Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 1754

THE INCREDIBLES 2 Gets Retro Toy Commercials with Catchy Theme Songs

The Incredibles 2 won’t just see Pixar‘s super family back on the big screen for the first time since 2004, it will see superheroes finally return to the world after being forced into hiding 15 years earlier. They’re living, breathing, crime-fighting throwbacks, so what better way to celebrate their triumphant return than with a series of retro toy commercials?

Pixar’s new teasers for the long-awaited sequel are clever vintage toy commercials, all of which are set to old ’60s cartoon-style theme songs. Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, and Frozone each get their own ad for their very own adorable stuffed animals. While these don’t offer much insight into the film’s plot, they are lighthearted and fun. In fact, we don’t understand why actual toy commercials aren’t this good.

These don’t just work as great toy promos, they also feel like amazing pitches for a potential Incredibles TV series. Disney does have plans for their own streaming service, and who would say no to show about the early career exploits of the world’s greatest superheroes?

With all apologies to Elastigirl’s amazing song, this one is extra amazing.



Question: Where can we download the full length version of Frozone’s theme song? Does it come included with the toy? Because we’d buy all of them if that’s what it took to get it. Now that’s how you sell some toys. And a movie.

The Incredibles 2 comes to theaters June 15. Which theme song was your favorite? Tell us in the comments below which one you’ll be whistling heading into the theater.

Featured Image: Disney/Pixar

More movie fun!

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New WESTWORLD Images Show Off Shogun World

We’ve been eagerly awaiting a visit to Delos’s samurai park Shogun World ever since Westworld‘s season one premiere teased us with its existence, and in season two’s fifth episode, titled “Akane No Mai” (“Dance of Akane), we’ll finally experience the more gory park in all its glory. And based on new images from the episode, Maeve might find some very valuable and dangerous allies there–if she can survive.

Last week’s post-credits teaser let us know we were finally ready to make our journey to the most anticipated park on the premises.



But somehow that didn’t quite capture the grandeur (or the HBO budget) of Shogun World the way these images do. First, we see how Maeve and her crew arrive there, with the recently returned (and awesome) Armistice bound and being led by someone on horseback in a Japanese robe. You can also see Lee in his adorable outfit in the back.

That animosity will at least partially abate at some point, as we see both Maeve and even Hector assimilating into their fellow hosts world.

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But it’s the images of the hosts from the park that are truly quite stunning, including looks at Akane herself, Rinko Kikuchi (Pacific Rim), as well as Hiroyuki Sanada (The Wolverine).

It’s not clear from these photos why Maeve is seen covered in blood in the teaser, but it certainly looks like some of the Shogun World hosts are preparing for battle. That could be as part of their narrative (it’s not clear whether they have truly realized their own freedom yet), for their own uprising, or to square off with one another the way Dolores has been killing hosts back in the Old West.

Speaking of “Wyatt,” we won’t be spending the entire episode fighting with katanas, because we also see her looking…concerned? surprised? angry?…while speaking to Teddy. Every strained interaction between them takes on added meaning since the season two premiere showed he ends up dead in the river.

But we expect most of this episode will have us dancing in Shogun World. Depending on how much Maeve can convince the hosts their to help her rise up and claim their freedom could determine on whether or not any of them return to Westworld with her.

What do you make of these photos? What do they mean for the episode? Tell us in the comments below.

Images: HBO

More from Delos Parks!

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Westworld‘s been renewed for season three.

Captain America’s PSA from SPIDER-MAN Is the Internet’s Best New Meme

The PSAs from “war criminal” Captain America were among the best gags in Spider-Man: Homecoming. The outlaw Avenger appeared via a series of hilarious old VHS clips extolling the virtues of physical fitness, following the rules, and patience. It would be hard to forget them, not only because they were absolutely fantastic, but because the movie came out less than a year ago. In the grand scheme of the universe, that’s not a long time, but in internet time, it’s basically an eternity, which is why we’re not entirely sure why it has just now become the best new Twitter meme.

Not that we’re complaining, because it was worth the wait.



This video was shown to Peter Parker while he was in detention, and features an earnest Captain America talking about messing up, which probably didn’t connect with Peter since he had just fought him in Civil War.

