Solo: A Review

Last updated on: May 28, 2018 at 6:52 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

Solo: A Review 2018-05-28T18:52:34-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Solo is a fine film and that might be good for the Star Wars universe. This is the first Star Wars film I did not see on opening night, ever, and the first I did not think I would like.

I did like it: much like, no hate, no love. That’s new as well. In a movie series with the prequels (hated too much), no fan should be too critical. Solo is not Empire Strikes Back, but it is not Attack of the Clones.

A few friends embrace a fandom (Harry Potter or Star Wars) as if they Matter. As Pope Francis is to the papacy, so Solo is to the Star Wars canon: making the whole thing less serious. That’s bad news for the papacy, but great news for the Star Wars film series.

If you are my age (old), then you waited years for each new film in the originals and your young adult life for the prequels to cause a mid-life crisis. Now here, in the youth of old age (54), we are getting loads of Star Wars films. This means they cannot be portents of anything. They can return to summer film fun.

Some critics thought Last Jedi was a great (or very good) film. Some fans hated the movie. Solo cannot possibly stir this kind of passion, because Ron Howard made the film. No movie made by Opie inspires hate. Ron Howard gives us a good time and this summer needed a good time.

Black Panther was an important film, too culturally vital for me to review. I loved the movie and that is all I will say. Avengers: Infinity Wars was Left Behind for comic book readers. Both films mattered or wanted to matter. Solo has no such ambition.

Forcefully.

Solo has a solid cast, though Alden Ehrenreich comes a bit too close to playing Harrison Ford playing Solo. Ehrenreich is no Chris Pine. Woody Harrelson is subdued for Woody Harrelson and gives the film a bit of gravity as an aging gun slinger. Donald Glover plays Lando as if the only thing the character had was a cape, lacking Billy Dee Williams’ ability to make a smaller character legend. Williams made a cartoon human, Glover plays the cartoon amusingly. Emilia Clarke playing Qi’rai starts as the “love interest,” but her forward story is the sequel we need.

The plot plods: there is one surprise. We get speedier chases and space monsters: all good. We see nothing we have not seen in other Star Wars films.

Solo shrinks the drama of the Star Wars universe by telling a small story. That’s odd for a movie about Han Solo, but needed. We are left with two plot-lines that can make more decent smallish films (no Star Wars films can ever be “tiny”): Lando and Qi’rai.

Popcorn can be eaten, Diet Coke swallowed. You come, you see, you enjoy. That’s bad news if Star Wars is your religion, but all good if it was just a good time for you from the start.

Pop Culture

Previous Post

May 27, 2018

Wrong, Not Just Because We Think So

Next Post

May 29, 2018 The Fallen City: Delivered with Safety for All Time

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which book of the Bible contains the most direct prophecies about the Messiah?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Psalms Isaiah Micah Zechariah

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »