Details from IMDB:
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu
Original title: The Mandalorian and Grogu
Once a lone bounty hunter, Mandalorian Din Djarin and his apprentice Grogu embark on an exciting new Star Wars adventure.
Initial Thoughts:
Ahh, Star Wars, it’s often like a warm, fuzzy blanket of geeky happiness and always pleasant to wrap myself up in. We were on holiday, so I didn’t get to see this when it came out (or even in IMAX), but I did finally get a chance yesterday after the dentist to see it in theatres. I had heard/seen plenty of reviews and had seen the first few minutes like everyone else, but I tried not to let that affect my enthusiasm. I will say it was a little discouraging to see 5 other people in the theatre, but I know few movies have staying power these days.
Main Points:
As usual, I’ll get the negative out of the way. I do see where all the criticism is coming from; this is really more of an extra-long episode of “The Mandalorian” than it is a movie. There is also very little substance, mostly Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni playing with their toys. It’s also clearly saying, “You like Grogu? Think he’s cute? Well, here’s a lot of him!” Also, why does everyone revere the Mandlorians so much? Din Djarin gets his ass kicked several times here, gets captured, and also almost dies. He’s a Mandalorian, sure, but certainly not one of their best fighters (or the smartest). It’s also too long; I think a good 20 minutes or more of Grogu wandering around the forest/swamp could have been cut. Once I accepted those things, however, I enjoyed myself. There is plenty of action, some great fight scenes, and, for the first time ever, not a single lightsaber (or force user) to be seen. There is some really cool stuff down with leftover droids from the Clone Wars, and I enjoyed seeing Jabba’s son along with some really nasty Huts called The Twins.
There were plenty of moments that made me smile, made me laugh and made me cheer with excitement, which is usually the best you’re going to get from any Star Wars movie (or show). This is certainly better than “The Rise of Skywalker” and was a very safe move by Disney after a seven-year gap between movies.
Final Thoughts:
I wish I had seen this in IMAX, and if you live somewhere it’s still being shown that way, I think it would be worth it. I’ve heard this compared to “Return of the Jedi,” but I don’t agree with that, as it’s a better movie, and the only thing this can be compared to is a longer/multi-part episode of “The Mandalorian” itself. I hope that Star Wars/Disney does something different next time, you can’t always play it safe. The beginning and end battles are really something, and I look forward to watching them stoned at home. I love “The Mandalorian,” and I think that unless you are a big fan of the show, you won’t get much enjoyment from this movie. I give this 7.5 out of 10 and would recommend it to any Star Wars fan, but know that only Grogu/Mando fans will truly enjoy it. There is a little blood and some quick, disturbing scenes with the Hutts that make this ages 13+. If you can see this in theatres, I would, it’s the way Star Wars is meant to be watched.