Only now have fans started to utilize this great moment for some internet silliness, possibly because everyone is trying to find ways to deal emotionally with the fallout of Infinity War. Although these don’t help.

so.

you don’t feel so good pic.twitter.com/DpIu3DiMO4

— maria (@cevansdoritos) May 15, 2018

so

you thought you can easily move on from the damage caused by infinity war pic.twitter.com/3rpoGazcQF

— point break (@MARVEL0VE) May 16, 2018

Fortunately most of them don’t make us relive Peter Parker being sent to the ultimate detention.

So.

No one told you life was gonna be this way… pic.twitter.com/u49fQeNAyz

— Emerald Demond (@EmeraldDemond) May 16, 2018

So,

you’re about to be 35 and don’t have at least double your salary saved for retirement. pic.twitter.com/1k3tq00iHX

— Avengers’ Funeral Coordinator (@Steph_I_Will) May 16, 2018

So

You accidentally downloaded a low quality version from Google images pic.twitter.com/smmLEEgyMr

— Saidin Taster (@neontaster) May 16, 2018

So

You read this in my voice didn't you? pic.twitter.com/n2heWa4KSd

— Dan Cooper (@ThatKaitoDan) May 15, 2018

So

You thought the Marvel Films would include people from the television shows or Netflix pic.twitter.com/WqiWeHd4zP

— Sage @ Momocon?! (@NewTSage) May 16, 2018

So.

You farted while testifying in a murder trial. pic.twitter.com/CM3t3RkJNU

— Sam Sykes (@SamSykesSwears) May 16, 2018

So

You made a This Is America parody video pic.twitter.com/0OH4jVl2VT

— William Yu (@its_willyu) May 14, 2018

so

you wanna be a god pic.twitter.com/6GDIlWtFsh

— bailey (@tightyspidey) May 15, 2018

So,

I’m an Avenger now pic.twitter.com/qs9NXFx4w6

— Loki Sighting at Local City Zoo (@hemswhoreth) May 15, 2018

So

You were caught without the high ground pic.twitter.com/yyL81BizPb

— Miriah (@ItsaMeWaleed) May 15, 2018

 

So

You forgot to take the chicken out the freezer…again. pic.twitter.com/z6pobBriwo

—

Creators and Fans Share The Impact of BLACK PANTHER

When Marvel’s Black Panther arrived in theaters in February, it was unlike any other comic book film that came before it. The movie directed by Ryan Coogler had an effect on hundreds of thousands of viewers. T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) took charge of Wakanda and of hearts and minds around the world. As Yvette Nicole Brown says in Nerdist’s The Impact of Black Panther, “It’s a game changer in a way that I don’t think we can even quantify.”

Brown joined several members of the Black community in praising Black Panther and how it showed who they are and where they came from.

It’s a celebrated film, and a huge part of the reason it was made was because of Christopher Priest, the first black editor and writer in comics. He contributed hugely to the character of Black Panther, giving him a new spirit, as comic book writer Hannibal Tabu explains in the video.

Those comic book origins led to all the incredible imagery and characterization in the movie. In T’Challa, yes, but also in Ramonda and Shuri and the Dora Milaje, who presented fierce portraits of different types of female characters in the technologically advanced Wakanda. They all speak to the community–to fans, to creators, to performers. Black Panther made an impact, and it’s always good to listen to those it affected the most.

What did Black Panther mean to you? Share your stories in the comments.

Bring home Black Panther on Digital, Movies Anywhere, Blu-ray & 4K UHD Today: http://bitly.com/witnessthelegend

Images: Marvel

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Winston Duke Talks Back About Being Part of the BLACK PANTHER Phenomenon

Black Panther isn’t just a smash hit, it’s an historic box office success. So to celebrate Marvel‘s epic journey to Wakanda coming to stores today with the film’s home release, we wanted to do something special on Nerdist News Talks Back. And did we ever! We had M’Baku himself, one of the film’s breakout stars and leader of the Jabari, Winston Duke on to tell us about being a part of one of the biggest movies of all time.

Host Jessica Chobot and Nerdist News writer Aliza Pearl welcomed Duke, who also joined us last month during our Infinity War MCU marathon, to today’s show to talk about what it’s like to be a part of a true cultural and worldwide phenomenon. How did all of the work that went into making the different cultures, tribes, and religions let him know they had “something special” during filming? And what led to him improvising M’Baku’s memorable barking at Martin Freeman’s Everett Ross?



Why was the waterfall Challenge Day set even cooler than we realized? What were the most exciting differences from doing “King Lear with four people?” How much physical training and research did the self-proclaimed “big time” comic book reader and Superman fan do to play M’Baku? How did the character’s fighting style change after he saw the costume?

