the action looks incredible - especially on the big screen. Everything is shot using an intriguing variety of techniques, and so you can appreciate every move. The very cold opening featuring a rather nasty cliff and some imperial walkers is particularly fun. It’s also great to see Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder - with top billing behind Pedro Pascal - get some real credit for helping to make Mando one of the toughest fighters in the galaxy. But this isn’t just The Mandalorian anymore, and it’s rather enjoyable watching Mando and his little green friend become more of a team. Grogu gets a real chance to step up, and while it may slow the movie down slightly, the little puppet proves he is more than capable to take the lead - especially with help from the Anzellans - and I already want to see him do it again. Hopefully in the not too distant future!
The Mandalorian & Grogu may be a bit of a safe and slightly episodic option for Star Wars' long-awaited return to the big screen. But it's still a swashbuckling, intergalactic adventure with everybody's favourite bounty hunting duo. One that fits perfectly within the universe George Lucas brought to life all those years ago.
8/10
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