Star Wars Rewatch Project: SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY

6,450 Views | 49 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by Mr. White
TCTTS
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AG
01.19 - Star Wars Rewatch Project: EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE
02.19 - Star Wars Rewatch Project: EPISODE II - ATTACK OF THE CLONES
03.19 - Star Wars Rewatch Project: EPISODE III - REVENGE OF THE SITH

Next up...

Title
Solo: A Star Wars Story

Release Date
May 25, 2018

Director
Ron Howard
(with contributions from Phil Lord & Chris Miller)

Writers
Jonathan Kasdan, Lawrence Kasdan




Aggie_Journalist
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Despite the bad press around reshoots, a change of directors, and other issues, and despite the lingering disappointment from The Last Jedi six months earlier, I really enjoyed Solo.

It's fun, charming, has a fantastic portrayal of Lando, and builds the Star Wars universe in directions we hadn't seen before. I wish more people had seen Solo, as I'd love to see what adventures come next for Lando, Chewie, Qi'ra, Solo, and the shadowy villain who was pulling strings all along.

Check it out if you haven't yet. It's no Empire Strikes Back, but not every Star Wars adventure needs to be.
Thanks and gig'em
double aught
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Well said AJ. Ron Howard did a great job with this. Lots of fun. Alden did a fine job filling Harrison Ford's shoes. Like most, I thought that would be an impossible task.

Too bad it didn't have more box office success. I still enjoy my Star Wars in the summer.

And TC, very punctual this month. Most impressive.
Brian Earl Spilner
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This is the one Star Wars movie that, while I don't dislike, I didn't ever feel the need to rewatch in the theater, or buy on blu-ray.

I've since rewatched it on Netflix, once, and did enjoy it the second time as well.

But somehow, it just doesn't have that Star Wars "feel", to me. It feels like a proper "spin-off", and yet for some reason, Rogue One does not. Almost like Solo was a fan-made project with a big budget.

Not sure why that is.
Duncan Idaho
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I didn't care for how low light it was but it was a fun movie that I really enjoyed.
MGS
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It felt like a pilot for a Han Solo TV series. It did a good job setting up all of the characters, but didn't really have a compelling story.
Bruce Almighty
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I thought it was meh, probably in the bottom 3 with Attack of the Clones and The Last Jedi. I didn't like the guy that played Solo and thought the story was bland. I did like Donald Glover and thought he nailed Lando. I just didn't see Han at all in this. It was fun at times but more often, felt boring.
Brian Earl Spilner
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Good way to put it.
djmeen95
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Nice recap and share OP's view here - this movie was a heck of a lot of fun and I definitely think it simply was collateral damage (undeservedly so) from TLJ.

Was it perfect? No.

Was it an entertaining and solid addition to the Star Wars Universe? I definitely think so!

But I also think we fans can get too serious about this stuff and lose sight of the fact that this is a series of movies about folks flying around space, shooting laser guns, fighting with laser swords and using "magic" powers.

I really hope Disney keeps churning out these Star Wars flicks!

I'll take the good as well as the occasional bad one too if it means I don't have to go through stretches like this between my Star Wars fixes: 16 years between Episode 6 and Episode 1, 10 years between Episode 3 and Episode 7.



Philo B 93
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The low light bothered me, also. I thought something was wrong with my screen, but I guess that was Ron Howard creating a mood. I get that you don't want the movie to look like a sitcom, but come on.... there was plenty of light a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
TXAG 05
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I liked it, thought it was a fun story/adventure in the Star Wars world. I think the kid playing Solo did a great job as well as Glover as Lando. I think if they had waited for Christmas time to release it, it would have performed a lot better. The only thing I didn't care for was the sea snake queen gangster at the beginning, just about any other alien would have been better, but that was such a small part of the whole movie, it's not that big of a deal
Flashdiaz
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it was entertaining and I do hope we see a series or something on the Disney Streaming platform. A movie with Chewy, Han, Fett, Bossk, and other bounty hunters on the Hutt side vs the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate would be interesting.
Al Bula
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Solo was a decent movie in my opinion. Certainly better than The Last Jedi.
aTmAg
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I thought it was good. I'm not sure where all the hate came from. My only criticisms are:

1) What are the chances that Emilia Clarke's character would just so happen to be a secret supervillian? That was 24-esq (the Fox show)

