The Solo: A Star Wars Story premiere was last week. Wednesday, the embargo was lifted on reviews (although the film’s people are still pleading for no-spoilers and frankly, so am I). Some outlets thought having the premiere that far before before the release date and embargo lifted a week and a half prior was a sign, that the filmmakers were confident. They were right. The movie is currently at a respectable 73% on Rotten Tomatoes. I realize that 73% is nothing to get excited about but considering how many times we’d been warned the film was a mess – firing its directors, casting issues, general chaos – 73% is a lot more than many of us were expecting. So, what is being said about the film? Here is a sampling:
How does Solo compare to other SW films?
Solo is the most intimate, ground-level Star Wars movie we’ve ever gotten. – Angie Han, MashableSolo was the first Star Wars movie in a long time that gave me anything like the light-hearted thrill I first felt seeing A New Hope as a kid. – Kaila Hale-Stern, The Mary Sue
Will SW Fans like it?
Anyone who’s spent time playing make believe with Han Solo action figures will enjoy it immensely. – Julia Alexander, PolygonFor fans, it’s packed with Star Wars references. And I mean packed. Some are big and obvious, others are small and subtle, but it’s a film that will make anyone who has studied Star Wars happy in one way or the other. – Germain Lussier, io9
How does Alden Ehrenreich do as Han?
Ehrenreich’s take on Han is charming and effective, and it’s easy to see how his big-talking striver will morph into the lovable rogue that Ford played. – Kate Erbland, IndieWireWhile Ehrenreich picks up a Han-like cockiness as things progress, he still feels woefully miscast. There’s nothing roguish about Ehrenreich. – Kristy Puchko, Pajiba
How are the other characters?
It’s obvious Glover is having a blast as Lando, oozing with confidence and humor. – Germain Lussier, io9Harrelson is an absolute delight to watch in this film, playing Beckett with a mixture of charm and weariness. – Chris Evangelista, Slashfilm
What Solo gets right
[It’s] a rootin’ tootin’ heist movie. – Mike Ryan, UproxxThere are great scenes that people looking for more traditional action in their Star Wars movies will enjoy, including a heist sequence that’s reminiscent of The Matrix Reloaded’s kinetic car chase. – Julia Alexander, Polygon
What Solo gets wrong
Solo is the first Star Wars film in recent memory that feels like it’s selling something… Solo merely exists to set up more Solo movies. And it shows. – Chris Evangelista, SlashfilmThere’s a sense of laziness in the film’s story structure that keeps it bogged down like a car trying to get out of a ditch. The wheels are spinning but it’s not going anywhere. – Clayton Davis, Awards Circuit
I’m not sure the reviews did that much to pique my interest. I am happy to hear that most people thought Alden Ehrenreich got Han right, although just as many thought Donald Glover ‘s Lando outshined him. RT also addressed the various chemistry: Han and Chewbacca (good), Han and Emilia Clark’s Qi’ra (boring) Han and Lando (good). However, like Rogue One, many reviews said that Solo answered a bunch of questions they had since A New Hope, which, personally, was the part I liked best about Rogue One. And from what I’ve read, almost all of the reviews agree on one thing: they got the Kessel Run right, which may just be the most important part to get right.
I’m still not sure if I’ll see this. When I’m undecided like this, I make my kids decide – if they want to go then I’ll go with them. But sometimes I decide, deep down, I do want to go so I forge a campaign to make them think they want to go and then I begrudgingly agree. That way I get to see the movie and then complain bitterly if it sucks. Plus I get ‘mom points’ because I remind them they forced me to see it in the first place.
Photo credit: WENN Photos
Reviews weren’t going to stop me from seeing this. I’m a SW kid, and with the exception of New Hope (I was too little), I’ve seen every single SW film at the theater. I plan on continuing that tradition no matter what, and will hopefully be including my kids in that tradition as well (which will be really cool considering my 4-year-old has recently discovered the awesomeness of SW).
Thank you for this. I was planning on putting off seeing it until reviews came in, but now we’ll be going Memorial Day weekend. It looks like Ron Howard salvaged enough of the film to make it watchable. Speaking as a die-hard Star Wars fan, I’m now a little excited to see it.
I’m going to see it on the 27th with low expectations and high hopes. I feel like it couldn’t be worse than Last Jedi, which was a massive disappointment.
Down to 70% on Rotten Tomatoes. So not a disaster but far below the level of the other new three.
