The Movie Man: ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Delivers Spectacle, but Little Urgency

While The Mandalorian and Grogu brings our favorite duo from Disney+ to the big screen, this is not something to be seen as soon as possible.

The title characters took the world by storm when Disney launched their streaming service just before the world shut down from the pandemic. While Star Wars fans were divided following the release of The Last Jedi, almost everyone was united in excitement about this new narrative released by Lucasfilm. The main Star Wars movies were tributes to science-fiction adventure serials (think Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers) and the samurai movies of Akira Kurosawa; all with the anthropology of Joseph Campbell grounding its story in something relatable to all of humanity. The Mandalorian opted to venture into a different genre: the lone gunman of the spaghetti westerns venturing from village to village collecting bounties. What made The Mandalorian so appealing was that it was not something for just the diehard Star Wars fans. It had a compelling narrative that even casual viewers could become invested in (a practical puppet depicting the baby version of Yoda’s species certainly helped, too).

But as Din Djarin and Grogu jumped to the big screen, it became clear that this was not an adventure that a casual viewer could become emotionally invested in. 

While it is great to see this duo together again, it is lacking the hook that made them so popular to begin with. It certainly doesn’t help that the other major characters from the series (heir to Mandalore Bo-Katan Kryze, imperial warlord Moff Gideon, the Armorer, and mechanic Peli Motto) are absent from this adventure. There are no new characters to get excited about, though Jeremy Allen White was good providing the voice of Rotta the Hutt, son of the infamous gangster, Jabba, who seeks to make a name for himself beyond the criminal world. I took great delight in seeing Martin Scorsese, the master of gangster films, voice a street food vendor who is all-too terrified to share information about criminal activity in his area.

While the story is not as compelling as it could have been, it had everything that is necessary in a Star Wars movie: production value. Lüdwig Göransson continues providing the soundtrack from the series, distinct from the signature music of John Williams. As a fan of the franchise (to be frank, a NERD), I was delighted to get a look into the specifics of technology (such as an exploration inside the AT-AT Imperial Walkers). The special effects are amazing. I tip my cap to the CGI, but I must bow before the practical effects and puppetry, a tribute to what made the original trilogy so appealing when it was first released.

It’s appealing for kids, and I’m sure plenty of adults won’t mind chaperoning them for this flick. 

Again, The Mandalorian and Grogu does not demand an immediate screening from casual viewers (or even diehard Star Wars fans). Even so, watching it at the theater was a reminder that the big screen with a shared audience of strangers is the proper way to enjoy top-value movies. The sound quality is more appealing than your own TV speakers (or even tablet, laptop, or phone). Getting caught up in a risky adventure via stunts and explosions deserves better than your living room in solitude.

I am certain that greater stories will come for Mando and Grogu. They may reunite with key characters down the road that will elevate the stakes for them. Will it be on the big screen or via Disney+? Who knows?