THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU Movie Review **SPOILER ALERT**

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:10]That's Nick >> and that's Joseph. And today we're here to talk about The Mandalorian and Grou, the 10th film directed by John Fabro, which Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures released theatrically May 22nd, 2026.

[00:00:23]>> Y'all know John Favro?

[00:00:25]>> You do? Uh he has made uh a film called Maid Elf, Iron Man and Iron Man 2, The Jungle Book and Lion King live action adaptations. So he's been around special effects for quite some time.

[00:00:39]>> What is The Mandalorian and Grou about?

[00:00:42]Once a lone bounty hunter, Mandalorian Dingjarun and his apprentice Grou embark on an exciting new Star Wars adventure.

[00:00:50]What is your pull quote? Cute but ineffectual, the Mandalorian and Grou plays like an episodic bridge to something more interesting. It's a fascinating creature feature montage violating a cardinal sin of sci-fi and how it underutilizes Sigourney Weaver.

[00:01:05]>> Mine a Star Wars adventure made exclusively for people already doing homework. The Mandalorian and Grou buries an inconsequential story beneath unexplained lore and wooden dialogue with the score constantly promising an epic the movie never delivers. save for some effective creature feature elements.

[00:01:24]>> I think that's my longest pull quote ever.

[00:01:25]>> Wow, you had a lot to say. I you know, in defense of the score, it I was I thought it was nice not to be hit over the head with the same old Star Wars theme. So, Ludwig Gorson, who did the Mandalorian series on television, which I think the score won him two prime time Emmys.

[00:01:44]>> I liked the score. It just made me think something more interesting was going to happen.

[00:01:48]>> Yeah, I agree. I think that it feels bloated in a way that's quite unsatisfying. I mean, I guess that's just do bloated things ever feel satisfying? Uh, but Gorson also works quite a bit with Ryan Cougler.

[00:02:02]>> I'm told I've seen all of the Star Wars films. I don't remember a thing. I did not watch the series The Mandalorian.

[00:02:08]So, I came into this knowing absolutely nothing. And the film is not giving anything.

[00:02:14]>> Yeah. A little bit of research is required to orient yourself about who's doing what and why.

[00:02:19]>> It feels like I got plopped into a day in the life of the Mandalorian.

[00:02:23]>> But if you think about it historically, that is what Star Wars was cuz the first three films, A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. Those are actually episodes four, five, and six.

[00:02:33]So we're already when this came out originally dropped in the middle of the story. So I guess technically that's a tradition of this franchise. I don't think this kind of movie is for me. But the story is The Mandalorian is this bounty hunter >> who I get the sense wants to be independent but works for the New Republic. And the person leading the New Republic or his contact is Colonel Ward.

[00:03:01]>> Correct.

[00:03:02]>> Played by Sigourney Weaver.

[00:03:03]>> Yeah, that's her.

[00:03:05]>> And she says, "Hey, I have a job for you. The Huts." So, these are descendants of Java the Hut. They need our help. Their nephew is missing. And in exchange for retrieving the nephew, they'll give us some intel on a member of the Empire. Yeah. The Galactic Empire that collapsed under General Palpatine after Return of the Jedi.

[00:03:29]Anyhow, basically at this point in Mando, the Mandalorian's reason for existence, he's basically hunting war criminals from the Last Empire.

[00:03:41]>> The Mandalorian agrees to take the job and immediately finds the nephew whose name is Rada.

[00:03:48]>> Mhm. Who's voiced by Jeremy Allen White.

[00:03:52]>> He's able to find him so quickly with the help of a street vendor voiced by Martin Scorsesei.

[00:03:57]>> Yes. And we see that Rada is basically like a UFC fighter on this planet.

[00:04:03]>> Mhm.

[00:04:04]>> So the Mandalorian goes to him and says, "Hey girl, I'm here to save you. Your uncle and aunt, I'm not sure.

[00:04:10]>> The twins.

[00:04:11]>> The twins. They want you back." And Rod explains, "I don't want to go back.

[00:04:15]They're terrible. They only want me there because I'm the heir to my grandfather's empire. So they're going to do me crazy if I go back."

[00:04:24]>> Mhm. Plus, tomorrow is my final fight with this contract I have. And once I complete the fight, I'm free. And for some reason, I do not understand, The Mandalorian decides to go to Rada's boss, this man who I guess runs the UFC on this planet.

[00:04:41]>> It's like Jeff Goldblum and Thor Ragnarok.

[00:04:44]>> And offers to buy out Rada's contract, which okay, Rada already said he doesn't want to go back to the twins. So whether you take him, you let him fight for his freedom, or you buy him out of his contract, this thing doesn't want to go back. So I don't know why he went to the UFC boss to try to buy out his contract.

[00:05:05]But of course, that character says no.

[00:05:09]Actually, while tomorrow is his final fight, he's going to die.

[00:05:13]>> I don't know why he would tell him that.

[00:05:15]>> I don't know why he would tell him that.

[00:05:16]Just say like, "No worries. after he finishes his contract, you're free to take him.

[00:05:21]>> He's like, you should place a bet on the hut dying. It's like, uh, actually, this person could go twist that around for you.

[00:05:29]>> This makes no sense to me, but the Mandalorian gets captured. When he wakes up, now he's a part of this final fight.

[00:05:37]Rada and the Mandalorian fight. The Mandalorian yields because he doesn't want to kill Rada. And that's when the big boss sends out all the other characters.

[00:05:46]Yeah, >> of course, the Mandalorian and Rada are successful in escaping, and in the process, the Mandalorian's able to get the information Sigourney Weaver wanted.

[00:05:56]So, when he goes back to her, he says, "Well, I didn't capture Rada, but I did figure out that intel. The person you're looking for is actually that UFC manager guy, >> Commander Coin."

[00:06:07]>> And at first, Sigourney is like, "You didn't do what I asked you to do, and the Huts are going to be upset, but good job."

[00:06:14]Well, she says, "You gave up on a lot of money from the huts." And he's like, "I don't care." She's like, "Okay, maybe I'll see what I can get you for finding this, you know, Imperial warlord that we're trying to pursue." It's like, you didn't you didn't have a you didn't have that in mind beforehand. It just seems all fly by the seat of their pants.

[00:06:30]>> Also, this is now the third time the Mandalorian's been offered money, and he doesn't want it. I'm very confused. He seems to want his freedom. Wouldn't the money help him with that?

[00:06:41]>> I don't know.

[00:06:42]I'm confused about that as well.

[00:06:44]>> So, now the Mandalorian has accomplished his mission. He's acquired this ship and it seems like he's going to try to go live off the grid in his trailer >> when all of a sudden a bounty hunter working for the Huts captures him.

[00:06:57]>> Mhm. Who has a really cool looking dog kind of like Cberus if Cberus had one head >> and the Mandalorian gets taken back to the Huts planet which is called >> Nalhuta.

[00:07:08]>> Okay. I haven't even mentioned Grou.

[00:07:10]Grou >> because I don't understand what Grou was there for except to be cute.

[00:07:14]>> To be cute and be kept as his powers channeling the force grow.

[00:07:20]>> But the story again because I don't know anything about this lore. The film is not explaining what Grou does. I'm confused if Grou is a baby or something that has some intelligence and knows what's going on.

[00:07:34]>> Both those things I believe, >> but they don't make sense. Sometimes it's like he's a toddler just den sometimes he's having complex thoughts and saving the day.

[00:07:44]>> Yeah.

[00:07:44]>> And when he chooses to use his powers don't make sense to me.

[00:07:48]>> Sure.

[00:07:49]>> It feels like the film's trying to capitalize because I do remember when the series came out people were gagging over this little bitty thing.

[00:07:58]>> They got Verer Herzog in that gig.

[00:08:00]>> And Grou is very cute.

[00:08:03]>> Mhm. Yes.

[00:08:04]>> I'm assuming it's all puppeteering.

[00:08:06]>> Yeah. It's like five different puppeteers >> and it works very like it's super fun to watch.

[00:08:10]>> Mhm.

[00:08:10]>> But the vibe of Grou feels so strange to me compared to the story in the background.

[00:08:15]>> Mhm.

[00:08:16]>> It's kind of distracting.

[00:08:17]>> Yeah. He's just eating. He's a little sneaky, mischievous thing.

[00:08:20]>> He likes to eat. When the Mandalorian gets taken to the hut's planet, of course, Grou wants to go help, and he's able to do so with the help of these four little mechanics, >> the Enzelins. And they are all voiced by Shirley Henderson.

[00:08:37]>> Okay. I have to say I think the best part of the movie are those little mechanics.

[00:08:41]>> As a kid, those were all all my favorite parts were the weird creatures. Yeah.

[00:08:46]>> They feel like something out of Men in Black.

[00:08:48]>> Well, cuz they have the Good Shot, baby.

[00:08:50]>> Cuz they speak English. Cute. But those four because one of their brethren get taken with the Mandalorian. So, they're invested in getting their own back. And then they've kind of become friendly with Grou. So they bring Grou along and go to the hots planet.

