Din Djarin gets paid to track down dangerous people. He does that work in a suit of armor, usually with his adopted son Grogu nearby. Grogu is the small green alien with the huge ears, and keeping him safe matters more to Din than finishing a job. You can understand their relationship without watching the series first. The Mandalorian and Grogu gives them an adventure that is often fun to watch, though it sends them on too many missions without giving those missions equally interesting stories.
This is an American, English-language Star Wars film directed by Jon Favreau. Pedro Pascal returns as Din, also called the Mandalorian. The Empire, the military government that once ruled the galaxy, has been defeated. Its surviving commanders are still dangerous. The new government, called the New Republic, hires Din to find them. Knowing those basics is enough to follow the main story, even if you miss some familiar faces from other Star Wars shows.
A rescue job gets complicated
Sigourney Weaver plays Colonel Ward, the officer who gives Din his assignments. Two alien crime bosses offer information about a wanted commander. In return, they want Din to bring back their nephew, Rotta. These large, slug-shaped aliens are Hutts. Rotta, voiced by Jeremy Allen White, has become a muscular fighter who competes in an arena.
Din needs the information, but dealing with criminals makes the job risky. It is a good reason to send him somewhere new. Weaver also gives Ward enough authority that her complaints about Din's methods are worth listening to. Unfortunately, the film mostly uses her to explain assignments. Ward needs more to do than send Din on his next mission.
The opening fight on a snowy planet is more exciting. Din faces Imperial soldiers and huge armored vehicles that walk on four legs. The size difference makes the danger easy to understand: he is one man fighting military machines. The opening makes Din's job look genuinely dangerous. You do not need to recognize the vehicles from older films to enjoy watching him take them on.
Later, the arena gives him a different problem: fighting at close range against creatures much larger than himself. The trouble comes between the fights. Din gets an assignment, reaches a new location and runs into another obstacle. That happens often enough that the next mission starts to feel predictable, even when the creatures and scenery change.
The Hutts are easy to dislike, but the film spends more time on their criminal plans than on Rotta's relationship with them. His relatives want him returned, while he has made a life in the arena. Rotta's reasons for wanting that life need more time. Instead, the next fight soon takes over, and his family is less interesting than the rescue job initially suggests.
Grogu gets more to do than look cute
Grogu can move things without touching them. That ability comes from the Force, the mysterious power some people and creatures can use in Star Wars. But his powers are not the only reason to watch him. He is curious, gets into trouble and sometimes has to help the adult who normally protects him.
Grogu helping Din is more satisfying than another joke about his size. It lets their relationship work both ways. Grogu also teams up with the Anzellans, tiny alien mechanics. Their scenes give the film some welcome silliness after the shooting and fighting.
There is a big difference between those jokes and the violence. Din shoots and stabs enemies, and the film does not become a gentle children's adventure just because Grogu is in it. The cute characters do not make this suitable for every young child. The US rating is PG-13.
Is it worth watching on Disney+?
If you already like watching Din and Grogu travel together, there is enough here for a fun evening. New viewers can follow the rescue story too. The snowy opening and Grogu's attempts to help Din deserve credit; a Star Wars film does not need to change the fate of the whole galaxy to be entertaining.
But at 132 minutes, the repeated assignments become tiring. We wanted more time with Ward and a better reason to care about Rotta's family, not another stop on Din's route. Pixel Twelve's score: 6.0/10. The action and the father-son relationship make this worth considering, but they do not fully make up for the repetitive story.
The Mandalorian and Grogu is streaming on Disney+. Availability varies by country. Visit the film page for the cast and more images.
More from The Mandalorian and Grogu
2 screenshotsImages: Lucasfilm / Disney.
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