GoKawiilStar Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, which premieres on Friday, May 22, is the first Star Wars movie to hit theaters in seven years. That's a noteworthy tidbit to consider since Rise of the Skywalker premiered in 2019, mere months before the pandemic shut down Hollywood's movie-making machine. It was the same year Disney Plus launched, prompting a new Star Wars narrative to play out on a streaming platform.
It makes sense, then, that the latest Star Wars movie isn't connected to Luke Skywalker's saga, but rather to the three-season storyline of The Mandalorian TV series. That isn't to say that everyone's favorite Jedi master didn't enjoy a resurgence in Season 2, and wasn't the highlight of The Book of Boba Fett, but I digress.
As the movie goes, you get everything the title suggests in its 2-hour and 12-minute running time: Pedro Pascal is back as the soft-spoken, helmeted Mandalorian hero Din Djarin; the little green guy formerly known as Baby Yoda is back as Grogu. Together, they embark on a journey to save Jabba the Hutt's son and catch a rogue imperial warlord.
That's it; that's the story. If you'd rather avoid further story details, I advise you to turn back now -- I'm about to plummet my X-wing starfighter into this Death Star, or something.
Read more: What to Watch Before 'The Mandalorian and Grogu': TV Shows and Movies With Critical Star Wars Backstory
Din Djarin and Grogu embark on a new mission in Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. Lucasfilm Ltd™
It's clear that Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni want The Mandalorian and Grogu to be its own thing. Gone from this outing are the signature Star Wars story crawl that kicks things off, and John Williams's iconic score is nowhere to be found.
Ludwig Göransson's score is an interesting change-up, bringing some '80s-style synth and electro chords to the mix, enhancing the street-level scenes and giving the movie a Blade Runner-esque vibe. But as much as I appreciated the creative choice, I had to remind myself multiple times that I was watching a Star Wars movie because there was very little actual war transpiring on screen.
Is it a visually stunning entry in the expansive Star Wars catalog? Sure. Considering the movie features only a handful of human faces, it makes sense to lean heavily on striking visuals and action-packed sequences to deliver the emotion viewers need to connect with and care about what's happening on screen.
If that's all you require to enjoy a Star Wars movie, then I have great news: The Mandalorian and Grogu is a rip-roaring popcorn flick.
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