{"id":32206,"date":"2018-05-25T04:01:18","date_gmt":"2018-05-25T11:01:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bensbargains.com\/thecheckout\/?p=32206"},"modified":"2018-05-25T13:38:18","modified_gmt":"2018-05-25T20:38:18","slug":"solo-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bensbargains.com\/thecheckout\/reviews\/solo-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Solo Review: Han Shoots First (But Don\u2019t Get Your Hopes Up)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This is a Spoiler-Free Review: i.e. no major plot points, no plot recap. If you\u2019ve seen the trailers and put the pieces together, then you’re safe.<\/div><\/div>\n

Solo: A Star Wars Story<\/em>, like 2016\u2019s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story<\/em>, is a movie that probably didn\u2019t need to be made as it\u2019s simply more backstory to which audiences basically already know the ending. It\u2019s also opening just six months after The Last Jedi<\/em> divided audiences and stirred up a backlash against Disney, director Rian Johnson and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. And it\u2019s been less than a year since veteran director Ron Howard took over for fired directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The LEGO Movie<\/em>) and re-shot 70% of the movie. Yes, 70%!<\/p>\n

So there’s all that, and<\/em> current year Han Solo (aka Alden Ehrenreich) looks and sounds nothing like Harrison Ford. You know, the guy who made this Han Solo character a huge cinematic icon.<\/p>\n

W<\/span>ith all its baggage, Solo<\/em> seems like it’s limping into theaters. In its final form, there are indeed some cringe-y moments, and there\u2019s a certain slapdash quality to the whole proceedings, which is not surprising considering the behind-the-scenes upheaval. But a funny thing happened on the way back to a galaxy far, far away for the 11th time: it\u2019s not that bad.<\/p>\n

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So, in keeping with the theme of lowered expectations, here are a few troubling elements that you may find yourself overlooking:<\/p>\n