Solo: A Star Wars Story has been unveiled for its first public audience and first reactions
have been pouring out onto Twitter
It certainly looks like this highly anticipated film has delivered a rip-roaring adventure.
But coming just five months after the rave first reactions to The Last Jedi and the explosive
debate that subsequently followed amongst fans, can Solo really deliver something that
will please, not just newcomers to the Star Wars universe, but also long-time fans?
Let’s take a look and see…
Punch it!
It’s no secret that Solo was a troubled production, with directors Phil Lord and Chris
Miller acrimoniously booted from the film after it became evident that their style of
moviemaking did not mesh with Lucasfilm’s vision
But it’s looking like Ron Howard managed to right the good starship – even if the
Millennium Falcon looks a bit wonky.
IGN’s Jim Veivoda was pleasantly surprised that the film worked as well as it did given
all the drama and retooling and called it good fan service.
IGN's Tom Jorgensen agreed, “Don’t let the drama and rumors fool you, this is a seriously
fun, exciting addition to the Star Wars universe!”
And Mashable's Chris Taylor expressed his relief: “Oh, thank the maker.
It’s good.
It’s sooo good.”
Collider's Steven Weintraub called it “a blast and a welcome addition to the Star Wars
universe.”
IGN’s Jacki Jing had a lot of fun watching it and was “completely floored” and watched
it “on the edge of her seat”
Brian Tong went further and thought it was better than a certain other film that came
out recently that you may have possible heard of
Yes, he thought it was better than Infinity War!
But not everyone was as effusive with their praise.
Working as a great reminder – as if we needed one – on how first reactions to The Last
Jedi completely failed to predict the divisiveness of that film, CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg
called Solo… “fine” and although he liked the film he did not love it
Collider’s Perri Nemiroff said there was fun to be had but she was not convinced a
young Solo film was needed and felt it lacked enough energy and depth
However, most seemed to disagree that it lacked energy, with IO9’s Germain Lussier calling
the film a “non-stop adventure packed with way more emotion than you’re expecting”
People's Kara Warner said fans were in for a “friggin TREAT” and the film had both
a killer cast and offered a great adventure.
But the film isn’t without it’s flaws
A few commented that the film was slow to get going.
Uproxx’s Mike Ryan called the first act “hit and miss clunky”
Legion of Leia’s Jenna Busch agreed that it has a “rough start” but was still “a
blast of an adventure” with Donald Glover stealing the movie
Indiewire’s Kate Erbland concurred, saying that although “it took a bit to find its
feet” it “totally flies once it kicks in”
But probably the question that is high up top on the fans’ worries is how true to
the Star Wars universe and characters Solo is, something that fans highly criticised
The Last Jedi for
Thankfully, it looks like we can rest easy: Steven Weintrub called it a “welcome addition
to the Star Wars universe”
And the Nerdist’s Jessie Gill addressed the issue head on: “If you’re looking
for a palette cleanser after #TheLastJedi, this is it!!”
IGN’s Terri Schwartz agreed, saying Solo “feels true to what makes Star Wars fun”
With rumours about acting coaches, Alden Ehrenreich’s ability to step into the shoes of one of the
most iconic characters in the history was called into question
But it looks like these difficulties were highly exaggerated, there was a huge amount
of praise for his performance with him carrying off the role with aplomb
Mike Ryan said that after 30 minutes his brain had adjusted to seeing Alden as Han
Steven Weintraub thought than Alden was perfectly cast in his role
Yahoo Entertainment’s Kevin Polowy agreed, saying he was “super impressive as Han”
And Mashable’s Angie Han said that Alden was “the real deal”
The Wrap’s Umberto Gonzalez put it plain and simple: “Alden Ehrenreich IS Han Solo”
But praise wasn’t just restricted to Alden, with many praising the whole cast, particularly
Donald Glover with Tom Jorgensen saying he was “equally great as Lando”
“…perfect as expected” was Rotten Tomato’s Joel Meares’ verdict
Concerning visual effects, it’s very reassuring to see that Solo doesn’t seem to have fallen
into the glossy CGI trap of the prequels
Chris Taylor calls it’s the “grungiest, most grunt-level blue collar #StarWars ever”
And ScreenRant’s Rob Keyes called it the “most real looking film in the franchise”
So, how does Solo rank in the pantheon of Star Wars films?
Although Collider’s Dennis Tzeng enjoyed “enough of the film”, he said it would
never be one of his favourite Star Wars films
But for Nerdist’s Michelle Buchman, the film hit all the right spots and she ranked
it her “[favourite] of the new Star Wars films”
Finally, I’m sure you already know but always worthy of a reminder: do yourselves a favour
and listen to ABC’s Clayton Sandell, who loved the film: “Stay off the internet”
he warns and “Avoid spoilers!”
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