[00:09:07]>> We see the Mandalorian get bit by this snake dragon which is poisonous.

[00:09:13]>> And now he's dying. So the Mandalorian tells Grou, "Get back on that little spacecraft with your little friends and go back home. I'll be fine." Even though he knows he's going to die. Also, he can't fit in the little spacecraft they're in.

[00:09:27]>> Mhm.

[00:09:27]>> So the audience, we think Grou has left him. And as the Mandalorian is laying down >> in a coma >> in a coma, we see Grou popped up. So he never left the planet.

[00:09:37]>> These this horde of insects suddenly descends upon his body and Grou's presence disturbs them. But he's still sleeping. The Mandalorian wouldn't those insects keep, you know, coming back to munch. We then get the most tedious montage in the final act of the film where it's just Grou be bbopping around this highly dangerous planet.

[00:10:01]>> Mhm.

[00:10:02]>> Forging for food. At a point he makes refuge for the Mandalorian.

[00:10:08]>> Mhm. I don't understand what Grou thought he was going to do, but he comes upon this lizard-like creature, >> a fisherman named Gator, voiced by Steven McKinley Henderson, >> who I swore was Samuel L. Jackson. Grou is stealing fish from this character, and at a point that character captures Grou, like, I know you're the one stealing my fish, but ends up sort of becoming fond of him. And that's when that bounty hunter shows up and talks to that lizard man.

[00:10:35]>> Mhm. And that lizard man tells Grou, "Oh, I understand that you and your partner were able to evade the hots and the snake dragon. That's quite the accomplishment. So, I want to help you because I know your friend was bit." And then he makes this concoction.

[00:10:49]>> Yeah. It looks like a chutney or a pesto.

[00:10:52]>> It looked like he grabbed apple slices and some ube and mashed it up and then put it in this leaf which looked like a tamatio.

[00:10:58]>> Yeah, it did.

[00:10:59]>> And tells Grou, "Feed this to your friend." And it might work, it might not. Good luck. Which again, Grou doing anything is very cute.

[00:11:08]>> It is. Yeah. With his little ears flapping in the wind.

[00:11:11]>> He feeds the Mandalorian this tomatio.

[00:11:14]And then magically the next morning, the Mandalorian is brighteyed, bushy tailed, talking about, well, the old take care of the young, and the young take care of the old. That's the way it is. Let's go.

[00:11:25]>> They find a ship, but before they leave, the Mandalorian tells Grou, we only have two options. We can flee, but the huts are always going to be in pursuit. or we can stay and fight. And Grou wants to fight. And of course, they defeat the Huts. The end.

[00:11:39]>> Yep. There you go. And with the help of Colonel Ward, Sigourney gets one final scene in her little fighter uniform, which was fun to see.

[00:11:47]>> Well, and it's because the little mechanics go back to get reinforcements.

[00:11:51]>> Mhm.

[00:11:52]>> Which reminded me, it's almost identical to Sigourney Weaver in the gorge.

[00:11:58]>> Yeah.

[00:11:59]>> Where she comes back. That's how it felt.

[00:12:01]>> Came to regulate this Y and of course they blow up the hut's fortress, >> but the twins were already dead because the snake dragon ate them.

[00:12:11]>> The snap dragon.

[00:12:12]>> The huts melu is the most interesting because there's always even in Return of the Jedi, you know, I remember as a child watching Carrie Fischer as Princess Leia in that gold bikini who's chained to Jabba the Hut. There's always been this like perverse titilation factor with these giant slug creatures and you see their little layers and tunnels like a lot of interesting adult things going on.

[00:12:40]>> It felt orastic but in a very PG way >> like uh Caligula were PG. Yeah.

[00:12:46]>> I want to start with the opening because we're on these snowy mountains and those machines are like walking on a cliff. I thought those machines don't seem >> equipped for this.

[00:12:56]>> No, they don't at all.

[00:12:58]>> You are doomed for failure. Yes.

[00:13:01]>> Okay. Again, I know the comments are going to be lit up with me not knowing the lore, but I don't understand the Mandalorian's relationship with Grou.

[00:13:10]He's talking to him like he's a baby who knows nothing, but then at times ask him to do very complex things.

[00:13:16]>> Mhm. Well, I didn't watch the first two seasons of Mandalorian, but it's my understanding that it was a mission of Dingjarun to find this creature and then turn him over, and he does it. So, he already has a history of violating contracts. When the Mandalorian first goes to visit the huts to figure out like what his mission is, they explain it's our nephew and the Mandalorian goes, "What does he look like?" And I screamed. That was the funniest part of the movie. What does he look like? like the rest of them. They all look the same.

