For the first time since...maybe the Clone Wars movie? If we can count that one? Anyway, for the first time in a long time, we're getting a Star Wars movie that's not earning beaucoup bucks at the box office, and certainly not enough to recoup its massive budget, made even more massive because of behind-the-scenes trouble and major creative changes resulting thereof.
Though tell that to the nearly-packed house I sat in to watch the movie today, on its third weekend of business, when Ocean's 8 is looking to snatch a handy #1 spot.
Maybe some of those people were packed in to watch the movie a second or even third time? I wouldn't be surprised. Maybe Solo isn't the best Star Wars movie that's ever been, but it's a damn good fit into the franchise. Maybe it ties itself in a few too many knots to explain some of Han's backstory - and not even all of it, not now that they're planning a possible Solo trilogy, even! - but it does a great job of capturing viewer interest the whole way.
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| Everyone's here to play. Especially Han and Lando, of course. |
I won't get into too much detail about the storyline, even though it's been long enough that the spoilers are probably all over the place by now. I managed to avoid most of them, though - with one exception, but that was for a surprise that was really there more for the hardcore fans in the audience (of which I can hardly count myself, despite my repeat viewings of every movie so far and consumption of a lot of the EU books and such.) I will tell you, though, that one big theory my friend Sam and I thought of together? It didn't happen. Such is the nature of this movie, a heist story to its core, unpredictable and predicated on tons upon tons of twists and backstabbings. I'll say this much, though: the establishments of certain plot points from the original trilogy's backstory are mostly well done (except for the occasional ass-pull that feels a little too well-highlighted), and there's one death in particular that'll have you all up in your feels without a doubt.
One of the biggest worries I had going into this movie was that Alden Ehrenreich wouldn't be able to hold a candle to the OG himself, Harrison Ford. Maybe not. But it's been repeatedly pointed out that Ehrenreich is doing his own thing, which isn't entirely divorced from Ford's portrayal, but still has to showcase a certain inexperience. Not a lot of it, though, not when he's gotta be a player and schemer with the best of them. Then again, though, there's a reason why I liked Ehrenreich in Beautiful Creatures, and here, where he's something of a happy medium between Harrison Ford and Dylan O'Brien, he shines just as much. Donald Glover deserves special mention too - not only because, well, he's DONALD FREAKING GLOVER, but also because of the depth he gives his performance as Lando. Not unlike Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan in the prequels (and hopefully in his own solo spinoff down the pipeline), Glover channels Billy Dee Williams to such a degree that he looks and sounds almost exactly like the guy. In addition, playing Lando as pansexual (though they don't outright say so, it's all but spelled out anyway) made this bi boy have a few extra chuckles. And for the supporting cast, franchise newcomers Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, Paul Bettany, and Emilia Clarke add more notches to their already-well-scored belts. Especially Clarke - because while I find it nigh impossible to unhear Daenerys, Qi'ra is a different kind of Star Wars leading lady, definitely more to the Jyn Erso end of things than Leia or Rey or Padmé. And your favorite character by far, if your tastes run anything close to mine, will be L3-37. She's a friggin' blast.
Perhaps the greatest strength in the movie is visual - no surprise given this franchise, but I swear this one steps up the special effects game like none other in the franchise have before. Highlights include the monorail heist - in which the train and rails bend several times, forcing Han and Chewie and everyone else in the crew to really keep on their toes - and of course the storied Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs, which simply has to be seen to be believed. While the earliest movies in the Disney era didn't quite make good special effects standards (Rogue One, I still mostly remember it for its terribad CGI), this and The Last Jedi really show a step up in this department.
Solo, again, isn't the best Star Wars movie ever. But it gets an A- from me, especially because while every trailer had me saying, "Please don't suck," the actual product still managed to exceed my expectations. And I'm actually glad they chose Ron Howard to direct in the end - Lord and Miller may be talented guys, but their talents would've been wasted trying to make a Star Wars movie so funny it turned into self-parody.
Till next time, Pinecones...
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| #FeedTheRightWolf |
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| Remember: Denis Leary is always watching. Always. |
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