Instant review of "The Mandalorian and Groghu

 

Having just got home after watching the new Disney Star Wars film, "The Mandalorian and Grogu" which was released in cinemas today here are some instant reactions.

1) This feels as if Dave Filoni and John Favreau set out to make for the big screen a two-hour self-contained story episode very similar to the episodes of season one of the Disney Plus series, "The Mandalorian." 

This is not necessarily in any way a bad thing as long as you were not expecting anything substantial towards the big picture for events in the galaxy far, far away about five years after the battle of Endor.

I hope it will not be considered a spoiler to say that there is no mention whatsoever of Grand Admiral Thrawn in this film, or indeed any indication of how the scattered Imperial remnants might come to create anything as powerful or dangerous as the First Order from the sequel films. 

But if you loved "The Mandalorian" streaming series on Disney Plus, it is very probable that you will love this.

2) You don't need to have watched "The Mandalorian" to enjoy this film, it seems to have been carefully created not to require more than the most general knowledge of the Galaxy Far Far Away. Nor is there anything here which would be a major spoiler if you have not seen any of the three seasons of "The Mandalorian" or not all of them, and decided to watch them after seeing this film.

3) The special effects are, as you would expect, brilliant, but are not a substitute for the story, which provides bucket loads of thrills and excitement.

4) There is some exceptionally good acting in "The Mandalorian and Grogu."

Sigourney Weaver rather steals the show as Colonel Ward, a tough hard-bitten former Rebel Alliance pilot whose appointment as Commander of the Adelphi Rangers appears to suggest that the New Republic is taking this sector of the Outer Rim more seriously. 

Pedro Pascal reprises his role as Din Djaren, the eponymous mandalorian of the title. 

Other stand-out performances include Jeremy Allen White as the voice of "Rotta the Hutt" who is the son of Jabba the Hutt, and Steve Blum, who had cameo appearances as "Rebels" fan favourite character Zeb Orrelios, and who gets to play the character with a rather more substantial part rather than just deliver a few one-liners in this film. 

5) Overall first reaction: this is fun, it's a good film, as long as you approach it for what it is, a standalone piece bringing characters from the streaming series to the big screen, and don't expect this film to be what it is not, the start of an attempt to replace the Sequel trilogy.

Professor X