Solo: A Star Wars Story
Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 2:25 pm
Ok, Where do I go with this one? I finally got around to seeing Solo. I said from the beginning that I would give this movie a chance and I did. In the name of full disclosure, I will say this is one Star Wars movie that I don't think needed to be done. It's not the thought of a young Han being played by a actor other than Ford. In the original Star Wars, Han was already 10-15 years older than the events in this movie, so like the young IJ show, it would have made sense even if it was done long ago.
There have been many Han and Chewie adventures in books and comics and when I was younger I tried to get into these, but I guess I always felt Star Wars was a visual story so I never really got into reading Star Wars novels.
About the movie. First, I enjoyed the story. It is a good origin story. I didn't mind the the actors portrayals of Han and Lando, I believe that Ehrenreich and Glover did the characters justice. We didn't need to set up who the characters were because unless you have lived under a rock for 40 years you know who they are. So between the visuals and the transformation of the characters (yes the Falcon is a character in Star Wars in my opinion) into a more familiar version, I felt that even when something was predictable it worked.
What I didn't like about the movie is the supporting characters stories. The events in the movie set the stage for the character we came to love. Lets face it, Solo was never intended to be such a beloved character. The original story could have been told without him after the first movie, just as Ford said his character no longer played a essential part after the beginning of Empire. So, when Han joins to the Empire as a means to escape Correllia, and goes to the imperial academy to be a pilot, we don't get any of this; we are fast-forwarded to a time after he is kicked out. Also, the circle he is running with doesn't really make you feel like these are heavy hitters who could shape a persons future. If we look at how the original trilogy set up of Jaba the Hut, we get that Han owing money to him is a big deal. I never felt like the syndicate Crimson Dawn was anything more than a shadow organization without any real reach; it seemed like the neither the Empire, nor the Crimson Dawn were in control of any world that was visited. Perhaps it was intended to be that way, but in a story that shapes a future it seems like someone would be a more powerful influence. Some people are making Hans relationship/love interest a big part of the story. I didn't see this as a life altering part of the story that could come back in further movies as has been suggested. The last thing I wanted more of was the Kessel Run. That is such a big part of Han's backstory and the sequence fell flat on me.
Overall, it is a Star Wars movie. *Spoiler* It is the first film without a cameo with R2 and CPO (they should have had a spot in the film). It was fun and I think worth your time if you have not seen it. Big blockbuster? No, but I think held up with the spirit of the Star Wars universe.
There have been many Han and Chewie adventures in books and comics and when I was younger I tried to get into these, but I guess I always felt Star Wars was a visual story so I never really got into reading Star Wars novels.
About the movie. First, I enjoyed the story. It is a good origin story. I didn't mind the the actors portrayals of Han and Lando, I believe that Ehrenreich and Glover did the characters justice. We didn't need to set up who the characters were because unless you have lived under a rock for 40 years you know who they are. So between the visuals and the transformation of the characters (yes the Falcon is a character in Star Wars in my opinion) into a more familiar version, I felt that even when something was predictable it worked.
What I didn't like about the movie is the supporting characters stories. The events in the movie set the stage for the character we came to love. Lets face it, Solo was never intended to be such a beloved character. The original story could have been told without him after the first movie, just as Ford said his character no longer played a essential part after the beginning of Empire. So, when Han joins to the Empire as a means to escape Correllia, and goes to the imperial academy to be a pilot, we don't get any of this; we are fast-forwarded to a time after he is kicked out. Also, the circle he is running with doesn't really make you feel like these are heavy hitters who could shape a persons future. If we look at how the original trilogy set up of Jaba the Hut, we get that Han owing money to him is a big deal. I never felt like the syndicate Crimson Dawn was anything more than a shadow organization without any real reach; it seemed like the neither the Empire, nor the Crimson Dawn were in control of any world that was visited. Perhaps it was intended to be that way, but in a story that shapes a future it seems like someone would be a more powerful influence. Some people are making Hans relationship/love interest a big part of the story. I didn't see this as a life altering part of the story that could come back in further movies as has been suggested. The last thing I wanted more of was the Kessel Run. That is such a big part of Han's backstory and the sequence fell flat on me.
Overall, it is a Star Wars movie. *Spoiler* It is the first film without a cameo with R2 and CPO (they should have had a spot in the film). It was fun and I think worth your time if you have not seen it. Big blockbuster? No, but I think held up with the spirit of the Star Wars universe.