Solo: A Star Wars Story

I’m decidedly in the “like” camp in regard to The Last Jedi, and while my enthusiasm for The Force Awakens has diminished a bit with repeat viewings, I won't deny I enjoyed it opening night. Where Disney has been fumbling the Star Wars property, though, is the spin-off films released between official Episodes. Rogue One was a terrific finale with a totally average sci-fi action movie in front of it. Solo is likewise as pedestrian as they come. And while Rogue One's shortcomings could possibly be pinned on reshoots resulting in a sometimes stilted, inconsistent final product, it's harder to make that case this time. Despite the change in directors and reported overhaul in tone well into production, Solo still feels like a full, cohesive film. Just, not a very good one.

Now that the story of the Skywalkers before the classic trilogy has been told, this film aims to do the same for the best character in the whole saga. Born into poverty and raised in a life of crime on the industrial planet Corellia, the young Han (Alden Ehrenreich) escapes by joining the Imperial military, intending to become a pilot. When that doesn’t work out as planned, the future smuggler deserts and joins a group of thieves out to steal valuable hyperspace fuel. Through these events, he goes on adventures and sees some faces all Star Wars fans know, such as the Wookiee Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), the charming con artist Lando Calrissian (Donal Glover), and a familiar spaceship.

Ehrenreich is no Harrison Ford, in both the sense that he’s nowhere near Ford's level as a leading man, and that he's not trying to do an impression of Ford's portrayal. Instead, he seems to be imitating Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord. But the overall tone is a lot less jokey than the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, so his cocky façade comes off as totally artificial instead of natural. Never does he seem like anything but a performer playing a character. Glover, on the other hand, is doing a bit of imitation of his predecessor (that being Billy Dee Williams), though peppered with his offbeat and self-deprecating comedic persona. It might be a stretch to say he would have saved the picture in the lead role, but he certainly carries scenes better even when he's relegated to co-pilot.

Though big name pros like Woody Harrelson and Paul Bettany do solid supporting work (Emilia Clarke, not so much), every new character seems like a well-worn archetype. The same goes for the plot, which hits so many beats of adventure and heist films that the viewer's almost never surprised by what transpires (save for one moment that comes way out of left field, obviously planting seeds for potential sequels). The writing’s focus appears to have been on cramming in as many pivotal moments in Solo’s backstory and references to franchise lore as the film could fit, leaving little room for an original story. And it mostly disappoints at that, too. That legendary moment Han boasted about in the Mos Eisley cantina? It's here, and it's the most underwhelming of several underwhelming action and effects sequences (the lone exception being a high-altitude train heist, which is pretty fun).

There’s undoubtedly fun to be had in picking out all the references (one line directed at a certain much-derided video game even elicited a hearty laugh out of me). But that should be a fun bonus for fans in the audience, not the best part of the picture. Solo may have been aiming for a lighthearted adventure yarn, like the supplemental comics and novellas from the old days before franchise canon became so rigid. It doesn't even clear that bar, in quality or even just being fun.

Deadpool 2

Deadpool was such a hit, and Ryan Reynolds’ take on the character has become so beloved, that it’s easy to forget the film was originally considered a risk, and so, made on the (relative) cheap. Since initial fears turned out to be very unfounded, the sequel gets the big budget and all the CGI toys usually afforded to a superhero production. Bigger isn’t quite better, but thanks to a terrific cast of characters and a still-sharp sense of humor, the drop in quality amounts to, at most, a baby step down.

The film finds Reynolds’ mouthy mutant mercenary on the befalling end of a personal tragedy. Reduced to his lowest, ‘Pool finds some purpose in trying to save a troubled young mutant (Julian Dennison), not only from the persecution of a cruel world, but also the time-traveling cyborg soldier Cable (Josh Brolin). To do so requires forming a new team of ragtag mutants dubbed X-Force, as well as some familiar faces from the X-Men.

That vague description is about all I can offer for a synopsis, not only to withhold spoilers, but also because the plot is a bit all over the place. Therein lies the biggest drop-off from the first Deadpool, which was a tightly-plotted film that worked as both a straight-up origin story and a parody of the same. This one plays more like one of the gritty, uber-macho, ridiculously convoluted stories from the regrettable era of comics that birthed Deadpool (and which the character later lampooned). While the picture is on the side of parody, it’s only just so.

But, the humor is the driving force of the movie, and luckily keeps it from crossing the line into actual ridiculousness, rather than the fun kind. A few repeated gags get old (the recurring ironic use of soft or cheery songs makes for diminishing returns), but the script makes up for those with some real howlers, particularly the (harsh but deserved) blows at the films from the other big comics label, and some gory and gross-out moments that are truly hysterical. Also, there are a few great deep cut references and lines for the true comic fans in the audience.

Reynolds has not worn out his welcome since last time, and never does; he’s as charming and quick on the quips as ever, and even the tiniest bit sincere in the moments of pathos. Speaking of pathos, Dennison pulls double duty as maybe the strongest depiction of young outcast alienation in the whole of the X-Men franchise (I’m not kidding), while also filling the annoying, bratty kid role nicely. Other new and returning characters mostly amount to bit players but are still strong in that capacity, especially this big brother version of Colossus (Stefan Kapičić in voice, Andre Tricoteux in mo-cap). And Brolin playing Cable completely straight as a grim, stiff badass (ridiculous in itself) makes for hilarious contrast with Reynolds.

The future of Deadpool on film (and the whole X-Men franchise) is kind of up in the air, given the supposed acquisition of Fox by Disney. Any studio would be foolish to scrap, neuter, or recast this character, though. If Deadpool 2 is any indication, Reynolds has a long way to go before getting old or stale, and having carried two films, has earned the chance to anchor a spin-off franchise. But that’s all for another day. Here and now, Deadpool 2 is a damn good time.