What is the return of Star Wars to the cinema, The Mandalorian & Grogu worth?

Hang in there, the action scenes deliver the best Star Wars has to offer.Image: Lucasfilm

After seven years of absence, Star Wars returns to the cinema with The Mandalorian & Grogu. An old-fashioned adventure that offers its share of bravery, distant planets and improbable creatures, without seeking to revolutionize anything.

Follow me

For almost 50 years, Star Wars has been omnipresent: toys, clothing, amusement parks, cereal boxes, books, video games and other variations on Disney+… everywhere, except in the cinema. The last exit, L’Ascension de Skywalkerin 2019, was experienced by many as one episode too many, marking the decline of the saga in the eyes of fans, who criticize Disney for having betrayed their beloved universe.

To make up for it, the parent company of Mickey Mouse capitalized on its Disney+ platform by delivering a plethora of derivative series from the world of George Lucas, whether in animation or live action. Few of them will nevertheless have left their mark, with the exception of the two seasons ofAndor (2022-2025) and The Mandalorian (2019-2023), the first of all the Star Wars series.

Seven years later, the bet was completely successful for the production company Lucasfilm, since the series was a huge success. Din Djarin, “Mando” by his nickname, owes a lot to the charisma of his interpreter Pedro Pascal, but it is above all his little companion, Grogu, who makes them the new emblematic faces of Star Wars.

Thanks to a clever mix of captivating adventures, mythology and fanservice, the series manages to connect the films of the saga to previous animated series in a coherent manner by playing the card of attachment between a very (too?) cute baby Yoda and his taciturn father figure.

He’s so cute, he holds his glasses upside down.Image: Lucasfilm

After three seasons, no fourth: the iconic duo returns in the form of a feature film, making The Mandalorian & Grogu le troisi¨me film derived from the saga, après Rogue Onfrom (2016) et Solo (2018). If these last two films had the ambition to explore certain areas of Star Wars mythology, The Mandalorian & Grogu chooses to focus on adventure and humor rather than writing itself into the story with a capital H.

Indeed, stingy in storyline depth, the series created by Jon Favreau (Iron Man) can be enjoyed like the adventures of comic book heroes. The chronology between episodes VI and VII of the saga remains relatively nebulous. This format in the form of chronicles, infinitely adaptable, can be frustrating at a time when series have accustomed us to following a continuous narrative thread.

Part of the feature film embraces film noir on a planet reminiscent of the underbelly of New York.Image: Lucasfilm

Those who hoped to see The Mandalorian on the big screen in the tradition of a canonical episode of Star Wars are likely to be disappointed: it is neither more nor less than two hours of spectacular adventures, but anecdotal. The overall plot of the saga remains faithful to the series and does not advance any further. A shame, since the series still had its revelations and its moments of glory: who could forget the finale of the second season?

No risk taking here, the adventures of the Mandalorian in the cinema are sewn with white thread.

A space western

Following the adventures of a bounty hunter, The Mandalorian has always presented itself as a western mixing genres within a science fiction universe, and the film is no exception to the rule. Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) now works for the New Republic, which hunts down former officers of the Empire.

The fall of the evil Galactic Empire has precipitated the dispersion of Imperial warlords across the galaxy, most of whom lurk in the shadows and operate in the underworld. Mandated by one of the figures of the Resistance, played by Sigourney Weaver, our bounty hunter and his little protégé are responsible for finding Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White), son of the famous Jabba, on behalf of the Hutt cartel, in exchange for information.

From there, cruise mode is activated, with the visit of different planets: one evokes New York from the prohibition era, giving the feature film a film noir atmosphere; others recall the western that fans know well, or the terrifying jungle of the planet of the Hutts, which is not without evoking Apocalypse Now.

Through this exoticism, action scenes, humor and epic moments mingle. The Mandalorian & Grogu can be enjoyed like a space Indiana Jones and is excellent entertainment, whether or not you have followed the series to fully enjoy it.

Grogu but that’s all

The Mandalorian owes its success to the mascot that the series created, namely Baby Yoda, whose first name we now know: Grogu. In his film, the latter is now entitled to side quests and scenes of bravery which it is difficult not to have a naive smile while watching them.

In the all-digital era, the film succeeds in embracing a whole section of the history of cinema, where synthetic beings meet puppets or even giant robots animated frame by frame, as at the time when the computer had not yet replaced all practical effects. The feature film was made from the heart, showing a true love of craft, and it shows on screen.

Grogu will have the right to his own adventure with a festival of little puppets.Image: Lucasfilm

While James Cameron still amazed us a few months ago with his Na’viAvatar in computer-generated images, director Jon Favreau takes the opposite approach and has fun with his puppet, larger than life and which turns out to be quite a piece of technology.

This robotic puppet has servomotors capable of reproducing even micro-expressions. A little being measuring 30 centimeters which requires five animators to bring it to life remotely. Here we find the magic of the 80s, as if Yoda from the original trilogy had become one with Gizmo from Gremlins. Grogu has never been so alive (and cute).

This little being of light would have deserved that the film of which he is the hero explored a little more his origins or the path to follow. Same thing for his father figure. Unfortunately, The Mandalorian & Grogu is content to line up the blaster shots and the chases, to make it a resolutely fun film aimed at the youngest and the sale of toys by the pallet.

Too bad for adults who were hoping to delve deeper into the mythology with which they grew up: they will have to settle for an anecdotal film like The Mandalorian, just there to pocket its box office bonus without leaving a trace.

«The Mandalorian & Grogu »est sorti au cinéma le 20 mai 2026. Durée: 2h 12m.