Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026)

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is directed by Jon Favreau, known for Iron Man and Chef, with much of the story influence clearly coming from Dave Filoni, known for Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Ahsoka. Unfortunately, the film falls into the same “and then” style of storytelling that hurts many modern franchise films, where scenes feel stitched together without enough meaningful progression. Entire stretches of the movie, particularly long sequences involving Grogu wandering through a forest, feel padded and lacking purpose. Instead of building momentum, the film drifts from moment to moment without ever creating a compelling central narrative.

Pedro Pascal, known for The Last of Us and Narcos, once again plays the Mandalorian, though his presence feels strangely limited. It is difficult not to notice how often the character appears disconnected physically and vocally, giving the impression that Pascal himself may not have been involved in large portions of the performance. The emotional core that helped carry the earlier seasons of the series feels weaker here, leaving the character less engaging than before.

Sigourney Weaver, known for Alien and Avatar, appears in the film but is given surprisingly little to work with. Her character lacks memorability, and despite Weaver’s natural screen presence, the script never gives her a standout moment or meaningful role within the larger story.

The technical side is also unexpectedly rough. Industrial Light & Magic, famous for groundbreaking work across the Star Wars franchise and countless other films, delivers CGI that at times looks unfinished or rushed. The practical puppet work with Grogu alternates between charming and distractingly artificial depending on the scene. Even more disappointing is the fight choreography, which feels stiff and uninspired. Modern Hollywood has had decades of action filmmaking to learn from, especially from legends like Jackie Chan, whose choreography emphasized flow, clarity, and creativity, yet many of the action scenes here feel awkwardly staged and lacking impact with bad guys waiting their turn to attack.

Overall, The Mandalorian and Grogu feels like a project made without the energy or focus needed to justify its existence. Between the weak structure, forgettable story beats, rough effects, and poor action design, the film struggles to capture what made earlier entries in the franchise special. While there are brief moments of charm, they are buried beneath a movie that often feels directionless and unfinished. The Mandalorian and Grogu ends up being one of the weaker modern Star Wars projects. Result: C-

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