When The Mandalorian first debuted on Disney Plus , it was a refreshing reminder of how fascinating Star Wars stories can be when they aren’t focused on the same handful of well-established characters. Especially in its first season, the series felt like a sign that Disney was shifting gears after disappointing fans with its last trilogy of big budget features. But as The Mandalorian went on , it became overstuffed with supporting characters and haphazardly-introduced lore that did little to make the show feel like must-see TV.
The relative weakness of The Mandalorian ’s most recent season is part of what made it so surprising when Lucasfilm announced plans to bring the beskar-clad warrior and his infant ward to the big screen. It wasn’t clear whether The Mandalorian and Grogu was meant to be a straightforward extension of the series or launchpad designed to elevate its titular characters to new levels of prominence within the franchise. And while there was little question about whether the film would make money at the box office, it seemed very possible that audiences might come away disappointed and unsure about Star Wars ’ future.
The Mandalorian and Grogu is neither a knockout or a total disappointment. The movie is filled with excellent puppetry and it cleverly inverts the show’s established Lone Wolf and Cub character dynamics. But between its by-the-numbers story and lackluster action sequences, The Mandalorian and Grogu feels like a phoned in film that would have been better off as a new season of The Mandalorian instead of a standalone project.
