The Mandalorian & Grogu review: Star Wars at its most light, pulpy and throwaway

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A star rating of 3 out of 5.

It wasn’t long ago that Star Wars was primarily known for its big-screen movies. But after the sequel trilogy ended with the poorly received The Rise of Skywalker about seven years ago, the franchise has largely continued through a growing number of TV shows on Disney+.

The recent years have had some great moments, especially the impressive series Andor, but it often felt like this focus on TV shows was just a temporary phase before big-budget movies took over again.

No one expected the revival of this franchise to come from a streaming series, but that’s exactly what happened. Jon Favreau is back directing a larger-scale spin-off of his popular show, The Mandalorian, starring Pedro Pascal. The adorable Grogu, known as Baby Yoda, now has a more prominent role in the new series.

This film delivers a fun, fast-paced Star Wars experience – perhaps not the most epic, but definitely entertaining. It’s perfect for younger fans or anyone looking for a lighthearted escape, though it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the franchise’s greatest stories.

You don’t need to be a Star Wars expert to enjoy this. The show quickly throws you back into the action with Pedro Pascal’s character, Din Djarin, reminding us he’s a legendary and seemingly unstoppable bounty hunter. He easily takes care of his opponents – a group of former Imperial soldiers – with a little help from his cute companion.

Mando and Grogu are soon sent on a mission by their boss, Ward (played by Sigourney Weaver, making her first appearance in the Star Wars universe). The powerful Hutt family – known from Jabba the Hutt’s story – has asked them to rescue Rotta, a family member, from the villainous Janu. Janu has kidnapped Rotta and is forcing him to fight in dangerous gladiator battles as entertainment for a cheering audience.

Their journey takes them to Shakari, a moon built to resemble 1920s Chicago, but with a futuristic, Blade Runner-esque vibe of shadowy streets and glowing neon. This marks the beginning of an adventure where they’ll face off against all sorts of dangerous creatures from across the galaxy.

Favreau clearly enjoys creating these creatures, and the show delivers exciting action sequences, like a battle in Rotta’s arena filled with terrifying monsters, and a truly intimidating, swamp-dwelling creature that ranks among Mando’s biggest challenges.

The action scenes are usually exciting and benefit from a mix of special effects, but they likely won’t be the most iconic moments in the series overall.

The story feels similar to the TV show it’s based on, unfolding in a series of separate episodes. However, it moves quickly and is enhanced by a beautiful and powerful score composed by two-time Academy Award winner Ludwig Göransson.

Despite adding some well-known actors, the film doesn’t use them effectively. Sigourney Weaver is stuck with a simple role that doesn’t challenge her, and it’s puzzling why Jeremy Allen White (from The Bear) was cast if his voice was going to be so heavily altered. A short appearance by directing icon Martin Scorsese, providing a voice cameo, is a welcome highlight.

Grogu, accompanied by a funny group of Anzellans, has several standout moments. A central idea of the film is how parent-child relationships can change and even flip as time goes on. As the film itself states: “The old protect the young, and then the young protect the old.”

While it probably won’t be the movie to fully revive Star Wars’ blockbuster status, The Mandalorian & Grogu is still an enjoyable adventure with some genuinely fun and heartwarming scenes.

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The Mandalorian & Grogu is coming to cinemas on 22 May.

Authors

Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona writes about movies for TopMob, covering both new releases in theaters and streaming platforms. He’s been with the site since October 2019, and during that time has interviewed many famous actors and reviewed films of all kinds.

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2026-05-19 16:36