Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu 2026 Review

Before going into The Mandalorian and Grogu, I honestly had very little interest in it.

I loved the first few seasons of The Mandalorian. In many ways, it felt like the spark that brought a lot of people back to Star Wars after a divisive sequel trilogy. It was simple, focused, character driven, and understood the appeal of throwing audiences into a gritty corner of the galaxy far away from Jedi politics and universe-ending stakes. But once things started expanding into shows like The Book of Boba Fett, I started feeling a bit burnt out by the formula. The worlds, side quests, bounty hunter aesthetics, and interconnected storytelling began feeling repetitive. So when Lucasfilm announced they were turning this into a theatrical movie instead of just making another season, my first reaction was honestly confusion. I remember thinking they should have just kept it as a TV series. Now that I’ve seen the film, I completely understand why they made it a movie.

What surprised me most about The Mandalorian and Grogu is that it genuinely feels cinematic in a way the show sometimes didn’t. There’s a scale, polish, and momentum here that elevates the material beyond an extended Disney+ episode. Directed by Jon Favreau, the film leans heavily into action, adventure, comedy, and emotion, while still maintaining that smaller, character-focused Star Wars energy that made audiences connect with the series in the first place.

The story follows Din Djarin and Grogu after the fall of the Empire as they become involved in a New Republic mission tied to Imperial remnants and the criminal underworld. A major plot thread revolves around Rotta the Hutt, Jabba’s son, voiced by Jeremy Allen White, who becomes central to the film’s larger conflict. The New Republic recruits Din and Grogu to retrieve Rotta in exchange for information that could help stabilise the galaxy and stop dangerous Imperial forces from regrouping. Sigourney Weaver also joins the franchise as Colonel Ward, a New Republic leader helping coordinate the mission.

What I really appreciated is how accurate the title actually is. This genuinely feels like The Mandalorian and Grogu, not just “The Mandalorian featuring Grogu.” The film gives both characters equal importance. Grogu is not treated as a mascot or sidekick here. He has his own emotional beats, comedic moments, and narrative relevance throughout the film. That balance works incredibly well because it reinforces why audiences connected to this duo in the first place. And honestly, Grogu completely steals scenes throughout the movie.

The comedy surprised me. I expected a fairly straightforward Star Wars adventure, but this film is genuinely funny. Not in the overly quippy Marvel-style way modern blockbusters sometimes fall into, but in a very character-driven, situational way. Grogu’s childlike behaviour creates some of the film’s funniest moments because the character is still so young and unpredictable. He gets himself into trouble, reacts impulsively, and creates chaos in ways that feel natural rather than manufactured. There were multiple moments where the cinema was genuinely laughing.

What impressed me most though was how much heart the film has underneath all the action and humour. Beneath the blasters, creatures, and fight scenes, this is still fundamentally a story about connection, parenting, mentorship, and identity. That emotional core is what gives the movie its staying power.

Visually, the film looks fantastic.

One thing I really wasn’t expecting was how stylish and physical some of the action would feel. There are sequences that honestly reminded me of something closer to Daredevil than traditional Star Wars. There’s a heavy emphasis on hand-to-hand combat, close-quarters fighting, corridor battles, and practical stunt choreography mixed with blaster combat. It creates a grittier and more grounded energy while still maintaining the fantasy side of Star Wars.

It almost feels like a “prettier” Star Wars movie in the sense that the cinematography and production design are incredibly polished without losing the dirty, lived-in aesthetic that defines this corner of the galaxy. The lighting, costume work, and environments all look cinematic in a way that justifies the jump to the big screen.

And honestly, after seven years without a proper Star Wars theatrical release, it was just nice seeing Star Wars back in cinemas again. That feeling matters more than I expected.

Hearing the score in a packed theatre, seeing lightspeed jumps on a massive screen, watching blaster fights with proper theatrical sound design, there’s still something magical about the Star Wars cinema experience that streaming simply can’t replicate. The film taps into that nostalgia really effectively without feeling entirely dependent on it. Jeremy Allen White was another major surprise.

I genuinely did not expect Rotta the Hutt to become such a central character. I assumed it would be a small side role or novelty cameo, but he ends up being one of the driving forces of the movie. White gives the character far more personality and emotional presence than I expected. His voice is much deeper and more transformed than I anticipated too. Because his natural voice is so recognisable from projects like The Bear, I kept expecting to instantly recognise him, but the performance is altered enough that it feels fresh while still carrying his charisma underneath.

The film also does a really good job at making Rotta feel distinct from Jabba. He’s not just “another Hutt.” He’s more physical, aggressive, and emotionally expressive. There’s an unpredictability to him that makes him entertaining every time he appears. Sigourney Weaver is solid in her supporting role, even if she doesn’t dominate the screen time. She brings credibility and gravitas to the New Republic side of the story, and it’s just cool seeing her finally enter the Star Wars universe. As for Pedro Pascal, this is where my biggest criticism comes in.

I still think he does a good job overall, especially in the scenes where Din removes the helmet and you can actually see him physically performing. Those moments feel emotionally grounded and compelling. But throughout much of the movie, I could definitely feel the separation between the physical performance in the suit and the voice work being recorded later.

Because Din spends most of the film masked, Pedro Pascal likely wasn’t required on set for large portions of filming, and honestly, you can kind of tell at times. Some of the line deliveries feel slightly disconnected from the physical action happening on screen. There are moments where dialogue sounds more like recorded voiceover than someone reacting naturally within the environment and movement of the scene.

It’s not bad enough to ruin the character or performance, but there were definitely scenes where I found myself noticing it. The emotional rhythm occasionally feels slightly off because the voice doesn’t always fully match the physical intensity happening in the moment.

That said, when the performance clicks, it really clicks. Din still has those iconic Mandalorian moments and lines, and the chemistry between him and Grogu remains the heart of the film.

Ultimately, The Mandalorian and Grogu succeeds because it understands exactly why people connected to these characters in the first place. It doesn’t overcomplicate things with endless mythology or galaxy-ending stakes. It’s an adventure movie built around a relationship audiences already care deeply about.

It’s funny, heartfelt, visually polished, action-packed, and genuinely entertaining from start to finish. Most importantly, it works better as a movie than I ever expected it would.

Going in, I thought this probably should have just been another season of television. Walking out, I completely understood why they brought it to cinemas instead.

If you’re a Star Wars fan, especially someone who connected with The Mandalorian series, I think this is going to be a really satisfying experience. It captures that nostalgic Star Wars feeling while still feeling fresh enough to justify its existence.

It’s not perfect. Some of Pedro Pascal’s vocal performance feels disconnected at times, and parts of the plot still carry that episodic “quest structure” DNA from the TV show. But honestly, the charm, action, humour, and emotional core outweigh those issues pretty comfortably.

At the end of the day, this is just a really fun movie.

And after years of Star Wars feeling inconsistent on screen, that alone goes a long way.

I’d give The Mandalorian and Grogu a very solid 8.5 out of 10.