The Mandalorian and Grogu Review: A Delightful Family Flick That Won't Break The Franchise

Few movies are going to be as anticipated as Star Wars' brand-new The Mandalorian and Grogu this year. It marks the galaxy far, far away's first return to the big screen in nearly seven years, following The Rise of Skywalker in December 2019. Given the reception of that title – it's largely considered Star Wars' worst movie overall – there is plenty of pressure on The Mandalorian and Grogu to perform.

Intensifying that expectation is the fact that this is the first time a Star Wars TV show has made the jump to feature film, although Lucasfilm and Disney were wise to have fan-favorite The Mandalorian be the one to test those waters. However, even with its popularity and the fanfare over both titular leads in The Mandalorian and Grogu, this movie is facing an uphill battle, and everyone from casual Star Wars fans to Disney executives is undoubtedly aware of that fact.

Its precarious position among Star Wars movies and TV shows could realistically have gone one of two ways: Lucasfilm could take major risks, trying to prove that Star Wars is back and better than ever; or they could opt for a safer bet that would get fans excited, assure the masses there are still plenty of stories left to tell in Star Wars, and set the franchise up for future success with more experimental projects like Ryan Gosling's upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter. It seems they opted for the latter – but that's not a bad thing.

The Mandalorian & Grogu Is A Charming Crowd-Pleaser That Plays It Safe (And That's Fine)

The Mandalorian and Grogu makes its role as a crowd-pleaser clear within the first few scenes. After opening with a meeting between an Imperial Warlord and lingering Imperial sympathizers, the movie launches into a series of action sequences that see Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu at their absolute best, working as the ultimate duo to take down the bad guys. Both Din's Mandalorian fighting skills and Grogu's (increasing) Force powers are thrilling, and the scenes only become all the more captivating with IMAX-friendly explosions and massive AT-ATs being taken down.

Credit where credit is due: These action sequences throughout the movie are absolutely where Jon Favreau's film shines. Grogu has never felt more real, and Mando, who was already a great fighter in The Mandalorian, has become a next-level combatant. He's more reminiscent of cutthroat Star Wars assassins like Asajj Ventress than the toned-down, newly adoptive dad that some audiences might be expecting.

Granted, for fans of The Mandalorian who are looking for more adorable father-son moments, those are certainly plentiful here, too. In between lighting people on fire with his flamethrower and bringing back his iconic "I can bring you in warm, or I can bring you in cold" line, Din is making sure that Grogu is buckled up while on the Razor Crest (yes, it's back) and not eating too many cookies before dinner. For the most part, these moments are sweet, and they don't undercut the more serious plot points.

The same might not be said of the jacked, slug-like elephant in the room. Rotta the Hutt, son of Jabba, makes his live-action debut following his introduction in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. He's effectively a Hutt with an eight-pack, and while he's not the first buff Hutt we've seen – there are examples in the comics – it takes some getting used to. As does his voice. Anyone expecting Jabba's style of speaking or disturbing, guttural laugh is going to be thrown off by the fact that Rotta sounds like a normal guy (Jeremy Allen White, to be exact).

It doesn't help that Rotta repeatedly states that he wants to be his "own man," which just sounds nonsensical coming from an alien mollusk, but that's a small quibble. In fact, impressively, The Mandalorian and Grogu makes quick work of getting audiences to forget that a gladiator-like, swole Hutt is a bit goofy. Rotta is surprisingly a character with considerable heart, and when he becomes much more involved in Din and Grogu's story than viewers might be expecting, he proves to be a charming presence.

The true standouts, however, are the Anzellans, who, in The Mandalorian and Grogu, have officially proven themselves to be some of Star Wars' funniest creatures of all time. It can't be easy going up against the likes of Grogu, but the Anzellans absolutely pull it off, with some of the best laugh lines in the movie's 2-hour-12-minute runtime and a lovability that beats out even some of the biggest fan-favorites.

Where the movie falters is in its broader impact on the Star Wars franchise, although whether that's really a flaw will depend heavily on what viewers are looking for. The Mandalorian and Grogu is almost entirely self-contained, which isn't what many were expecting. The trailers teased a deeper look at the state of the New Republic and the larger fight to hunt down and capture Imperial sympathizers. Given that Din is working for the New Republic, there is a touch of that, but it's not really the focus.

Anyone looking for a story that truly explores what this era of the Star Wars timeline looked like and how the New Republic navigated the fallout from the Empire won't find it here. In keeping with that, there aren't really any massive twists or unexpected cameos. Even the main villains feel siloed. There's no Thrawn or some other shocking big bad, just Jabba the Hutt's cousins, the Twins, along with some help from the bounty hunter Embo – meaning this story arc has very little to do with the larger era.

Ultimately, all that means is The Mandalorian and Grogu's title is an accurate one. This isn't a Skywalker Saga installment, nor does it pretend to be all that much bigger than the show it comes from. This is a film focused on Din Djarin and Grogu, and it delivers on that point. With those expectations set, The Mandalorian and Grogu is genuinely delightful to watch. It's funny, sweet, very emotional at times, and full of action and adventure.

Crucially, it also doesn't do anything to disrupt the Star Wars franchise, and given the state of Star Wars movies and shows over the last several years, Disney and Lucasfilm have to be forgiven for playing it safe. Will the movie be blowing the likes of The Empire Strikes Back out of the water? No. But audiences who are hoping for a fun, lighthearted film starring some of Star Wars' most beloved new characters are going to love it. All things considered, that's good enough.

The Mandalorian and Grogu releases in theaters nationwide on Friday, May 22.