 | ||
| Strangely, this poster from Japan calls the movie Han Solo. |
Strangely, the biggest problem is this film is that it had already been done, and done better. It's plot is vastly inferior rip off of the episode "The Train Job" of Firely. Joss Whedon, you are our only hope...
The film had a pretty good ending / solution to Han's predicament.
It was great to see the Falcon flying again. And the actor who played Han did a good job , but he wasn't cocky or cunning enough to make me feel he was really Han Solo.
And while did it did have it's moments, it really didn't add up to much of a film. George Lucas said that he wanted to make films that are like a roller coaster that you you can enjoy riding many times. Unfortunately, with all of the new films (those made without George Lucas), they don't have any great scenes that stand out, which can be enjoyed alone and make the film worth watching multiple times. One of the most impressive things about the original trilogy was that people would go back to see the film multiple times in the theater. That alone, should really make those films the most watched films in history. Now a days, with higher ticket prices and larger audiences (due to a larger population) films are recorded as making more money than the original Star Wars, but I don't think they they are getting the repeat business the original trilogy got, thus have a lower number of ticket sales if put in to perspective on the population at the time of it's release.
This film introduced to new (old) concepts into the Star Wars universe, which previously didn't exist in this universe, cleavage and wheels. While in America and perhaps Europe, women feel the need to show cleavage at all times, this is not so for the entire world, nor does. As much as I like cleavage, it doesn't have a place in the Star Wars universe (yes, I know Leia was showing some in the Throne Room scene at the end of Star Wars, as well as it being apparent in her slave costume, but they over did it in this film. This is a bit of a problem of the Star Wars novels, as they added in earth concepts which wouldn't exist in the Star Wars universe (coffee, or a similar stimulant drink, stood out). The other thing is wheels, which didn't exist in the original trilogy, but were on front of the train in Solo there was a wheel. Yes, the prequels had the WA-7 waitress droid on a wheel, and IG-227 tank had wheels of a sort, but still their absence is part of what defines Star Wars as being in a different galaxy, with a culture completely separate from our own.
One other thing is the use of the word "hell", which is a abrahamic religious concept. That was used twice in Solo, but it has no place in the Star Wars universe. "Hell" as also used in Empire, by Han no less, but it never should have been in that movie either, as again this is a galaxy with no connection to our earth culture.
One thing George Lucas mentioned in the past is you shouldn't explain things in a movie. One problem that keep occurring is too much answering of questions, sometimes questions that didn't really need to be answered (midichlorians anyone?) This film sought to answer a number of question that had been on Star Wars fans since the original trilogy. One big problem is that it tried to answer all the question in a single film. I thought several of these needed a lot more background story, so they they should have been in different film (a Han Solo trilogy).
1) Why does that Falcon has that unusual shape/gap in the front? I figured it was some kind of docking mechanism, after all the ship is referred to as a freighter. It must dock, and be able to store freight. Actually, this also made me wonder why they stored the coaxium in the smuggling compartments, as would think they would have a storage hold. I would think the smuggling compartments were something that wouldn't be revealed by Lando so easily.
2) Where were the escape pods launched from that the officer mentioned after capturing the Falcon on the Death Star. I've always figured they had to be originally on the projections on either side of the Falcon, one of which is just above the boarding ramp.
3)I would have expected that there would have been more to the game in which Han won the Falcon. And I wouldn't have thought Han would say he won her (the Falcon) fair and square in Empire, as being Lando was cheating in the game.
4) How did Han get together with Chewbacca? This is a back story I have imagined a long time ago, and a bit too long to add to this overblown rant.
5) Why did Han say he made the Kessel Run in less than 12 par secs. This film pretty much handles that as well as explanation I have previously heard or come up with.
6) Why can Han understand Chewbacca? This film actually made the situation worse, as it didn't explain it, but made Han be able to speak Wookie with no explanation what so ever. It also makes it seem weird the Han never speaks Wookie in the original trilogy. I always assumed that Wookie vocal cords could not accommodate Basic (English) sounds, and "human" vocal cords could not create Wookie language sounds.
7) The origin of Han's last name. This wasn't a question anyone was asking, though the answer is okay, but everyone else, except for Luke / Anakin has a name without meaning in English.
It seem odd that all all of these questions were covered in one film. I find it hard to believe that all of these events happen in the space of a few days. It makes it seem like Han only had the Falcon for a few days before he met Luke and Obi-Wan. I would think that he had the Falcon for years, or even a decade before he met them. I think the original Han Solo Trilogy was more suitable for a time frame, though those stories were lacking though greatly appreciated at the time, as there was VERY little available for supplemental Star Wars stories, prior to 1991.
This film also dove into the nearly previously Star Trek exclusive territory of technobabble, with their explanation of how they could integrate the droids navigation ability into the Falcon. If the a navigation computer (which is mentioned in the original Star Wars) were vital to entering hyperspace, why wouldn't they have integrated that into the ship when she was designed. It does make me wonder if that also accounts the necessity of astromechs being in X-wings and Y-Wings, though other ships seem to do fine without them.
Also, there was a some huge space octopus in the middle of the kessel run. This makes no sense to have a creature living the desolation of space, but it's hard to justify the space slug in Empire either, though it at least had a asteroid to live on. There have been several media franchise that have creature that exist in the vacuum of space, which is impossible and getting more intolerable with each recurrence.
I have head that Johnnath Kasdan, after the film was released, said that Lando is pan sexual. Is he a replicant as well??? Also, if I screw a sex doll, would that make me pan sexual??? I wish they would leave their ridiculous after that fact concepts out of their interviews. Adding in this ridiculous 2017's earth concept detracts from the film. In fact, I was rather surprised to see Lando so caring of a droid, considering how dismissive he was of Threepio when first introduced to him on Cloud City, so it seems out of character. I have no problem with LGBT people having complete freedom to do as they wish, and having such character in media. If you want to make your original characters any type race, orientation or whatever, go head, but don't take established characters and alter them to fit trendy concepts. This goes for the new Star Trek films making Sulu gay. I LOVE the fact that George Takei is gay and played a straight character.
Also, while Darth Maul was a great addition to the Star Wars mythos, his death in The Phantom Menace was clearly definitive, so that bringing him back is utterly ridiculous, though I realize that they wasted a good character too easily. Still, while he was a spectacular fighter, this film makes him out to a great tactician. Is everyone in this universe a master of every trade? That millenial idea of being good at everything, without working to develop skills is preposterous and detracts from the stories coming out of hollywood. Yes, I know they brought him back for the TV show Rebels, and the Clone Wars (I think), but I would hope the movies take these things a little more seriously.
I was impressed to see Anthony Daniels name in the credits, but didn't see him in the film (though a quick internet check confirmed his appearance). Still, that makes him the only actor to be in every Star Wars film released to date.
