WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.
If you’re looking for more Baby Yoda cuteness, flashy action scenes, and a beautifully written character arc, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” is where it’s at.
The movie has received mixed responses, with some fans disappointed that it seemed similar to just another episode of the show. My response: That’s what makes the movie so great.
The plot avoids the trap of pitting the characters against stakes that leave the fate of the world (or, in this case, the galaxy) hanging in the balance, instead calling upon Grogu to save his adoptive father when the Mandalorian is captured. By returning to the same father-son theme that was the highlight of the show’s first season, the stakes become all the more meaningful to the audience.
While the first part of the movie, before Mando is captured, felt like it had lower stakes to me, during a scene where Grogu takes care of a comatose, injured Mando, I found myself whispering under my breath, “Please don’t die. Please don’t die,” in the middle of the theater.
A parallel character arc with Rotta the Hutt — the kidnapped son of Jabba the Hutt — highlights Grogu’s story, throwing it into sharp relief when the now-grown-up Rotta says to his aunt and uncle, “I’m not little anymore!”
That line perfectly describes Grogu’s growing capability in the movie— no longer relying on Mando for everything, but now able to assist him in combat and take care of himself on his own. While Grogu is not yet fully grown up, it is wonderful to see him take action to protect his adoptive father as he starts to come into his own.
As a side note, it’s interesting to see Rotta’s character more fully fleshed out. When he first appeared in a “Clone Wars” episode, he was only a baby, but now in the movie, he strives to prove his worth and escape from Jabba’s shadow. In that way, he acts as a foil for Grogu: Rotta wants to be as little like his father as possible, while Grogu wants to become more like Mando and the other mentors he’s had over the years.
There is also the obligatory Baby Yoda cuteness, which is back and more adorable than ever. Too many examples would ruin the movie for you, but one of my favorite scenes was when Grogu builds his own Yoda-style hut to shelter Mando while he’s injured.
Grogu lifts the Mandalorian using the Force, the music swells as Mando begins to slide into the hut, and, just as he’s almost through the doorway… Bonk. His helmet hits the back wall. Grogu pulls Mando back and tries again. Bonk. And again. Bonk. Bonk. Finally, he gives up and drags branches over Mando’s legs to hide him.
This is, in my opinion, one of the best scenes of the movie. Not only does it show Grogu at his toddler-like best, but it also serves as a perfect example of Grogu’s care for Mando. I’m still waiting for Grogu to look up at Mando and say “Da-da,” but even without words, Grogu is a master at expressing his thoughts.
The scene in the hut also highlights another thing: whether on Dagobah or Nal Hutta, Grogu’s species is built for the swamp. Grogu gets by almost by instinct, and the audience can tell when he builds the hut that it’s almost second nature to him. He even finds his own Yoda-style walking stick.
Grogu still has a little trouble with things, of course, mainly from his size. There’s one scene in the beginning where Grogu struggles (adorably, of course) to keep up with Mando as he’s walking.
He’s also a classic toddler, too. Anyone who has babysat kids, and certainly any parent, will find certain scenes very familiar. Grogu’s favorite cookies make another appearance— only this time, Mando intervenes with, “Let’s save the rest for after dinner.”
There’s also another scene where Mando asks Grogu if he wants to help the tiny, monkey-like Anzellan mechanics work on the replacement Razor Crest. Grogu nods enthusiastically, until Mando follows that up with, “Do you promise to play nice?” Grogu pauses. Reluctantly, he nods again. Busted.
As for the action scenes, not only did the filmmakers limit the number of fights thrown in just to keep the audience from getting bored, but many of the characters that would normally be created with CGI were done with practical effects such as puppets. Grogu, specifically, is an animatronic enhanced with CGI, as the website nofilmschool.com details.
The scenes do a great job of showing off the characters’ fighting skills, especially Grogu’s. He gets to disassemble a mouse droid with the Force, and he quickly dispatches a sewer monster that he runs into while rescuing Mando. While before the monster would have presented an obstacle for Grogu that he would have had to rely on someone else to get him out of, now he is able to defend himself on his own, and it’s so rewarding to see.
As a matter of fact, the puppeteers get a prominent location in the credits. Grogu’s five puppeteers are listed right with the starring actors, and the other puppeteers are listed directly following them.
The two main stunt doubles for the Mandalorian received a prominent credit for the first time, owing to the fact that they are actually wearing the costume for more on-screen time than Pedro Pascal. If you’ve ever seen behind-the-scenes footage for an action movie, you’ll know the stunt actors have it pretty tough, which is why it’s great to see them recognized.
“The Mandalorian and Grogu” has a lot of things going for it, from amazing characters to entertaining fight scenes to even more fan-favorite cuteness. It’s not another Return of the Jedi, but it was never meant to be in the first place. The movie takes some of the best elements of the show and ties them all together with great character growth for Grogu— and that’s what makes it so great.
