I did not have time to catch up on all three seasons of The Mandalorian before I saw Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. Nevertheless, I found it a more satisfying experience than either Rogue One or Solo. This movie was initially conceived as the fourth season of the TV show, and while it’s not devoid of issues, the result plays easily on the big screen.
The story begins in earnest a few years after the events of Return of the Jedi, as a colonel in the new government (Sigourney Weaver) gives Din Djarin the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) a new spaceship and a new mission. The criminal Hutts are willing to deliver one of the fallen empire’s most wanted fugitives to the authorities if the Mandalorian brings them the kidnapped heir to their kingdom, Rotta (voiced by Jeremy Allen White). In short order, Din Djarin and Grogu a.k.a. Baby Yoda find out that Rotta is not a kidnapping victim but a locally famous gladiator on an urban moon. Though he’s an indentured servant to a gang boss (Jonny Coyne), he’s treated well and has crowds cheering his victories. Don’t underestimate what that means to the only son of the despised Jabba the Hutt.
For the benefit of newcomers, the movie does explain that for bounty hunters of Din Djarin’s ilk, showing their faces is considered a major taboo. That doesn’t do much to mitigate the fact that Pascal’s face is covered for all but a few minutes of the movie. The star has such an expressive face, and how disappointing it is that we don’t see him feeling his emotions as the guardian to this child. It’s true that Ryan Reynolds spent much of Deadpool with his face covered, too, but even he had more to work with, as his mask was animated to indicate the superhero’s feelings. The Mandalorian’s mask gives us nothing, and maybe another actor who was more comfortable with deadpan humor might have made that work. That has never been one of Pascal’s strengths.
As a matter of fact, the most sustained piece of filmmaking comes after the Mandalorian has been seriously wounded, and the baby has to administer to him in a remote patch of swamp. The nearly dialogue-free sequence contains the movie’s funniest bit, as Grogu builds a mud shelter for the bounty hunter and uses his levitation powers to slide Din Djarin inside, only for a telltale clank to inform him that the structure isn’t long enough. Director/co-writer Jon Favreau doesn’t receive enough credit for his ability to balance world-building, character-building, action, and humor in these Hollywood blockbusters. If he has sometimes gotten that wrong in the past (like with his Disney musicals), here he manages not to let the big set pieces overwhelm the smaller moments.
Speaking of small, Babu Frik (voiced by Shirley Henderson) reappears here from Rise of Skywalker along with three other mechanics of his race. The less fluid, less realistic way that they move actually works in the movie’s favor, convincing us that these tiny simian creatures belong to an alien species. They also inject some more humor into the story, as Baby Yoda finds them so cute that he thinks they’re toys to play with. This really should be more cloying than it is, but Favreau and company are able to put it across.
With all this, somehow The Mandalorian and Grogu never does hit warp speed. It’s probably not reasonable to expect every Star Wars film to be some earth-shattering event, but this one does miss some chances to be more resonant. The action sequences are well-executed without ever inspiring awe or visceral excitement, and the visuals never attain outright beauty. The villains are dull, and Rotta’s quest to establish his own identity when everyone hates him because of his father goes off the boil. As I mentioned, maybe this whole thing would have been improved just by showing us Pascal’s face more often. What I can say with some certainty is that I went into this film with low expectations, and this latest installment of the saga surpassed those. That seems like a good place for me to leave it.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu
Starring Pedro Pascal. Voice by Jeremy Allen White. Directed by Jon Favreau. Written by Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, and Noah Kloor. Rated PG-13.
