A week has gone by since The Mandalorian and Grogu released in theaters. This review collects my thoughts about the whole movie and what it means for the next part of the story.
If you have not yet seen the movie, you should read our Spoiler-Free Review. Come back to this one later.
I can’t get enough of this
I wasn’t sure about what to expect from this movie since it’s the first of its kind, at least when it comes to this franchise. It definitely doesn’t feel like any of my previous experiences watching a Star Wars movie in theaters.
It’s basically Season 3.5 of The Mandalorian, cropped together and released all at once. The story feels isolated and on a smaller scale, despite the unspoken implications of capturing members of the Shadow Council.
For some people, that might be a deal-breaker when it comes to deciding if The Mandalorian feels “like a Star Wars movie,” but that’s not my case. To me, it was the perfect reminder that sometimes, Star Wars just needs to be fun.
Another thing that I really enjoyed was the fact that it is digestible for the casual fans, while also adding many easter eggs and references for those of us who have consumed other Star Wars media.
Hearing Steve Blum as Zeb once again, the arena beasts from the Dejarik holo game, the subtle reference to Carl Weathers, and the return of Embo were among my favorites.
But the most important thing about The Mandalorian and Grogu is how the relationship between Din Djarin and Grogu has evolved.
Grogu is no longer a defenseless baby, but an actual companion with his own set of special skills, without losing that spontaneous and cute attitude that is so unique to him
The best supporting characters
Rotta the Hutt and the Anzellans are, without a doubt, the best surprises of the movie. We knew that they’d appear on it, but I never expected them to be so important.
Rotta the Hutt appeared for the first time in the first Clone Wars movie more than 15 years ago and never again had any meaningful appearances.
That’s why I thought he would be just a fun easter egg without much importance. Thankfully, I was completely wrong, and he ended up being one of the best things in the movie: a complex character trying to find his own path in a galaxy that seems determined to put him under the shadow of his father.
And then we have the Anzellans. These four adorable guys always manage to make everything funny. What made everything better is that they teamed up with Grogu to save Din Djarin from the Twins and actually managed to do so while making us laugh in the process.
Din Djarin and Grogu are the heart of the movie, but Rotta and the Anzellans are its soul. I really hope we get to see more of them in the future!
Where is this going?
While The Mandalorian and Grogu was such a fun experience, I can’t help but wonder about the whole direction of the “Mandoverse”. The initial plan was that the events of The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka would all lead to the same place: an epic showdown against the true Heir to the Empire, Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Since then, the fourth season of The Mandalorian was turned into this movie, and the second Season of Ahsoka was delayed until next year. I can’t help but wonder if there have been any other changes that are yet to be revealed.
There’s no doubt that the events of The Mandalorian and Grogu are tied to Thrawn’s return, but I didn’t feel that they were treated with enough importance, especially because there’s no mention of any of the past/current events.
I have the feeling that Season 2 of Ahsoka will do all the job of bringing everything together, and honestly, I don’t like the idea. Why? The first season’s pace was very inconsistent, and the last episodes felt rushed.
There’s always a chance that they fix this, but I seriously doubt it because Ahsoka wasn’t the only series to suffer from this. Both The Mandalorian and the Obi-Wan series had the exact same issue.
We know that the second season of Ahsoka will be bigger in scale and likely to focus less on individual characters, which is why I have the feeling that the events of The Mandalorian and Grogu will have little to no impact on the grand scheme of things.
I might be getting too ahead of myself, but if I’m right, then what’s the point from a storytelling perspective to release a movie like this?
A new experience
I think it’s great that this is a simple but very fun story about two of the best characters in recent years. Everyone can watch and enjoy it regardless of how much of a fan they are.
No need to know most of the story, characters’ arcs, political/cultural backgrounds of the parties involved, or why the Force is so important. You can simply go watch it without any previous knowledge and still enjoy it.
With how complex the Star Wars lore has become nowadays, that’s quite the achievement. Sure, it sacrifices some depth, but I think it’s a worthy exchange.
The most important thing about The Mandalorian and Grogu isn’t the movie itself, but the fact that we were able to see Star Wars on a big screen for the first time in years. Not just me or you, but small kids who get to experience the magic experience that is watching Star Wars for the first time and falling in love with it.
Final thoughts
The Mandalorian (the series) is something unique because it has every element that I like about Star Wars: it has ties with multiple movies and other series, it evokes the entire spectrum of emotions, the action is great, the music is iconic, and it can be serious or fun, and even both at the same time.
The Mandalorian and Grogu does exactly the same, but on a smaller scale. I experienced so many things while watching the movie that I hadn’t experienced in a long time while watching Star Wars media, at least not combined and in the span of a couple of hours.
Is The Mandalorian and Grogu a groundbreaking movie that will change the franchise forever? Absolutely not, and that’s completely fine.
Sometimes, Star Wars fans (including myself) tend to take things too seriously and want every new series or movie to be the next Empire Strikes Back.
It was so refreshing to see something that is just a simple but fun experience that doesn’t pretend to be anything more than that. Even if the numbers aren’t good enough for it to be considered a financial success, I’m still happy that they decided to release it.
This entire review as well as the summary in the review card below are all based on our own opinions as fans of the franchise. We would love it if you shared your thoughts.
Full Title:
The Mandalorian and Grogu
Era
The New Republic
Release
May 22, 2026
Length
2 hrs, 12 min
Similar
The Mandalorian S1
For
Fans of Din Djarin/Grogu
Anyone who enjoys Star Wars
The Good
Anyone can watch/understand it
A healthy mix of everything
Action packed
Incredible music
The Bad
Doesn’t necessarily feel like a movie, more like Mandalorian Season 3.5
The story is isolated
Ratings
Story
Character Depth
Surprise factor
Visuals and music
Pace
Final Verdict
4.0
Average of the 5 categories
