Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) – Review

Quick thoughts:

1. The Hard Boiled nod is wonderful
2. I love aquatic monsters
3. It’s a good time. Between the James Bond-esque cold open and Grogu eating things, it’s a pleasant low-stakes summer popcorn movie.
4. It’s too long, and the story doesn’t have much momentum, but the pacing flaws are outweighed by the adorable Anzellans.
5. The stop-motion animation and motion-control miniatures are refreshing.
6. Grade – 6.5 out of 10 Bounty Hunters

There’s a moment in The Mandalorian and Grogu, when Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu enter a salt restaurant and come across a demon-looking henchman who instigates a brawl between the bounty hunter and a plethora of hired goons. The scene pays homage to the epic tea room shootout in the John Woo-directed Hard Boiled. It’s not nearly as iconic and lacks the ambition to match the dual pistol-wielding greatness of the scene, but it perfectly encapsulates the film. The Mandalorian and Grogu has zero interest in creating new worlds or expanding the lore; instead it plays like a pulpy action yarn that features a James Bond-esque cold open, gladiator fights, and Grogu eating many different food items. Some will say it’s a mediocre experience when compared to The Empire Strikes Back (please don’t do this), while others will enjoy the shenanigans and appreciate how good it looks on an IMAX screen.

The Mandalorian and Grogu opens up with the pair working for the New Republic as they hunt imperial warlords who operate in the shadows across the galaxy. Their first assignment sees them traveling to an ice planet where they kill copious stormtroopers, run down ice-covered mountains, destroy several AT-ATs, and blow up a warlord before they can get useful information out of him. Overall, the mission is a success, but Djarin’s method of killing first and asking questions later hasn’t helped the New Republic hunt down an infamous warlord known as Commander Coin. So, a New Republic leader named Ward (Sigourney Weaver) tasks him with working a job for the infamous Hutt Twins. The crimelord twins claim they have knowledge about Coin’s whereabouts; however, before they share the information, Djarin and Grogu have to travel to a planet called Shkari, where they have to rescue the Hutt’s nephew Rotta the Hutt (voiced by Jeremy Allen White) from a guy named Lord Janu (Jonathan Coyne). Surprisingly, Rotta is a comically muscular (and very sensitive) brawler who fights in the planet’s gladiator pits. When Djarin finds him, Rotta declines the rescue offer because he has one fight left on his contract and is promised freedom if he survives his final gladiatorial fight. From there, things go sideways as Djarin is forced into a rigged Dejarik battle and eventually comes across massive water monsters, tiny spaceships, and the greatest improvised shelter ever constructed in a Star Wars film. 

It’s the classic “Hey, you go do this, so I’ll tell you this,” type of story that involves double crosses, twists, and character reveals. By keeping the story simple, director/co-writer Jon Favreau was able to focus on the important stuff involving Grogu being adorable and Djarin killing henchmen. Djarin gets knocked out or captured multiple times (his skill levels fluctuate throughout), which allows Grogu and his Anzellan buddies to come to the rescue. It’s fun stuff, and never takes itself seriously. Writers Favreau, Dave Filoni, and Noah Kloor made sure to create an “understandable standalone experience” that doesn’t need a rewatch of The Mandalorian, which was smart considering many people don’t want to revisit the third season of the show. 

The Mandalorian and Grogu is nothing more than summer popcorn entertainment, and that makes it simultaneously enjoyable and a bit disappointing. As a casual fan of the franchise who enjoys the ups and downs of blockbuster filmmaking, it’s a worthy addition to the franchise because it’s a good time and won’t create legions of angry fans. The 132-minute running time stretches the material thin, but if you enjoy being immersed in the Star Wars world, the padded running time won’t be a bother. Fans of the original trilogy will appreciate the stop-motion animation and motion-control miniatures created by Phil Tippett (watch Mad God, it’s incredible). It’s cool that Favreau brought Tippett back to help, and watching Grogu, the Anzellans, and several large robots move around is delightful.

Filmed for IMAX, the movie looks gorgeous as cinematographer and Star Wars veteran David Klein (The Mandalorian, Skeleton Crew, The Book of Boba Fett) understands the universe and has a shorthand relationship with Favreau. According to the press notes, Klein used anamorphic lenses with high-resolution sensors to keep the film “looking like Star Wars” while working within the IMAX frame. The end result is a crisp and clean experience that looks great on a giant screen.

Final thoughts – Head to a theater, buy some popcorn, and enjoy watching Grogu eat things.