The Franchise That Won't Go Away

You've got to hand it to Disney.   They sure do know how to milk the last udder of a cow.

Since they took over the Star Wars franchise, they have kept the original story going despite the on-screen departures of Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford and the off-screen permanent departure of Carrie Fisher.   You know they plan to keep going and going and going to that faraway galaxy a long time ago.

So, the folks at Mouse Ears LLC have now figured how to film in the gap between the release of new Star Wars adventures.   They make these Star Wars movies, usually detailing some of the backstory of the original saga.   First you had "Rogue One" which virtually printed money.   Now, we have "Solo."  Surprise, surprise, it is printing money albeit at a much diminished pace. During its second weekend, I went to a Saturday 7PM showing.   The theater was 1/4 full.   Hmmm.

Now I'm not a Star Wars geek but I usually wind up seeing everything.   I would be curious to know why "Solo" is not soaring to usual heights.   Are we in overload with movies of this type, what with "Avengers" and "Deadpool 2" cluttering the multiplexes?  Or have true fans grown tired of their own glut of films?

I'd like to know because, as one quasi Star Wars fan, I thoroughly enjoyed "Solo."   Okay, truth be told, I saw it mainly because Ron Howard was the director and I pretty much support all his work.  But "Solo" was fun and captivating and entertaining.   Nothing wrong with that combo.

Oh, sure, it's silly and some of it doesn't make sense.   But the story about a young Han Solo, a young Lando Calrissian and a young (okay, he's 190) Chewbacca was very likable.   It was a little long, but so is every movie these days.   Alden Ehrenreich (there's a name some agent wants to change) was masterful at capturing the screen presence of Harrison Ford.   I really believed he was a younger version of the older character.

Moreover, the always welcome Woody Harrelson has a major role in this tale and that dynamic added to this film immensely.  The resulting combination was winning and my interest was held firmly.   Forget the holes in the plot and some of the illogical double crosses of the final reel.   Overall, you will like "Solo."

Of course, from the sparse crowd I witnessed, you might want to hurry.

LEN'S RATING: Three-and-a-half stars.

Dinner last night:  Hamburger.