Solo

Official Australian release date: 24/5/18. Viewed: 25/5/18.

Director: Ron Howard

Actors: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover

Genre: Action / Adventure

Rating: M

   

‘Solo’ is the second ‘Star Wars’ spin-off film – after ‘Rogue One’ – and like that film, does a good job of filling in backstory and providing an entertaining film, without become essential ‘Star Wars’ viewing. ‘Solo’ is set about halfway between ‘Revenge of the Sith’ and ‘A New Hope’, meaning we get Han (Ehrenreich) in his mid-20s. I think Ehrenreich does a good job of some of Harrison Ford’s mannerisms and is a passable younger version. The film starts excellently, with a great car chase – well, land-speeders to be exact – on Han’s home-world of Corellia.

We meet Qi’ra (“Kira”, Clarke – always good to see Daenerys) and establish how Han winds up in the Empire, trying to get back to her. There’s lots of great connections/throw-backs – we see how Han meets and frees Chewbacca from slavery; how they become smugglers, with mentoring from Beckett (Harrelson - excellent); how they meet Lando (Glover) & the Millennium Falcon; and how they “made the Kessel run in 12 parsecs”. The support cast are good, but Val (Newton), Dryden Voss (Bettany), L3 (Waller-Bridge) & Rio (Favreau) don’t really get that much screen time – and I would’ve liked to have seen a bit more of Chewie’s backstory too.

The film does a good job of setting the stakes in their need to rob some hyperspace fuel and how they go about it. It doesn’t always feel ‘Star Wars’-y, since there’s no Jedi or big space battles, but when you start to forget, the aliens & John Williams’ typically great score bring you back in and remind you. I’m sure some people won’t like it, and it does lack a little bit of heart, but there’s plenty to like throughout.

Overall: An above-average addition to Star Wars cannon.

Gav's Rating: 3.5 stars.

Deadpool 2

Official Australian release date: 16/5/18. Viewed: 16/5/18.

Director: David Leitch

Actors: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison

Genre: Action / Comedy

Rating: MA

   

‘Deadpool 2’ comes only two years after the original and has just as many wisecracks, deaths, action scenes, pop-culture jokes and swear words as the first. Deadpool/Wade (Reynolds) is back as the “merc with a mouth” and the film kicks plenty of action as he takes down a syndicate, but also sets up the plot with something he has to atone for – and why he wants to try to save Russell (Dennison). Also, the Bond-rip off titles are excellent.

The support cast is excellent, with Vanessa (Baccarin), Dopinder (Soni), Colossus (Kapicic), Negasonic (Hildebrand), Weasel (Miller) and Blind Al (Uggams) all back. The additions of X-Force are pretty hilarious – especially Peter (Delaney) – but Domino (Beetz) steals the show, with her “lucky” superpower. There’s some great cameos, which I won’t spoil, but they all bring laughs of recognition. Cable (Brolin) is a great tough guy, who’s motivations are slowly revealed, but not in any great detail.

While still a very fun film with plenty of laughs throughout, sometimes it’s hard to keep up, since the pace is unrelenting. There does also seem to be a bit more darkness underneath (which is also poked fun at) which is why it maybe doesn’t quite reach the heights of the first film. It’s probably slightly too long & tries to fit a bit too much in. Stay for the credits scenes – some excellent call-backs/”alterations”!

Overall: More fun, fights & comic book jests.

Gav's Rating: 3.5 stars.