Review: "The Mandalorian and Grogu" adds nothing to the saga

The first Star Wars film in nearly seven years, “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” was released last week, and almost no one is talking about it.

Time was you could hardly log on to social media, drop by the water cooler or chat with acquaintances without hearing talk of Star Wars during a big release weekend — for better or worse. But try as you might, there’s hardly any meaningful conversation out there about Lucasfilm’s latest project. Probably because “The Mandalorian and Grogu” brings nothing new or interesting to the beloved franchise, despite longtime fans thirsting for a bold new adventure in our favorite galaxy far, far away.

Releasing this particular film, at this time, is puzzling. It’s an extension of the Disney+ series, “The Mandalorian” — Disney’s first stab at Star Wars live-action TV after acquiring the brand in 2012. The first season of “The Mandalorian” launched in 2019 to outrageous success. Critics were impressed with the tone, visuals and storytelling economy. Longtime fans were delighted to watch a self-contained, weekly adventure that evoked the feeling of the original trilogy. Casual fans, and people across the globe, were enamored with the adorable “baby Yoda,” now named Grogu.

Critical and fan reception waned by the third season, which was bloated, plodding and largely uninteresting. Similar accusations would be hurled at the lifeless sister series “Ahsoka” that year, while other shows like “Obi-Wan Kenobi” and “The Book of Boba Fett” were largely panned despite a few outstanding highlights. Despite some success in early “Mandalorian” seasons and the miracle that was “Andor,” as well as in animation and the 2025 children’s show “Skeleton Crew,” the Star Wars TV project was flailing by 2026 and it was time to make a triumphant return to the Big Screen.

But “The Mandalorian and Grogu” is anything but triumphant. It’s quite possibly the best example of an art form eroding into “content.” There is nothing to be excited about, there is nothing to be too upset about. All the edges are sanded off. It merely exists, not to entertain, but to pass the time.

I’ve been a Star Wars fan since age 5, when I went to the re-release of the original 1977 film in theaters. My mind was blown and life was never really the same. In the 29 years since then, whether I liked or disliked the Star Wars entertainment being offered, I’ve been a passionate fan who always leaves the theater (or the TV screen) with a strong opinion. I remember leaving “The Phantom Menace” in 1999 largely disappointed. I remember leaving “Revenge of the Sith” in 2005 feeling reinvigorated. I remember leaving “The Force Awakens,” a cultural phenomenon I may never see the likes of again, with immense satisfaction and excitement for the future. I remember leaving “The Last Jedi” in 2017 feeling outraged at the film’s transgressions. I remember leaving “The Rise of Skywalker” in 2019 feeling perplexed, having witnessed a jumbled, incoherent mess that was supposed to be a satisfying grand finale.

I’d be surprised if, in a few years, I even remember leaving (or going to) the theater for “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” The film, which feels and looks more like four TV episodes inelegantly smushed together, sparks no emotions or opinions — even for a longtime fan. It’s impossible to reflect on something when it presents nothing.

The story is a series of self-contained events that don’t add to the broader narrative and don’t deepen the titular characters, or their relationship, in any way. At the end, the characters are in the exact same situation — emotionally and narratively — as they are at the start. No lessons are learned, no truths are revealed, no story is advanced. They just kill some bland bad guys, under flat lighting and muted color-grading, with emotionless performances and line readings.

It doesn’t make you feel anything — and I’m not convinced it’s even trying to.

After the polarizing reception of “The Last Jedi” and “The Acolyte,” along with the public embarrassments of “The Rise of Skywalker” and “The Book of Boba Fett,” it appears Lucasfilm/Disney wanted to play it very safe with Star Wars’ return to cinemas, which is probably the worst thing they could have done. When you try to please everybody, you tend to satisfy no one. I’d rather leave the theater outraged than emotionless. That at least indicates someone approached the project with a point of view and a strong narrative idea.

If you’re looking for inoffensive, family-friendly “content” to simply pass the time — something I’m sure a lot of parents, understandably, appreciate — then “The Mandalorian and Grogu” will do the trick (plus you’ll get some cute Grogu moments). But I wouldn’t spend 10 bucks a head on it. I’d wait until it’s on Disney+. Rest assured, you won’t be missing out on the cultural moment that a Star Wars film used to generate.