The Mandalorian & Grogu
Star Wars is back!!!!
Review by Shane Cooper
Yes, as a lifelong Star Wars fan that saw Episode IV in 1977, in a theater, I am well aware that Star Wars is alive and well, and never actually went away, but having it back in movie theaters - that's really exciting to me. Of course all our home theaters are amazing, but nothing quite replaces the public theater experience, in my opinion. I love the anticipation and excitement leading up to release day, I love the massive XD and IMAX screens, and I love hearing the reactions from other fans, before, during, and after the movie.
For this installment, I brought my lady, who isn't particularly a fan, but came anyways to support something I have loved dearly for 49 years. I hurriedly explained The Mandalorian & Grogu's characters and the movie's place in the Star Wars timeline to her as we sped to the theater. I know I wasn't the only one saying "OK, so you remember Boba Fett?" and "Yes, kind of like a baby Yoda, same species, but they live to be like 800 years old" to their significant other.
2 sets of 3D glasses and 2 sets of Grogu ears hats later, we were ready for Star Wars film number 12, in theaters. WHAT A GREAT TIME TO BE ALIVE!!!!
Spoilers Ahead!!!
I went into this knowing what to expect, having seen and loved Seasons 1-3 of The Mandalorian, and well aware that this movie is essentially season 4, packed into a two plus hour theater experience. Sounds great to me! From the OG trilogy to the prequel trilogy and sequel trilogy, the anthology films, and all the live action and animated streaming (to include Genndy Tartakovsky's 2003 non canon Clone Wars, which was not streamable until very recently) there is very little in the Star Wars universe that I have not liked.
I have thoroughly enjoyed what The Mandalorian brought to the table when the series first started in 2019, and fully recognize how the success of it not only paved the way for Boba Fett, Obi Wan, Ahsoka, Andor (!!!!!!) and other Star Wars content, but also live action streaming content from other IPs in the sci-fi world as well. My hat's off to Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni. Thank you so, so, so, much.
Anyhow, I sat down in my seat expecting a new Mando and Grogu adventure, and man alive did I get one! AT-ATs, AT-STs, and a hair raising last second escape from a Hoth like world, and all that before the opening title rolled!!!
The film introduces Sigourney Weaver as Colonel Ward, a high ranking official in the New Republic, which is struggling to find footing in the fall of the Empire. She's calling the shots for Mando's missions and the film's plot centers around one particular mission, rescuing Rotta the Hutt (son of Jabba), to be brought back to the Hutt twins, in exchange for information on an undisclosed villain.
As made famously clear by what we all witnessed in Jabba's palace in 1983 and as made clearer by Captain Panaka in Episode I, "the Hutts are gangsters," so of course the mission goes sideways, literally plunging Mando into a watery pit beneath the Twins' throne room, where he fights to survive against various aquatic cockroaches, in a cesspool of what is likely centuries of Hutt excrement. As my lady flatly stated, EWWWWW.
Mando makes it to the final round, pitted against what I fully expected to be a Rancor when the gate slowly opened (I can't be the only one!!!). The Dragonsnake can never scare me like the Rancor did in 1983, but considering the top quality CGI, I am 100% sure it will at least give kids the heeby jeebies.
Anyhow, Mando survives, with the help of the Grogu and a 4 pack of Droidsmiths (we were first introduced to their kind in the sequel trilogy), but is mortally wounded by the Dragonsnake. This is the only part of non stop action in this movie where it slows down.
We then see Grogu, who I half thought would be reduced to a cutesie accessory, really shine. He builds a shelter, which of course looks strikingly similar to Yoda's home on Dagobah, and acquires medicine to save Mando.
Grogu then plays an integral part in Mando's rampage of revenge on the Hutts and the Rotta's second rescue, just before Ripley, I mean Colonel Ward, arrives with a posse of X-Wings, to blow the Hutt palace to smithereens. I will never, ever, ever get tired of X-Wings arriving to set the record straight.
Anyhow, all ends as well as it can… we all know that any victories achieved in this part of the Star Wars timeline are short lived and short celebrated, as the rise of the First Order is imminent. All in all, an absolutely fantastic installment that will keep Star Wars fans and non-Star Wars fans thoroughly entertained, from start to finish. I fully recommend!
