The Mandalorian and Grogu should have been a season of TV

The Mandalorian and Grogu is set shortly after the third season, following the beskar-clad Mandalorian and Grogu as they settle into bounty hunting for the New Republic. The Galactic Empire has fallen, but Imperial outlaws still threaten the fragile peace. The film uses excellent puppetry and cleverly flips the Lone Wolf and Cub dynamic established in the series. The story follows predictable beats and the action sequences feel lackluster. The result is a movie that feels more like a routine installment than a standout theatrical event, and it seems better suited to being another season rather than a standalone project.

"When The Mandalorian first debuted on Disney Plus, it was a refreshing reminder of how fascinating Star Wars stories can be when they aren't focused on the same handful of well-established characters. Especially in its first season, the series felt like a sign that Disney was shifting gears after disappointing fans with its last trilogy of big budget features. But as The Mandalorian went on, it became overstuffed with supporting characters and haphazardly-introduced lore that did little to make the show feel like must-see TV."

"The relative weakness of The Mandalorian's most recent season is part of what made it so surprising when Lucasfilm announced plans to bring the beskar-clad warrior and his infant ward to the big screen. It wasn't clear whether The Mandalorian and Grogu was meant to be a straightforward extension of the series or launchpad designed to elevate its titular characters to new levels of prominence within the franchise. And while there was little question about whether the film would make money at the box office, it seemed very possible that audiences might come away disappointed and unsure about Star Wars ' future."

"The Mandalorian and Grogu is neither a knockout or a total disappointment. The movie is filled with excellent puppetry and it cleverly inverts the show's established Lone Wolf and Cub character dynamics. But between its by-the-numbers story and lackluster action sequences, The Mandalorian and Grogu feels like a phoned in film that would have been better off as a new season of The Mandalorian instead of a standalone project."

"Set shortly after the events of The Mandalorian's third season, The Mandalorian and Grogu follows its titular duo as they settle into a new life of bounty hunting for the New Republic. Though the Galactic Empire has fallen, the galaxy is still crawling with Imperial outlaws who yearn for a return to power. They're a constant threat to the fragile peace that the New Republic's supporters have worked so hard to maintain."

Read at The Verge