Movie Review: The Mandalorian and Grogu finds heart in a father and son bond

By Joan Janzen

Star Wars lives on as the latest movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, was featured at the local theatre. Star Wars was first released almost fifty years ago in May of 1977, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

On the surface, it looks like another Star Wars movie, but it has an interesting theme. The main character, Djarin, is a hardened bounty hunter who knows how to survive. Then he meets Grogu, who can be compared to Yoda as a child.

Poster credit: © Lucasfilm Ltd. Studio promotional art.

Caring for this child may have started off as an assignment, but it becomes obvious Djarin is more than just Grogu's caregiver, and Grogu is more than an apprentice. It's a movie about a child who found a father and family.

Djarin shelters Grogu, teaches him, strengthens him to go out into the world, and prepares him for the future. Grogu is gifted but immature and needs instruction. This is played out when Djarin straps the youngster into his seat and tells him not to touch any buttons in the spaceship, because, like any child, he needs to be trained and protected.

But over time, the protected becomes the protector. The movie culminates in a payoff when the vulnerable little child steps up and protects Djarin, his teacher, and saves his life.

When the child becomes a warrior and the protected one becomes the protector, it illustrates generational faithfulness. Every parent's goal is to raise children who will be able to train the next generation for success, and eventually be their protector. And young Grogu wasn't designed to blend into the empire but to make a difference.

Even though the movie received average reviews from the critics, it delivered an inspiring underlying theme and enough action to captivate the audience's attention.