The Mandalorian and Grogu Is More of a Theatrical Cash Grab Than an Imaginative Continuation of the Show
Written by Nandita Joshi
After 24 episodes of The Mandalorian (TV Series 2019-2023) and a hijacked season of The Book of Boba Fett (TV Mini Series 2021-2022), Dave Filoni is fully aware of the magnetism that Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his green companion Grogu have on mainstream audiences, integral to generating buzz around the Star Wars franchise since the conclusion of the Skywalker saga. It only makes sense that Filoni, alongside Jon Favreau, decided that it was time to bring their success onto the silver screen with the release of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, in cinemas now.
Working as a freelance bounty hunter for the New Republic, the Mandalorian and Grogu head on an adventure to snuff out warlords from the former Galactic Empire. Their latest adventure takes them to the depths of Nul Hutta, where they are enlisted to find Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White), son of crime lord Jabba the Hutt. Packed to the brim with shoot-outs, weird-looking creatures and hyperspeed escapes, the pair are in for the usual intergalactic antics.
Djarin is at the height of his paternal figure responsibilities yet continues to be the daring bounty hunter that he is. His dynamic with Grogu is as charming as it always is, but there is a lack of growth in their relationship that we would have benefited from seeing on the big screen. When we last left the pair, Djarin adopted Grogu so he could become his apprentice. While we do see Grogu's independence grow, we barely scratch the surface of his learning of the Resol'nare (the Mandalorian Way). The film becomes a missed opportunity to expand upon these characters and their journeys beyond the series.
Whilst sat in the theatre, there was a clear sequence in the film where it felt like the story was wrapping up nicely – and then there was another hour more of story. Writers Filoni, Favreau and Noah Kloor are unable to shake the 45-minute pacing of the show, leaving audiences watching two mediocre episodes of The Mandalorian smushed together on the big screen – much to the dismay of Favreau, who eagerly boasted that the film was moving away from the weekly show structure.
As always, a film set in the Star Wars universe excels in world-building, production design and character design. From familial settings like the snowscape Hoth and the tropical Adelphi to the newly created tech-noir Shakari planet, production designers Doug Chiang and Andrew L. Jones, in tandem with set decorator Amanda Moss Serino, prove that the real passion within this franchise emanates out of the world builders, creating stunning landscapes for the audience to feast their eyes on. The only saving grace of the entire feature.
Allen White is unrecognisable as Rotta, with the recognisability of his voice completely obfuscated, and not providing any motion capture work for the movement or facial expressions of the character. This begs the question of why he was cast in the role in the first place. When you intentionally cast A-list actors for a role, you want the recognisability of the name, face and physicality embedded in every aspect of that character. The casting of a big name as Rotta defeats the point if, when you see the credits roll, you say to yourself, "That was Jeremy Allen White?" Next time, save the money and cast a professional voice actor for the role.
Not even the discernible star power of Hollywood legends like Sigourney Weaver as the stone-cold Colonel Ward and Martin Scorsese as the voice of Ardennian Hugo Durant in their minor roles can muster up any form of excitement for the crowd in this lacklustre feature. Everything about the film reeks of an easy cash grab attempt as opposed to an earnest continuation of the show. It is hard to believe that these are the same creative higher-ups at Lucasfilm who conjured Andor (TV Series 2022-2025).
The Mandalorian and Grogu is the first Star Wars live-action film released in cinemas in seven years. Add to that a fan base of the show that spans both tenured Star Wars fans as well as those who discovered Star Wars through the show, and there can be no help but high expectations for the large-scale blockbuster. Unfortunately, it is quite simply a disappointment – lacking in all avenues related to plot, purpose and potential.
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