The hit TV series starring a bounty hunter and his adopted child forms the basis of “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” the latest “Star Wars” film to come to theaters. 

Bounty hunter Din Djarin, known as the Mandalorian, must defend a young alien child who is being sought by powerful enemies. 

Jon Favreau, who launched the MCU with “Iron Man” and developed the original “The Mandalorian,” directs the film, which brings back Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin.

Din and Grogu are hunting down Imperial War Criminals under the direction of Col. Ward (Sigourney Weaver) of the New Republic. In order to curry favor with the Hutts, Din agrees to rescue a younger Hutt, Rodda (Jeremy Allen White), who the Hutt leaders, known as “The Twins,” claim is missing. Din doesn’t want to work for the Hutts – but agrees to help the New Republic. As he gets into the thick of things, he must determine who’s lying to him, and how far he needs to go to satisfy both the Republic’s needs and his personal honor. 

There’s a bit of a drag in the second act as Din must be nursed back to health, and while we get some insight on Grogu, it doesn’t feel like enough to justify the screen time. Part of that is because Pascal as ‘Mando’ is a commanding screen presence even under the helmet. His ‘Clint Eastwood with a heart of gold’ feel gives the film, and the series, its moral center.  

The Hutts are changed somewhat from classic lore here, but I enjoyed Rodda the Hutt as a character trying to find his own way. 

I have a tendency to enjoy The Mandalorian as a concept, both for its Western-style flavor and because as a TV series, it brought me back to “Star Wars” after feeling like perhaps the property wasn’t for me anymore. The Western motifs continue in “Mandalorian and Grogu.” Many classic Westerns explore the post-Civil War era in the U.S., with a lot of conflict still simmering under both sides. “The Mandalorian and Grogu” plays on this same tension as applied to the Empire and the New Republic. 

Ultimately, the film might not feel epic enough for a full return of “Star Wars” to theaters, and the timing might have been better served at the apex of “Mandalorian” popularity in 2020, but other world events were working against theatrical releases at that time. But whether it justifies full theatrical pageantry or not, it’s an enjoyable couple of hours with characters who I’ve come to enjoy.  

Matthew Price, matthew@matthewlprice.com, has written about comics, film and entertainment for more than two decades. He is the former features editor of The Oklahoman newspaper and is the co-owner of Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman, Oklahoma.