[00:13:49]>> We We only have an old picture of him like, "Okay." And I hated how Rada the hut looks because he looks like a giant piece of feal matter with these biceps attached to him.

[00:14:00]>> I want to get back to Rada's appearance in a bit. But when the Mandalorian and Grou first visit Rada in his cell, he's being massaged and eating like Cleopatra and says, "I don't want to go." And while they're talking though, Rada takes a liking to Grou and wants to feed him.

[00:14:19]>> And I thought the food he was feeding Grou look like. Those balloons filled with cocaine. People shove up their asses and then when they're at the airport, they get retrieved. That's what they look like.

[00:14:29]>> Well, they're not supposed to get retrieved at the airport. They're supposed to get retrieved after you leave the airport is my understanding of drug mule's uh profession. But I thought those whatever he was being fed looked like those Shaquille O'Neal gummies, >> which are terrible.

[00:14:42]>> Yeah. I don't ever buy those.

[00:14:44]>> Someone refers to Grou as the Mandalorian shoulder candy.

[00:14:47]>> That was the best creepy line and it's from a character in the salt bar that looks like Richard Bart or Ron Pearlman is the s of the law in the island of Dr. Maro films cuz he got those horns.

[00:14:59]>> Yes, I thought he looked like that mixed with Hellboy.

[00:15:02]>> Another Ron Pearlman reference. But yeah, shoulder candy. That's was that was giving the energy I needed this to be. the story. When we first realized what's going on with Rod of the Hut, I was expecting an epic tale >> of this family fighting for Jabba the Hut's empire. But what we end up getting feels so thin and inconsequential.

[00:15:25]>> It's a bit in the way, but I I think Rogue One is a better standalone Star Wars film, but set in this very specific period of time between uh segments of the series, and it's like I don't know.

[00:15:38]This is so specific.

[00:15:41]>> When we see that final fight where Rada is supposed to die and all of these creatures are unleashed, it was such an odd scene because it was equal parts chaotic and underwhelming.

[00:15:54]>> Yeah.

[00:15:55]>> Which again always reminds me of the microwave lighten up and then your food comes out cold. I mean, lots of eye candy put into the con construction of the creatures because there's a lot of really interesting ones to look at, but they really have nothing to do except, you know, be dispatched quickly.

[00:16:11]>> Again, I'm so confused with what the Mandalorian thinks Grou is capable of because at a point there's a very tense scene where they need to escape on the aircraft quickly. So, Grou is already in the aircraft while the Mandalorian is running towards it and telling Grou on the headset, you need to start the plane. And Grou is just hitting buttons like a little kid launching missiles. I don't understand why he thought that Grou would be able to start the aircraft.

[00:16:39]>> I mean, he should that that that creature should be better trained for survival at this point. I >> Speaking of the word trained, the way Mandalorian talks to Grou is like he's a dog. He tells him to heal and stay. Mhm.

[00:16:50]>> Is that what he considers him a pet >> or is that his son? I don't >> Is there an intersection? Is there a nexus of those things?

[00:16:59]>> Well, to some people their pet is their child. But yeah, I'm very confused with their relationship. I also think that the look of the film towards the beginning when the Mandalorian is wandering around this foggy metropolis where the Scorsesi character is. It felt more like this was trying to be a Bladeunner.

[00:17:20]>> I thought that too >> universe than Star Wars.

[00:17:23]>> I got excited because the score combined with the visuals, I thought we were going to get something interesting.

[00:17:27]>> I thought we were going to get something with a little bit of different flavor instead of just an old school old-fashioned return. I mean, I feel like there there's since it's been made, there's so much pressure put on this.

[00:17:39]The first Star Wars film in seven years.

[00:17:40]Is it going to make money? Like, that has been the main concern. Not is it a good story?

[00:17:45]>> The final showdown with the Huts was so underwhelming to me because it's basically >> these big worms wrestling.

[00:17:55]>> These big worms wrestling, and they fall through a hole and land in the snake dragon pit.

[00:17:59]>> Mhm.

[00:18:00]>> And they get eaten.

[00:18:02]>> Karma. Rada also falls down there, but Grou saves him by levitating him out of this pit.

[00:18:10]>> Duala, >> I'm so confused because his Well, let me get to some of the inconsistencies. The first for me are Grou's powers because we see him trying to move something and he's like, ah, like all his strength to move something kind of small, but then we see him lift this big ass rod of the hut out of a pit from hell very easily and just plop him back on there. Yeah.

