Solo's opening weekend take in the US was US$103 million. That's not chump change but when it comes to a Star Wars movie, even a hundred million dollars is considered a disappointment. So what happened?
The most bandied about theory is that Star Wars fatigue has finally set in. Of all the reasons proffered, this one is the most specious. Yes, there have been many Star Wars movies coming out in recent years but hey, there have been far more Marvel movies and they continue to rake in the big bucks.
There is no Star Wars fatigue. If JJ Abrams' upcoming installment of Star Wars were to be released next month, it would do gangbusters. That's because everyone expects it to be good, perhaps even better than The Force Awakens, which did fantastically well domestically in the US and abroad.
Bad press and bad word of mouth buzz probably did the movie in. The most common criticism of the movie is that it's so safe and predictable. There were no major reveals, no big plot twists and no major insights in the character's background or psyche. It was just a pretty run-of-the-mill space action movie.
I think it didn't help at all that the lead actor doesn't look, sound or act like Harrison Ford. Joseph Gordon-Levitt doesn't look anything like Bruce Willis but he managed to sound like him and adopt his mannerisms really well in the movie Looper where he plays a young version of the Willis character. This was something he worked really hard on. Says Levitt:
And it's not like he's some inexperienced actor. In fact, he played a younger version of a Harrison Ford character in the movie Age of Adaline.
The special effects were fine and the actions scenes were okay but just not that thrilling. It could be because we know that Han Solo is never in any real danger because he obviously made it to A New Hope (the original Star Wars movie).
I really had expected more from Ron Howard, who is a fine director. And it was written by Lawrence Kasdan, a fine writer. It's too bad they decided to play it so safe and offered no real surprises other than a cameo by a notorious character from a previous movie. Besides that, everything was really by the numbers.
More than one critic has called the movie inconsequential. Which is an apt description. It's an okay action movie but it doesn't really add much to the Star Wars canon.
As a Star Wars fan, I hope Disney continues to try to come up with more Star Wars movies and spin-offs. I love Star Wars and there's no fatigue on my part. Give me three Star Wars movies a year. If the movies are good, I wanna watch them!
The most bandied about theory is that Star Wars fatigue has finally set in. Of all the reasons proffered, this one is the most specious. Yes, there have been many Star Wars movies coming out in recent years but hey, there have been far more Marvel movies and they continue to rake in the big bucks.
There is no Star Wars fatigue. If JJ Abrams' upcoming installment of Star Wars were to be released next month, it would do gangbusters. That's because everyone expects it to be good, perhaps even better than The Force Awakens, which did fantastically well domestically in the US and abroad.
Bad press and bad word of mouth buzz probably did the movie in. The most common criticism of the movie is that it's so safe and predictable. There were no major reveals, no big plot twists and no major insights in the character's background or psyche. It was just a pretty run-of-the-mill space action movie.
I think it didn't help at all that the lead actor doesn't look, sound or act like Harrison Ford. Joseph Gordon-Levitt doesn't look anything like Bruce Willis but he managed to sound like him and adopt his mannerisms really well in the movie Looper where he plays a young version of the Willis character. This was something he worked really hard on. Says Levitt:
I studied him, and watched his movies, and ripped the audio off of his movies, so I could listen to them on repeat. He even recorded some of my voice-over monologues [from Looper] and sent me that recording, so I could hear what it would sound like in his voice. And then just getting to know him and spending time with him and letting it seep in. It's a really, really fascinating way to become a character. That's always my favorite thing, is to transform, become somebody else. If I see a moment that reminds me of myself I always feel like I messed that up.Disney should have gotten Anthony Ingruber to play the role. Check him out in the video below. He IS a young Harrison Ford.
And it's not like he's some inexperienced actor. In fact, he played a younger version of a Harrison Ford character in the movie Age of Adaline.
The special effects were fine and the actions scenes were okay but just not that thrilling. It could be because we know that Han Solo is never in any real danger because he obviously made it to A New Hope (the original Star Wars movie).
I really had expected more from Ron Howard, who is a fine director. And it was written by Lawrence Kasdan, a fine writer. It's too bad they decided to play it so safe and offered no real surprises other than a cameo by a notorious character from a previous movie. Besides that, everything was really by the numbers.
More than one critic has called the movie inconsequential. Which is an apt description. It's an okay action movie but it doesn't really add much to the Star Wars canon.
As a Star Wars fan, I hope Disney continues to try to come up with more Star Wars movies and spin-offs. I love Star Wars and there's no fatigue on my part. Give me three Star Wars movies a year. If the movies are good, I wanna watch them!
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