When the first season of The Mandalorian was released it was a great success, filling a Boba Fett-sized hole (temporarily), enjoyed by Star Wars fans and bringing in new fans, perhaps thanks to the cuteness of Grogu, then known officially as ‘the Child’ and unofficially as ‘baby Yoda’. The second and third seasons weren’t quite as well-received but were mostly enjoyed as it furthers the stories of characters orbiting Mando and Grogu. There was always likely to be a big-screen adventure for the Mandalorian, but is it everything fans could have wanted, or is it lacking in the ways of the Force?

Director: Jon Favreau
Writers: Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Noah Kloor
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Jeremy Allen White, Sigourney Weaver, Brendan Wayne, Lateef Crowder, Jonny Coyne, Martin Scorsese, Sally Henderson

Spoiler warning: There are spoilers for the television show in this review.

Now working for the New Republic in hunting down neo-imperialist warlords after the fall of the Empire, Din Djarin (voiced by Pedro Pascal, performed by Pascal, Crowder and Wayne), a Mandalorian known by his nickname Mando, and his ward Grogu, a child of an unnamed species, are tasked by Commander Ward (Weaver) to track down imperial warlord Commander Coin. To do so, they need intel from the Hutt Twins, siblings of the deceased Jabba the Hutt. In return, the Twins task Mando with rescuing their nephew, Jabba’s son and heir, Rotta (voiced by Allen White), from crime lord Janu. Through numerous scrapes and brushes with death, Mando and Grogu work together to help protect the galaxy, and each other.

As Star Wars stories go, this one is pretty basic, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. The Star Wars universe is so incredibly vast and convoluted at this point with an incredible amount of lore surrounding the Republic, both Old and New, the Empire and, of course, the Jedi, the Sith and the Force, to the point where it can be overwhelming, especially for those new to the universe. The Mandalorian and Grogu features a few familiar faces from other films/television shows/books etc., making it strongly connected to the main Star Wars throughline for fans, but it doesn’t insist that you know everything and everyone in order to follow it. It is quite simply a fun adventure with two newly popular characters that can entertain both adults and kids.

One thing that really stood out was the use of practical effects, especially puppet Grogu (remember CGI Yoda? Yuck.) and the use of stop-motion for some scenes. It felt distinctly more Star Wars than the overuse of CGI in the past few decades, harking back to the puppetry and robotics days of the 70s and 80s, along with the use of stop-motion. It would have been cool if the same could have been done for Rotta the Hutt to make him more lifelike, but much like the use of CGI for Jabba in that one abhorrent extra scene in A New Hope, CGI led the way, probably for financial reasons. The planetary designs were distinct and immersive, with the swamps and forests of Nal Hutta bringing to mind Dagobah and Endor, respectively, and the ships looking just as lived-in and used as the Millennium Falcon. Mando’s suit looked sharp, but perhaps a little too good for his exploits; a little rough wearing would have given it a better level of realism. Mandalorian steel (Beskar) is supposed to be the dog’s bollocks, but a little dirt would have gone a long way. The soundtrack is excellent, with Ludwig Göransson bringing back the show’s main theme during the opening credits and adding in the John Williams-style orchestral sweeps at opportune moments, giving it that epic space-opera tone.

The main reason people will see this film is for Grogu and his relationship with his adoptive father. Grogu is as funny and adorable as ever, and it’s endearing to see him finding his (tiny) feet as a Force-wielding Mando-in-training. The puppetry is masterful and there’s not a moment when you won’t believe he’s real. Pedro Pascal’s Mando continues to be a stalwart figure who, thanks mainly to Grogu, has found where his morals lie (and Pascal makes for a great… daddy…) and the comedy lands well when he’s up against the childish actions of Grogu. Along with the physical performances of Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder, Mando is the kind of character we’d like to see pop up in future Star Wars instalments, if there were to be no more media specific to Mando and Grogu. Rotta the Hutt is an interesting addition and gives a different view of the Hutts entirely, though Jeremy Allen White’s very American-sounding Galactic Basic is a bit jarring for a Hutt, especially the Americanised Huttese accent. Maybe I’m taking it too seriously, but it makes it a little difficult to take the character more seriously, too. Sigourney Weaver makes her debut in the Star Wars universe as the firm but fair Commander Ward, and she is a very welcome addition, making it known that, yes, there are roles, and strong ones at that, for women over a certain age, thank you very much(!). Listen out for Martin Scorsese’s cameo – he’s credited with the main cast, but his vocal appearance is fleeting.

Could The Mandalorian and Grogu have gone straight to streaming? Sure. Could it have been integrated into a fourth season of The Mandalorian? Absolutely. But where’s the fun in that? Star Wars action on the big screen is always a great time (and, ok, a money-maker, too) and Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni do not steer us wrong, in my opinion. It seems that many hardy fans are not enjoying it so much, but I think some are just taking it far too seriously. It’s an entertaining action-adventure (a side-quest, if you will) with comforting characters and cameos that will bring a smile to some faces (Zeb certainly made me go all pointing-Rick-Dalton meme), and it’s an enjoyable ride through the galaxy.