Thursday, March 28, 2024

Review: “Star Wars” Han Solo Movie Brings Needed Glitz, Glam to Cannes with Fireworks, Promise of Sequels

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The real Han Solo never had it this good.

Disney-Lucas Films launched its “Solo: A Star Wars Story” in Cannes on Tuesday night, giving the festival a much needed shot of Hollywood glamour amid a frustrating fortnight.

“Solo,” a Ron Howard film, was the first and only real adrenaline boost for Cannes on the red carpet, with the John Williams “Star Wars” theme signalling the most excitement so far. Disney responded by throwing an old fashioned premiere on the Croisette, at the beach club across from the Carlton Hotel. Around 10pm, the studio set off fireworks akin to the Macys Thanksgiving Day parade over the Cannes marina– sight to behold as cast members like Woody Harrelson, Alden Ehrenreich, and Emilia Clarke mixed with the likes of Cannes’ other American superstar of the week, Spike Lee.

“Solo” was met in the Palais with cheers and applause lasting five minutes or more. I’m told this will not be a standalone movie. “If it’s a hit,” was the consensus among participants, there will be sequels. One cast member advised me they were already in the works.

Will “Solo” be a hit? Yes. First of all, it’s a “Star Wars” movie. Second, it’s filled with action scenes pulled off skillfully by Howard, who came in and replaced a pair of directors who had edgier plans. “They wanted to make this more meta, like Guardians of the Galaxy,” said a source. “Lots of in jokes. That just doesn’t work for Star Wars. And what they saw on the screen each day in dailies didn’t match what was in their script.”

Indeed, “Solo” hews closely to the earnestness of all the previous installments of the 41 year old franchise. Building on its own massive mythology, “Solo” tells us how Han got his name, how he met Chewbacca, and where he was while Luke Skywalker was just getting his bearings.

Nevertheless, this is a difficult “Star Wars” film to make because there  is no Force, no Yoda, no light sabers. Everything in this movie takes place before Han wanders into the world of Luke and Leia and the Empire. There were actually more Star Wars stormtroopers on display in the Palais last night than in the movie.

So “Solo” is really an origins story. In the sequels perhaps there will be more reference to the aforementioned. But here Han is just a kid who’s in a hot romance and trying to survive. There’s no Darth Vader, either, although there’s no dearth of Darth in a way. You’ll have to watch the movie to see what I mean.

#fireworks for @starwars #solo #afterparty @festivaldecannes #jetset

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
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