He also told us what being a part of the film has meant for him on a personal level, including for his hometown in Trinidad and Tobago. How has he become an “unofficial ambassador” for the “hopes and dreams” of kids there? How crazy is it going to be when he goes back the next time? What’s it like working with Ryan Coogler? Why does his think Cooglers “powerful” ability to listen to others and to “be impacted” by what he hears help him be a great director? What other comic book characters meant a lot to him growing up? And what was it like being on the set of Infinity War? Why was that final battle so physically demanding? How did it compare to his favorite scenes in Black Panther?



Nerdist News Talks Back airs live on our YouTube and Alpha channels at 1PM PT every Monday through Thursday, and we wrap up the week in pop culture with Nerdist News What the Fridays at 1PM PT, only at Alpha. Because even though Challenge Day doesn’t happen all the time, we’re hear every day to talk to you.

We did you think about today’s show? Talk back to us in the comments below.

Black Panther Image: Marvel

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SOLO Reviews Should Put STAR WARS Fans’ Worst Fears to Rest

There was a feeling of pleasant surprise among the overwhelmingly positive first reactions to Solo‘s world premiere last week. Between skepticism over whether anyone could fill Harrison Ford’s vest, and Lucasfilm’s shocking decision to replace directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller with Ron Howard late in the production, some were concerned Disney was about to deliver its first Star Wars flop since buying the franchise.

But there’s a big difference between first reactions–which are shared amid the glitz and glamour of a prestigious premiere–and the analytical guise of critics who have time to gather their thoughts. So with the first, full reviews for the film now out, did it live up to the opening night hype, or did getting away from the glow of the red carpet’s bright lights take some of the shine off the film? It sounds like it depends on what you were expecting from the film in the first place.

We’ll start with our own Kyle Anderson, who describes Solo as “A New Hope without the mysticism,” which he says marks an important development for the franchise.

“The Star Wars franchise under Disney and Lucasfilm is a long game, and they’ve finally learned not every movie needs to be the giant, saga-shattering puzzle piece, but instead can be a solid space adventure, like the best of what are now considered Legends. I wasn’t blown away, but I’m thoroughly compelled to watch more Solo movies, which even a week ago was not what I expected at all.”

Angie Han at Mashable says Alden Ehrenreich is no Harrison Ford, which is the best news possible about the movie, especially because it wouldn’t work if you didn’t care about Han Solo.

“Everyone who feared Ford was irreplaceable as the iconic character was right. Ehrenreich would never be mistaken for Ford in any sense. We’ve seen better impressions of Ford’s drawl on Saturday Night Live. But that’s also the great news about Solo: A Star Wars Story. Rather than try to mimic Ford’s work beat-for-beat, Ehrenreich has found a way to make the role his own, and in doing so to show us this familiar character from a fresh perspective.”

IGN‘s Jim Vejvoda says however that while the movie offers a fun time, it never really justifies why it exists in the first place.

“Its story holds precious few surprises and the title character ends this film as pretty much the same person he was when we met him at the beginning — without quite becoming the person Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi found and pulled out of a wretched hive of scum and villainy on Tatooine. It’s a good thing, then, that the movie remains at least entertaining enough to keep one engaged through all the rote story beats of learning how Han Solo acquired the Millennium Falcon or met Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian.”

At CBR, Meg Downey writes the movie will exceed fans worst fears, but it won’t soar to the heights of its most hopeful viewers, partly because it won’t stop over-explaining things to them.

“Did you ever want to know why Han’s last name is “Solo?” That’s here. The origin of those chained metallic dice on the “dash” of the Falcon? That’s here, too. The Kessel Run? You betcha. Han saying he’s got a good feeling instead of a bad one? Sure thing. It’s a smorgasbord of fanservice moments that practically look directly into the camera and wink, but each time it happens, the gesture gets less and less endearing. In fact, about halfway through the relentless self-referencing and over-explanation of just about every aspect of Han’s character starts to feel less like an attempt to tell a real story and more like an honest effort to make the entire Star Wars universe seem like an engine powered by cosmic coincidences.”

Bryan Bishop at The Verge thinks the movie might definitively prove how important legendary Star Wars figure Lawrence Kasdan is to the success of the franchise.

