‘The Mandalorian And Grogu’ review: a strong and forceful Stars Wars spin-off

Now on its 12th live-action film in 49 years, the Star Wars franchise has had a huge cultural impact but has it run its course? With The Mandalorian And Grogu, we’ve the first film spun off from a show that itself was a spin-off.

Premiering in 2019, cool space-western TV series The Mandalorian is based on a character very loosely connected to the original space-opera films – the titular bounty hunter shares his fashion choice and job title with fan-favourite antagonist Boba Fett. Given how far removed this is from the likes of Luke Skywalker or Han Solo, the odds were against it being a success. But three enjoyable seasons as the cornerstone to a wider television universe later, it’s making the leap to the big screen.

The film picks up where the Disney+ show left off. Mandalorian Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) – Mando to his pals – is earning a living by bringing in wrong-doers from across the galaxy while protecting his adoptive son Grogu. If you’ve somehow missed Baby Yoda fever, Grogu is a part-humanoid alien with strong powers of telepathy and the same species as the wise green Jedi Master from the original trilogy.

When Mando’s boss Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver) sends him on a mission involving the late Jabba The Hutt’s criminal family and a senior figure from the old Empire, complications ensue. Tasked with finding Jabba’s son Rotta (Jeremy Allen White) for his uncle and aunt, Mando is soon fighting hideous space monsters in a frenzied gladiatorial contest – with time to consider if Rotta is actually a rotter or just being set up by his relatives.

The dialogue is pretty rudimentary – not quite first-draft placeholder piffle but could do with punching-up. There are funny moments, such as when Grogu tries to hide an injured Mando, misjudges the hiding space he’s created and repeatedly bangs Mando’s head. But you need a dozen moments like that in a two-hour-plus romp, not a handful.

That said, you come for the adventure not the sparkling wit and that, at least, is almost constant. Mammoth sea snake attacks, X-wing battles, home invasions, bar brawls and AT-AT destruction – it’s almost non-stop action and rarely less than enthralling. When things aren’t getting shot with lasers, beaten or blown-up there’s a Martin Scorsese voice cameo as multi-armed food-truck cook Hugo or Ward deliciously giving out her most withering glances.

Some viewers will moan about the occasionally unconvincing CGI but what matters more is the wider input of director Jon Favreau, whose screenplay was written alongside regular The Mandalorian creatives Dave Filoni and Noah Kloors. Favreau also runs the TV show, so understandably the cool, fun tone is in keeping with the hit spin-off show while his MCU experience as Iron Man director means he knows how to make huge franchise features with plenty of heart and energy. He’s the right man for the job, just like Pascal – among the coolest leading men around and the best choice for Mando, even if we only see his face for a few minutes. It’s an entertaining trip to a galaxy far, far away that proves there’s still cinematic life in this universe.

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