Spoilers Star Wars: Solo - Grading and Discussion Thread

[Smellmet]

Just seen it. Good honest, fun summer blockbuster. Thought aldens voice wasn't deep enough but otherwise thought he did a great job in what, being honest has got to be one of the hardest roles to be recast in. Glover was excellent as lando. Some great action sequences and stunning visuals as you'd expect, especially the kessel run. A- from me.

 

[ISS-Magnum]

Han shot first!

 

[thribs]

Han shot first!

People laughed out loud at that.

Was that Starkiller as Maul? It was certainly his voice.
The only thing I didn’t really like was the droid. It seemed too human like. Plus it sounded too much like Phasma.

 

[Captaindemotion]

B+ from me. I knew that this was never going to be an ESB-level classic but given its history, it’s a minor miracle that it’s not a disaster. Ron Howard has never been one of my favourite directors (Ransom & Apollo 13 are great though) and his direction here is competent but rather bland.

Still, good performances from most of the cast helped. I always hoped Anthony Ingruber would play Han but Alden was fine, if, as someone else said, a little short for a Solo (he isn’t much taller than the tiny Emilia Clarke). Didn’t think much of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s droid and would rather have seen more of the 4-armed pilot. Glover was okay but he never convinced me as a young Billy Dee Williams.

I haven’t watched TCW or Rebels but I’m aware that DM has returned. I was still surprised, with mixed feelings, to see him back. My main thought was that this must surely mean we’re getting an Obi-Wan movie. I suspect also we’re getting a Solo sequel (Duet?).

 

[thribs]

Problem is that in Rebels they say that Maul hasn’t seen him since the purge. That means Obi Wan will have to do it undercover which won’t be as fun.
Would have been way better to have Maul fight Obi Wan in a movie.

 

[Ithekro]

In theory you could still make a Kenobi movie that has a remake of the Rebels scene in it....it wasn't that long of a scene. But the majority of the movie would be Obi-wan becoming Old Ben and pretty much doing stuff on Tattooine. It could end with him following up on Luke chasing after R2-D2, or it could end earlier than that. With Old Ben finally letting his ghosts rest in preparation for his coming time as one himself.

 

[thribs]

It’s revealed that Obi Wan on Tatooine was always a projection and he’s been on Coruscant all this time.

 

[Ithekro]

Obi-wan was never that powerful. That was sort of his thing. He wasn't the best their was because he had uber powerful Force levels like the various Skywalkers. He was just really good at what he could do and could outthink many opponents, or at least understand them enough to counter them in time. He was "The Negotiator". But if things went badly, he would need either his clones, or Anakin to keep the day won.

 

[KennyB]

People laughed out loud at that.

Was that Starkiller as Maul? It was certainly his voice.
The only thing I didn’t really like was the droid. It seemed too human like. Plus it sounded too much like Phasma.

Yes it was Ray Parks face and Sam Wither's voice.
So there can only be one British female? ;-)

 

[CorporalCaptain]

The bad: The movie is very formulaic and predictable. I didn't get a feeling of exhilaration at any moment, unlike all previous SW films and series, including all Disney contributions to date, Rebels included, and that's kinda a serious problem. IMO, too much time was spent connecting the dots and getting things in place where we know they'll be, which is one of the worst sins of "origin stories" anymore.

The good: Chewie and Lando were outstanding. I loved L3-37, but her fate was sealed the moment her navigational capabilities were revealed. The freeing of the droids and slaves on Kessel was amusing, Han shot first, yay! Visually, the film was outstanding. The Kessel run wasn't horrible and the space leviathan and gravity well were interesting, though I wasn't thrilled with all the recycled music cues. I liked seeing Maul. I almost buy that this is a young Han Solo, but there's still a ways for him to go to get to the cynical and jaded mercenary we see at first in SW77.

That brings me to one of the central problems with the film. I don't see a character arc for Han. Before the film starts, he's already made his fundamental decision to free himself. Everything that transpires is basically him going from one scrape to the next, taking advantage of opportunities passing in front of him, forming alliances, and/or kicking ass. At the end, he seems to be essentially the same character that he was in the beginning. As a result, I don't really feel anything, which is bad for a film. I've felt more after watching every other SW film and series.

All that said, I'm open, even eager for a sequel. But this film I have to give a B- (no B- in poll?!? C it is then), reflecting the issues I had.

Duet?

I see what you did there.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I loved all the EU references, particularly from Lando. There there was a nudge nudge wink wink reference to all three of the Lando books. Also, Dathomir, and while the Kessel Run wasn't as it was portrayed in the books, they still managed to use the term Maw and a Black hole.

And I guess we now know the source of the peculiar dialect that the Falcon's nav computer has that was commented on by C-3PO in Empire.

 

[thribs]

Loved all the EU stuff as well. To me it made the story fit better than the other Disney movies. I just wish we saw more of the Coriellian system.
I think in the EU the Falcon has three computers. At this moment it has 2. The one it originally came with and the Phasma sounding droid.

 

[thribs]

For the sequel they should adapt Scoundrels. I know that’s after IV but only Han and Lando are in it. Could work.

 

[Venardhi]

Teräs Käsi. That's a deep -fucking- cut.

I'm imagining a Solo, Fett, Kenobi trilogy now, with Crimson Dawn being the connecting tissue and a few characters reappearing across them.

 

[Mach5]

For the sequel they should adapt Scoundrels.

Unless the word of mouth turns things around, there isn't gonna be a sequel. As it stands, it's not going to make half the money Rogue One made.

It's actually looking to make less money than AOTC unadjusted ($310M domestic, 650M. global).

 

[.:: TSN ::.]

Teräs Käsi. That's a deep -fucking- cut.

I'm imagining a Solo, Fett, Kenobi trilogy now, with Crimson Dawn being the connecting tissue and a few characters reappearing across them.

Joonas Suotamo, Teräs Käsi and someone even said that Han counts yksi, kaksi, kolme (one, two three) during the train heist. Did not catch that one myself. So much finnishness in the Star Wars

 

[USS Firefly]

I am certainly currious about the movie.
But I am going to watch it when the movie comes on Netflix

 

[Mach5]

I am certainly currious about the movie.
But I am going to watch it when the movie comes on Netflix

Doubt it's coming to NF, Disney is starting their own streaming platform soon.

 

[Tuskin38]

Depends on which countries it comes to as well

 

[Relayer1]

You should all like Solo - well I did !

Nothing much wrong with it - a bit standard spacey action adventure until about the last quarter and then it got more interesting !

B+

Enjoy...