Sunday, May 27, 2018

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Year: 2018
Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, Paul Bettany, Joonas Suotamo


Plot: The origin story of Han Solo, the handsome scoundrel in Star Wars, who began as a thief for an underworld boss before becoming a pilot and marauder for a gangster.


Review: The question on everyone's minds before Solo was released was: is this film necessary? Most would say no, since the great Han Solo got a good introduction in A New Hope, and his past isn't really an interesting story that needs its own movie. And yet, here it is.

Truth is, Solo isn't a bad movie at all. In fact, it's quite fun actually. Director Ron Howard, taking over from the fired Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (who get credits for executive producers), keeps the film moving at a steady pace and sets up a handful of cool action sequences, the best being the train hijack in the first half. The script and dialogue is also mostly fun, save for a few exchanges involving Qi'ra and Dryden Voss that sound either too dull or serious.

In this story, Han Solo is portrayed as an idealistic kid who simply wants to survive and return home to his girl, only it isn't so simple when he discovers where she's been when he was away. Alden Ehrenreich makes Solo a likable hero much like Harrison Ford was back in the day, though he tries not to imitate him a bit too obviously. You won't see Ford's mannerisms in him, until maybe the final scene. Donald Glover fares slightly better as Lando Calrissian, putting his own take on the man and inserting Billy Dee Williams' performance into it as well. Woody Harrelson is also solid as Tobias Beckett, the man Solo hooks up with for a job. Emilia Clarke is alright as Qi'ra, but doesn't quite have chemistry with Ehrenreich as a love interest. Paul Bettany is rather weak as main villain Dryden Voss, being much too polite and not intimidating.

My favorite thing about Solo would have to be Chewbacca, played by Joonas Suotamo, as he hasn't changed at all in any Star Wars movie, save for who plays him here of course. Here's where we discover how he and Han first meet, and it's quite hilarious. Chewbacca is always fun to watch, and he never disappoints.

The film could use better lighting though, as many of the action sequences take place in darkness or dim lighting. And despite the fact that it's fun, Solo really adds little to the Star Wars universe. Despite Howard's best efforts, it won't be as memorable as the other films that have come before it.

All in all, Solo is a fun popcorn film, and not much more than that. (7/10) 

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Deadpool 2

Year: 2018
Director: David Leitch
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Zazie Beetz, Julian Dennison, Morena Baccarin, Brianna Hildebrand, TJ Miller, Shioli Kutsuna, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Stefan Kapicic, Eddie Marsan


Plot: Deadpool attempts to protect a young but dangerous mutant boy from Cable, a time travelling cyborg who has an axe to grind with the kid.


Review: With the huge success of the first Deadpool (becoming the second highest grossing R rated film in history), a sequel was inevitable. But with the exit of director Tim Miller, can this sequel outdo the original?

Well, John Wick co-director David Leitch gives it his best shot, and I gotta say, it was almost as good as the first. But to be honest, it isn't really his fault. Ryan Reynolds, star and co-writer, may have gone a bit overboard in throwing the humor around this time. Yes, you will get plenty of R rated jokes, shots at pop culture and the like. I actually dug Deadpool's jabs at the DC Universe, and even the Avengers (including a poke at Thanos haha). But there were a handful of times when Reynolds could have pulled back a bit and let some of the dramatic scenes do its work.

As far as action sequences go, Reynolds, Leitch and company got it well covered. There's a brutal one on one fight between Deadpool and Cable during a prison riot, followed by an armored truck chase sequence (arguably the best part of the whole film) and finally a group fight in the third act which allows Deadpool's X-Men buddies Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio to get in on the action. Leitch knows what works and what doesn't, and all the sequences look incredible, so hats off to him.

While Reynolds is still the main man and still capable of making the audience laugh and root for him, it is Josh Brolin's Cable that nearly steals the show from him. Brolin, fresh off of playing Thanos in Infinity War, keeps Cable straight faced from start to finish and is every bit the badass he ought to be. I absolutely welcome the notion of seeing him in more Deadpool sequels to come. Zazie Beetz is the perfect foil for Deadpool as Domino, the lady with mutant luck power, who is just as lethal as he is, and able to get herself out of danger thanks to her ability. Oh, and if you're wondering about X-Force, the team Deadpool assembles in the film as seen in the trailers, well don't get your hopes up. That's all I'll say about that.

All in all, Deadpool 2 is a fun ride despite a few drawbacks caused by a slight overabundance of comedy and maybe the wasted X-Force potential. As usual, check out the post credit scenes. (7.5/10) 

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