2) I'm tired of having to suspend disbelief on women being Bruce Lee on show after show. 99.999% of the time they would get their asses kicked by a competent male fighter.
The Collective
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The Collective
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Also, one of the better available costumes in the Star Wars lore.
double aught
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Dragon Queen looked damn good in a galaxy far far away.
John Matrix
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With the drama behind the scenes, the divisive nature of Thr Last Jedi, and the troubled production, it's a minor miracle that it's not a disaster. The fact that Solo is not only a solid movie, but actually kind of close to a great one makes it even more improbable. While a little too small scale and inconsequential for it to be considered a classic, Solo is ironically what a lot of the man-children who boycotted Solo because of Last Jedi,( I have lots of issues with TLJ myself, but I also didn't throw a temper tantrum like some others), would have wanted in a Star Wars film-an old school, Indian Jones-esque foray into space opera that more or less honors the characters that came before it.

The Good:

Frankly, this entire movie could go in this category. This is a really solid film that is written in the classic A-B-C plotted storytelling style of the original trilogy. The action scenes are actually really great,( with the Kessel run being a particular highlight), with real stakes. Perhaps most importantly, the Kasdans GET what Han Solo is about- a guy who is reckless, sarcastic, and " rough around the edges," but in the end is a "good guy." Another random I kind of loved about this was them using Daeth Maul as the big bad in this. I really hadn't kept up with the animated series too much, so I didn't even know he was alive, which made the reveal that much more surprising.

The Bad:

Most of this film is surprisingly solid, but the one element that really held this back is Alden Ehrenreich. He does an admirable job, but the dude just doesn't have the gravity or grounded appeal that Harrison Ford has. Again, he does the best he can and, after a little getting used to, his performance eventually works, but the dude is just not Harrison Ford. That was always going to be a problem with this film, and Ehrenreich doesn't quite live up to it.

Also, I like Woody Harrleson, but Tobias is just Woody Harrelson with no nuance. He could do better.

The Ugly:

Like others have said, I hated the lighting in this. Star Wars should be bright, and this isn't.

Overall, I really have grown to like this film a lot. Ehrenreich doesn't always work, but it's so solidly constructed and well-intentioned that I can't help but like it.

*** out of ****
GiveEmHellBill
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MGS said:

It felt like a pilot for a Han Solo TV series.
You know, this is actually a pretty good description for me.

Either that, or the most expensive "direct to video" sequel ever made.

It felt like Star Wars...........but not like a Star Wars movie.
Flashdiaz
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John Matrix said:


*** out of ****

I confess I initially was trying to figure out the cussword filter before I realized it was your star rating.

John Matrix
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Flashdiaz said:

John Matrix said:


*** out of ****

I confess I initially was trying to figure out the cussword filter before I realized it was your star rating.




That actually reminds me of one of my favorite pans by a movie critic ever. Devin Faraci, before he was metood, gave the Rob Zombie's Halloween a **** you out of four stars.
Render
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This is the movie that convinced me I would never see a Disney Star Wars movie in theaters ever again. This movie was so bland, it wasn't worth the watch.

But, it did have an interesting movement. When Darth Maul appeared on the screen I laughed out loud. Because when you kill someone by chopping them in half and letting them fall thousands of feet down into a nuclear reaction chamber - you better make sure they're dead!
TCTTS
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You watched The Last Jedi and thought, "Yeah, I'll keep watching Star Wars movies in the theater." But then Solo is the straw that broke the camel's back for you???

I'm always fascinated when the same movie gets two completely different reactions from people. I thought this movie was the exact opposite of bland; far more full of life than TLJ, Rogue One, and the second half of TFA. Out of all of those, this is the only one that felt like a legit fun adventure. Pound for pound, I honestly think it's my favorite out of all the Disney Star Wars movies, save for the first act of TFA, which I still think is the best Disney has done with these new movies (but then it quickly goes down hill for me in act two and three).

I still need to do my rewatch for this one, but I'm looking forward to it more than any of the others. I just love this movie so much. It and Rogue One have the best endings of any Star Wars movies since ROTJ, IMO. I left the theater on such a high after the ruse Han pulled and then actually shot first to win the day. So, so good.
Dekker_Lentz
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Does anyone have the original script or a rundown of what changed when Ron Howard took over?

Solo did grow on me after my second viewing. Went from a B- to a B+.
Noblemen06
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I was impressed with how Howard managed to make a fun Star Wars flick despite the behind the scenes drama and was disappointed in the poor box office assuredly dooming any further story from being told from this thread.