“But like its title character pulling off a crazy scheme just in the nick of time, Solo is a swashbuckling success, a space adventure that pays homage to the DNA of the original films while carving out its own unique space in the canon. It’s a sheer delight, but it also has the courage to explore the darker aspects of a character who could have all too easily been polished to an inoffensive, family-friendly Disney sheen. Solo represents the most refined iteration yet of the new Disney/Lucasfilm formula–and cements longtime series screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan’s place as the defining voice of the Star Wars universe.”

Over at io9 , Germain Lussier has high praise for the film’s cast, action, and emotional impact that he thinks fans of the galaxy far, far away will enjoy.

“Let me be clear: Solo has flaws. But those flaws pale in comparison to the rest of it. This may not be your favorite Star Wars movie, and it definitely won’t change what you think Star Wars can be. It will, however, remind you of everything you love about it and, hopefully, have you grinning like Han the first time he jumps to hyperspace.”

Alonso Duralde at The Wrap says the movie wastes strong performances from its cast with a story that feels out of place in the franchise.

“Solo” is less a movie than it’s that page in Highlights Magazine that makes you feel good for finding the chair and the bicycle in the hidden picture. As an intergalactic adventure, it’s mostly adequate, with some very successful elements, but if you stripped the “Star Wars” names and places and put it into the world as a free-standing sci-fi-action movie, it’s doubtful that it would spawn much excitement, let alone sequels.”

Entertainment Weekly‘s Chris Nashawaty liked the movie even if it didn’t achieve true greatness, possibly because the best part of the film was another character.

“Speaking of Glover, it’s no spoiler to say that the Atlanta star is easily the best thing in this good-not-great movie. More than any big action set piece or narrative double cross (and there are plenty of them thanks to a smooth crime boss played by Paul Bettany), it’s Glover’s mack-daddy, Colt 45 swagger as the rakish gambler formerly played by Billy Dee Williams that will be the thing you’ll be buzzing about after the lights come up (well, that and how much you’d rather see his standalone origin story).”

Kristy Puchko at Pajiba says it’s not a great sign one of the best characters in the galaxy plays second fiddle in his own movie.

“When the best thing about a Han Solo movie is Lando and his robot sidekick, that’s a problem, right? More specifically, that’s the problem at the center of Solo: A Star Wars Story. Somehow, Disney took one of the most charismatic characters in the universe and turned him into a plucky yet dull hero with an uninspired origin story, in which he’s outshone by all things Lando Calrissian. (And yes, that includes space capes!)”

It certainly seems like fans don’t have to worry about their biggest fears about the movie coming true, but what you expect from a Star Wars film about Han Solo will still matter when you see it.

What do you make of these reviews? Does it sound like a movie you want to see more or less? Tell us why in the comments below.

Images: Lucasfilm

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Bring JURASSIC PARK Dinos Home with the Fandango Prop Shop

Have you ever wanted to own a dinosaur direct from Jurassic Park? Of course you have–especially if the dinosaur is of the collectible variety and not of the “will eat you” variety. Now your dream is one step closer, because for National Dinosaur Day (on Tuesday, May 15), Fandango has launched their very own Prop Shop and teamed up with Universal Studios to offer replicas from the Jurassic Park franchise. And we really mean teamed up, because the replicas were molded on the backlot of Universal Studios itself.

From replica dinosaur eggs to full scale Indominus Rex heads,  the Prop Shop has it all. Prices range from $99 to $24,000 for those truly dedicated and rich Jurassic Park fans. In the words of John Hammond they “spared no expense.”

Fandango’s vice president of marketing, merchandising, and licensing for Fandango FanShop Holly Rawlinson said in a press release, “FanShop is delighted to launch its new Prop Shop in collaboration with Universal Studios and their incredible artist. Our goal is to deliver authentic prop replicas that will help fans relive the thrills of their favorite films, while building excitement for upcoming theatrical releases, such as Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom opening on June 22.”

“We are so excited to partner with Fandango to bring these iconic, studio-produced collectibles to life,” said John Priebe, VP Universal Studio Operations. “Our talented artists are putting their hearts and expertise into each creation to deliver something extra special for the fans.”

Will you be popping over to the Prop Shop to purchase something ancient and exciting? Can’t wait to have your very own baby raptor? Just want to go to Isla Nublar ? Let us know below!

Images: Prop Shop

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How DEADPOOL 2 Has EVERYONE Divided!

