The Star Wars movies have been held in such high regard for many decades that even the mildest deviation has sparked polarization. What started as a thrilling fusion of sci-fi serials and samurai pictures became a religion where even the almighty creator, George Lucas, was scorned for his more politically centered prequel trilogy. With Disney’s expanding monopoly, the sequel trilogy was a battle of taking risks and playing it safe, trying too hard to recapture what made people love the original trilogy. In this regard, The Mandalorian and Grogu movie is more refreshing for not borrowing as much from the Star Wars well to become more of its own thing, even if that thing ends up as little more than a mindless romp through Star Wars action.

Much like the show it is based on, the film continues the adventures of The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and his pint-sized pal Grogu, with little deviation from the Lone Wolf and Cub formula. As bounty hunters, they make a living hunting down Imperial fugitives as the New Republic arises, assigned targets by an exposition-spouting Sigourney Weaver. Their latest target is Janu Coin (Jonny Coyne), a sleazy crime boss and Imperial leader that the Republic wants arrested. Finding this villain will require the Mandalorian to work for the treacherous Hutt family, including helping out the Hutt warrior Rotta (Jeremy Allen White). More conversation than his father, Jabba, Rotta’s ultimate goal is not to be like his father, and he certainly proves it beyond the buffer build he’s amassed. Of course, Hutt’s can’t be trusted, and Mando’s mission grows dangerous when vicious monsters and skilled droid assassins target him and his young one.

A common criticism of any movie based on a TV show is the questioning of how closely this would resemble a handful of episodes. The Mandalorian and Grogu movie doesn’t do much to prove otherwise, considering this whole ordeal feels more like another day at the office for the faceless bounty hunter and his cute companion. Mando’s concerns for his adopted kid and Rotta’s frustrations at being compared to his family rarely extend beyond peppering in moments to get the story to its next stylish set piece or thrilling battle. It’s a simple story that doesn’t rely on the mysticism of the Force, the politics of the Imperials, or the drama of Jedi legacy, which works for and against a movie that’s more concerned with creature design than with dialogue. It’s a shame, considering the most charm comes from a character voiced by Martin Scorsese, too fitting to spoil here and too little to be a huge selling point.

This is the Star Wars movie for those who love lots of monsters stomping around and causing chaos. There’s a fistful of fights for the kid who wants to see Mando take on a slew of nasty aliens in gladiator combat and defeat the towering beast that dwells in murky waters. Most of these moments are cool for the creative designs and the engrossing music by Ludwig Göransson, which isn’t afraid to dabble beyond the expected orchestral. But at over two hours, there are only so many times one can watch the chomp of a toothy serpent, a duel with a spry droid, or a Hutt sumo wrestling match before the visual allure wears thin. The tank starts to run dry by the third act, even with the admirable special effects of the tiny puppet aliens and the massive droid guards, who look and move as stop-motion figures plucked right out of the 1980s.

The Mandalorian and Grogu accomplishes its low-stakes mission of standalone Star Wars action, but doesn’t serve up much more than theatrics amid its chunky runtime. It never gets bogged down in Star Wars movie associations, but it also doesn’t rise up to the ranks of the most thoughtful Andor, which had something more to say about the politics within this saga. Of course, The Mandalorian is in a different lane of Star Wars, favoring its shiny helmet for action rather than exploring any of the heart and soul underneath. And while there’s a decently rousing atmosphere to carry that stoic stance, the onslaught of action makes a better case for why the adventures of this pair were more enjoyable in smaller doses than an extended epic, where the cuteness of Grogu and the coolness of Mando’s flamethrower are stress-tested to a breaking point, passable as it may be for a maintee flick of pew-pew lasers and alien monster mash.

Not available on any streaming platforms.

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