I’m just not sure about these spinoffs. I mean, I was into Rogue One. I was at the very first opening night sold out screening. Loved it. This one I’m sort of “yeah…I’ll probably get around to it at some point”. And I’m not alone in my town: The very first screening? Still not close to sold out. I’m bored watching the trailers. Zero enthusiasm. Oh well, maybe next time.
Rogue One wasn’t perfect but it’s a great companion to the OT and gives an emotional weight to ANH in particular. Plus, that cast! Not a single bad or blah one among them – that’s not something I’d say about Solo, unless Ehrenrich and Clarke are anywhere near Felicity Jones and Diego Luna on the acting skill front (let’s just say this is highly unlikely).
I had no enthusiasm before the embargo lifted aside from seeing Glover and Harrelson. Now I might see it a few weeks after release. I agree with some reviews that Han was miscast. Nothing in the footage sold me on Han
+1
Asking somebody to rekindle the magic of one of Harrison Ford’s most iconic performances was a hard sell to begin with. The fact that the general ambiance of the movie is missing that 70s cheeseball space opera factor and going for that more sharply witty Marvel feel just exacerbates the disconnect in the portrayal, IMO.
Then there’s the whole fact of making the movie to begin with when Han’s big character arc happens DURING the original trilogy, same as Luke. The only two characters from the original cast that are implied to have undergone some significant character maturation and change preceding the movies are Leia and Lando- she’s been involved in the Rebellion since her teens, and he’s gone from smuggler to respectable business man. That are really the only characters I think you’d get a constructive story out of with a decent character maturation arc.
I agree. And honestly I wasn’t expecting him to capture the Harrison magic. I wanted his own spin but he was just bland in comparison to Glover in his moments. I didn’t feel any charisma at all.
But I agree with your assessment. Never wanted a Han movie anyways. They should’ve done a movie about Lando (which is what I thought they were going to do)
Just looking at the trailers, Alden has been super unimpressive as Han. He sounds dead inside reciting his lines. I’m not surprised at the response to him, especially against Glover who is playing one of the most charismatic characters in the SW universe to begin with.
I still stand by that Han’s story would have worked better as a limited series (like they did with Clone Wars and Rebels).
Looking at Chewbacca’s close-up, I now know where John Travolta got the inspiration for his latest hairpiece.
Well, I mean, you have Ron Howard at the helm. He’s not exactly an incompetent and inexperienced director. If he couldn’t save it somewhat, I’m not sure many others could.
Emilia Clarke boring? I am shocked. LOL
Emilia Clarke is someone I think needs a really strong director. I pretty much hate her in the majority of her Game of Thrones scenes, but I’ve liked her in everything else I’ve seen her in.
I’m ambivalent about this as I think Alden was miscast. Han is was a very tall drink of water and he had more of a rugged look to him, so that alone was. bothering. Aside from short Han, I really have no other reason to stay away. Especially because I love Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover as well as Woody Harrelson. I’ll most likely go watch it in the theater, but not expecting much. TFA was a shit show that left me angry as I left the theater and Rogue One was cool with the action and graphics but the characters weren’t fleshed out enough for me and I didn’t care that they all died. The best thing about RO was the Vader scene at the end which was worth the watch.
ITA. I didn’t like Force Awakens (I hate pretty much every film JJ Abrams comes out with), was meh on Rogue One, loved The Last Jedi. I’m a bit meh on Solo because I think it’s going to be a throwaway film. Han didn’t become a “good guy” until he met Luke/Leia. Maybe his storyline will be finding his *someone* i.e. Chewie or Lando……someone that he’d stop a second before he betrayed them. That’s the only character arc I can think of for him, as it seems like he’s already in a life of smuggling/crime (although low level).
70% on Rotten Tomatoes for a SW movie is considered good? Cause all latest movies had higher scores.
I mean, I read one that called it “aggressively fine,” which is a hilarious descriptor but pretty sad for a Star Wars film.
I’ve been invested in this series since 1977…when I was ten years old…so…I will be there!!! If I sat through the SW prequels…which were NOT GOOD…this will be no problem!
Double post, sorry.
I loved Rogue One and liked The Last Jedi despite its flaws (it’s a better movie than Wonder Woman, honestly) and, I’ve been sceptical about this Solo movie and why it exists for months but I guess I’m glad it’s not a disaster.
And lest anyone forget, Rogue One also came on the heels of about 8 months of bad press, messy production (now confirmed by Gilroy) plus everyone wondering whether anyone would go for a Star Wars movie with no Skywalkers and no Jedi. They pulled that off just fine, Solo may turn out to be a clunker but it’ll still make money.
True life: will only see this because I think Alden Ehrenreich is a total babe.