[00:18:32]>> Why doesn't he use his powers at more opportune times? Also, we see Grou leaping like Superman sometimes, >> but then when he has to get on the Mandalorian's lap, like in the aircraft, he's like, I got to >> is a creature with performance issues.

[00:18:50]Maybe it's anxiety.

[00:18:51]>> I feel like sensibility takes a backseat to making Grou seem cute. Yeah, I think again it's just a prop that's used conveniently instead of telling an effective sensical narrative.

[00:19:06]>> Also, the variability of size in this film confused me. Okay. At a point when Rada is taken to safety, he's hungry and he grabs what he says is breakfast from the Mandalorian spacecraft.

[00:19:20]>> Mhm.

[00:19:21]>> And it looks like a roll of Mentos, >> but if the Mentos were macarons. Mhm.

[00:19:26]>> And when Rod of the Hut's holding them, they look like like how a roll of Mentos would look in his hand. And Rod of the Hut at one point looks enormous like Godzilla.

[00:19:37]>> Mhm.

[00:19:38]>> And Grou is a little bitty thing. And when he hands Grou the Rolentos macarons, they're the same size in his hands.

[00:19:46]>> Which is very confusing because Grou pulls out a macaron and it's like a little bitty thing to his mouth. So that would have been like a grain of salt to Rod of the Hut. Then at the end when the Mandalorian goes to shake Rod of the Hut's hand and tell him like you should join our team, they are equal size.

[00:20:04]>> The Huts have little offs. I don't know.

[00:20:06]>> But heightwise, >> yeah, >> but when they were fighting he seemed enormous like King Hong.

[00:20:11]>> Yeah. Like he was all swole and Yeah. I think there are a lot of inconsistencies with that. But, you know, again, when you're not working with tangible props, I feel like that's something that happens. Also, when that snake dragon gets a hold of the twins, the two huts, that snake dragon swallows them like Skittles. But earlier when he snatched up the Mandalorian, it looked like his gag reflex was in effect. Like he could barely handle the Mandalorian, >> right? I mean, but but these swallowed two hooks, >> these slug slug creatures. Okay. Deep throat. All right. Also, I thought of that in that layer because there are these other creatures that are in swimming in this water underneath where this snake dragon lives that kind of reminded me of these creepy one-sellled organisms. Like they had an interesting look as well. Oh, actually it was they also look like that character from Brain Dramage, the Frank Henon Loader film.

[00:21:07]Oh, sure. A little bit. But then there's they're battling with these things.

[00:21:11]Well, he's unmasked. We haven't even talked about what happens when a Mandalorian is unmasked. But this when we see the snake dragon, it takes up so much space. I don't believe that it actually is lurking down there. Like it doesn't make sense the amount of space it takes.

[00:21:25]>> No, it doesn't. Okay. It's not until the hour 15 mark we see Pedro Pascal's face.

[00:21:30]And you just said something happens when he's unmasked. What is that?

[00:21:35]>> Shame. And he has to kill whoever sees him otherwise he's forever shamed.

[00:21:39]>> Oh, that's right. And that's what he tells the huts.

[00:21:41]>> Yes. And that seems so inconsequential.

[00:21:45]Also, Pedro I do really like Pedro Pascal, but all of the line deliveries >> so wooden.

[00:21:51]>> It's so well because he's not even really there. He's It's John Wayne's grandson and somebody else that are doing all the stunt work that are actually in all the scenes.

[00:21:59]>> And the dialogue feels quite flat, but it's not all bad. What did I like? The creature feature effects, of course, seeing Sigourney Weaver who looks great.

[00:22:09]>> Of course, >> Grou super cute. Again, my favorite part were those little mechanics.

[00:22:15]>> I almost wish the movie would have just been I would watch a movie with those little mechanics paired with Rod of the Hut >> or Grou with the mechanics. Actually, all the nonhuman characters were more interesting to me.

[00:22:28]>> Well, it feels like there was more effort put into establishing those characteristics. Oh, and also you have, you know, there are some cameos in there with the fighters alongside Sigourney, uh, Deborah Chow, Rick Damoyua, and Lee Isaac Chung, who have all worked on the series and have all directed films themselves that you've seen most likely, but even that just I don't know. There's unless you looked, you wouldn't know who they are. There's no real they have nothing to do. I don't know.

[00:22:57]>> What would you give The Mandalorian and Grou?

[00:23:00]>> Two and a half. This was not a movie for me. I would give it two out of five.

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