RIP space-Khaleesi and Childish Lando.

My 2nd favorite of the Disney Star Wars movies after Rogue One.

TCTTS
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It wasn't really a script issue. The same screenwriters - the Kasdans - were there from beginning to end. The reason Lord & Miller were replaced is because they were getting off script. Actually, not even off script as much as they were veering toward a more zany tone, apparently. It sounds like they were sticking to the material for the most part, but were just getting super goofy with it and their take/approach was simply too "out there" for Lucasfilm. It sounds like it was the same, basic movie, though, maybe with a few scenes going in a slightly different direction. Howard came in and finally shot exactly what was on the page, in the tone everyone wanted.
TCTTS
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It also sounds like Lord & Miller were simply taking too long, and that the budget was ballooning because of how many takes they were attempting, etc. And again, Kasdan really underlines that Lord & Miller's tone was just off from what everyone else wanted...

https://variety.com/2018/film/features/solo-a-star-wars-story-directors-reshoots-ron-howard-1202817841/
John Matrix
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TCTTS said:

It also sounds like Lord & Miller were simply taking too long, and that the budget was ballooning because of how many takes they were attempting, etc. And again, Kasdan really underlines that Lord & Miller's tone was just off from what everyone else wanted...

https://variety.com/2018/film/features/solo-a-star-wars-story-directors-reshoots-ron-howard-1202817841/


I can totally see why they canned Lord and Miller because of the script. Solo is so tightly written in terms of action and character that any improvisation would cause the whole thing to fall apart. It was probably for the best anyway because Zany and Solo actually doesn't mesh well-fun and living actually does.
A. Solzhenitsyn
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Solo was the first Star Wars movie I didn't see in the theaters, dating back to the re-release of the special editions in the 90s. Like many, I was burnt out and borderline disgusted with the Last Jedi, and I just didn't have it in me to go subject myself to more of the same with Solo. I finally watched it with my neighbor a few months ago over a few beers

and I LOVED it.

I thought it was exactly what a stand alone Star Wars movie should / could be. it was exciting, funny, and non-political. I walked away with a slight buzz and no complaints.

A- from me.
double aught
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Dekker_Lentz said:

Does anyone have the original script or a rundown of what changed when Ron Howard took over?

Solo did grow on me after my second viewing. Went from a B- to a B+.
I liked it the first time and, like you, enjoyed it more the second time.
Render
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Solo by itself didn't convince me to stop watching Disney Star Wars. It was the double whammy of The Last Rian Johnson Film followed by Solo.

I liked the tone and small scale of the movie, but the characters and plot were poor.

1. Han has no character arc. He's the same character from beginning to end. They try to tact on some lessons in the end about "shooting first" and "not trusting people", but they feel weightless.

2. There is no chemistry between the actors who play Han and Qi'ra. They are supposed to be the emotional heart of the movie, but they lack zest.

3. The story beats were obvious (to me, at least), the plot wasn't clever, and there were hardly any establishing scenes. For example, we immediately start the movie with an action scene. They should have established Han and Qi'ra's relationship in the city first, and then have them get separated. This problem is repeated throughout the movie - they jump straight into the train heist, then the Kessel riot, etc.

4. Nitpicks: L3 is a stupid character. Han is solo, so he's Han Solo. Han didn't establish a new track record in the Kessel Run by using the speed of the Falcon, he just took a shortcut. Why would a person brag about taking a shortcut? So his boasting to Obi-Wan in IV doesn't make sense.
Flashdiaz
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Render said:

4. Nitpicks: L3 is a stupid character. Han is solo, so he's Han Solo. Han didn't establish a new track record in the Kessel Run by using the speed of the Falcon, he just took a shortcut. Why would a person brag about taking a shortcut? So his boasting to Obi-Wan in IV doesn't make sense.
it's not about the speed farm boy, it's the pilot

the shortcut was an insane one that only a great pilot could achieve. His line to Obi-Wan was about avoiding imperial entanglements and getting out of sticky situations.


yes L3 was a stupid character... a woke C3P0
snowdog90
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I was pleasantly surprised with Solo. Looking forward to watching again.
Render
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Except he didn't use his superior piloting skills. It was a group effort between Han and everyone else in the Falcon at the time. So his boasting still doesn't make any sense.
Flashdiaz
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he's a scoundrel and takes sole credit for a group effort. I've definitely met these types in real life.
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