NEW YORK (OSV News) — It’s one battle after another for the title characters in the latest installment of the “Star Wars” saga, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” (Disney). But the combat is nongraphic and the film is free of anything off-color. As a result, this high-quality escapist adventure can be enjoyed by a broad spectrum of age groups.
As we revisit that galaxy far, far away to which audiences were first introduced not quite 50 years ago, all is mostly well. But warlords left over from the now-defeated evil Empire are still opposing the triumphant forces of the New Republic.
So Col. Ward (Sigorney Weaver) tasks bounty hunter Din Djarin, aka the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal), with tracking down one such fugitive from justice, Commander Coin. Mando, as he’s sometimes called, will be accompanied on his quest by his unspeaking diminutive adoptive son, Grogu.
The two make an unlikely pair. Soft-spoken in the Clint Eastwood manner, Mando is nonetheless virtually invincible. Grogu, who belongs to the same species as Yoda, by contrast, is entirely vulnerable aside from his mastery of the Force. (This element of the “Star Wars” mythos is briefly displayed but never mentioned this time out.)
Their hunt for Coin draws Mando and Grogu into an uneasy relationship with a trio of the giant walrus-like creatures known as Hutts. Two of these, a brother and sister, offer to help locate Coin in exchange for the liberation of their nephew, Rotta (voice of Jeremy Allen White) — who, the siblings claim, is being held captive.
Rotta’s real situation, however, turns out to be more complicated than it initially appears.
Amid the dust-ups, director and co-writer Jon Favreau’s big-screen version of the Disney+ TV series “The Mandalorian” takes on a few serious themes. Thus the script he penned with Dave Filoni and Noah Kloor highlights the bond of affection between the central pair which is especially manifest after Mando is seriously wounded with only Grogu available to aid him.
Additionally, Rotta is trying to overcome the legacy of wrongdoing left behind by his criminal father, Jabba. Despite gradually befriending Grogu, Rotta still has to struggle to gain Mando’s trust.
For the most part, though, this latest chapter aims to divert moviegoers with feats of derring-do and the high quotient of endearing cuteness provided by Grogu. Too scary for young kids — Mando goes up against a series of intimidating monsters — it’s a treat that’s suitable for all others.
The film contains frequent stylized but sometimes harsh violence with slight gore. The OSV News classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
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