By the end of this week, fans will be able to revisit the insanity of Wade Wilson when Deadpool 2 hits theaters. The early reviews are in, and the results are decidedly mixed. This movie definitely has its supporters, who love the characters and the signature sense of humor provided by Ryan Reynolds and the filmmakers. But this time, the detractors are making a lot of noise about Deadpool 2 not living up to the promise of the original. Today’s Nerdist News is navigating the good and the bad as we explain why Deadpool 2 has everyone divided.

Join host and our very own Merc with a Mouth, Jessica Chobot, as she starts off with some extremely negative reviews, including Slash Film, which calls the movie “a carbon copy of its smugly satisfied predecessor” and compares it to an episode of Family Guy. That’s harsh, bro! Vulture was also less than kind when it condemned Deadpool 2 as a satire of superhero saturation instead of “a symptom of it.” Collider straight up slammed Deadpool 2‘s ambitions to simultaneously be a real superhero movie and a parody of superhero movies.

Where’s the love, man? Io9 said that Deadpool 2 was better and funnier than the original while also praising the film’s emotional stakes and oddly showtune heavy soundtrack. Rolling Stone also gave Deadpool 2 a glowing write up that called it a “superior sequel” despite its “blatant franchise pandering.” So, adding X-Force to Deadpool 2 was too much?

Our associate editor, Kyle Anderson had a more measured take on the film. In his review, Kyle said “the studio is a little too in on the joke” and that the sequel’s attempts to simultaneously be edgy, funny, and emotional doesn’t quite work. That said, Kyle was enthusiastic about the potential X-Force franchise that may spin out of this movie, particularly if Zazie Beetz’s Domino continues to play a major role.

What do you think about the early response to Deadpool 2? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!

Images: 20th Century Fox/Marvel

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Bryan Fuller Has Left Anne Rice’s VAMPIRE CHRONICLES TV Series

We have some good news and some bad news when it comes to the upcoming television series adaptation of Anne Rice‘s Vampire Chronicles. Earlier this year, it was announced Bryan Fuller of Hannibal fame would be joining the TV series as a producer, but according to Rice’s comments to Nerdist, he exited the project in February.

No reasons were given, but Fuller has a knack lately for stepping away from shows with his name attached to them (see also: American Gods and Star Trek: Discovery). While this news is a bummer, the show must go on, and the Vampire Chronicles series is still going forward. In fact, Anne Rice’s son, author Christopher Rice, who is also the Vampire Chronicles executive producer, tweeted out this image of the completed pilot script for the series:

pic.twitter.com/hOVXuY55NL

— Christopher Rice (@chrisricewriter) May 2, 2018

The title for the first episode, “Wolf Killer,” confirms what fans have known for awhile–the series will start by showing the events which resulted in Lestat’s vampiric beginnings from the second novel in the series, The Vampire Lestat. That story takes place considerably before the events of Interview with the Vampire (which the series would presumably get to in a second or third season).

The Vampire Chronicles television series doesn’t currently have a network or a streaming outlet attached, but an announcement in regards to that is expected soon. The series won’t air until 2019 at the earliest, however, fans of Rice’s legendary vampires won’t have to wait until then for Lestat and his buddies to appear. Anne Rice’s next book in the series, titled Blood Communion: A Tale of Prince Lestat, is coming out on October 2.

In addition, fans of the Chronicles will be getting a new companion book this year. Announced at Entertainment Weekly, the book is titled Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles: An Alphabettery. Compiled and written by Becket, Rice’s longtime assistant, The Alphabettery is described as an annotated cosmology of Anne Rice’s vampiric universe, from A(kasha) to Z(enobia), gathered from all 15 books in the series. Rice wrote the introduction, and artist Mark Edward Geyer created the illustrations for the entries. The Alphabettery will be published by Anchor Books on October 23. Read the official description for the book below:

Exciting news about Becket’s new guide to the Vampire Chronicles: AN ALPHABETTERY. (And the illustrations are exciting too.) Becket completed this monumental project before he left us last year. https://t.co/1daEAWY7SS

— Anne Rice (@AnneRiceAuthor) May 14, 2018

“An Alphabettery of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles gathers together, from all fifteen of the books in the series, the facts, details, story lines, genealogies of her characters, vampiric subjects, geographical influences, and cultural and individual histories, all of which Rice painstakingly researched and invented during her 40-year career–to date–through which she has enchanted and transported us. Here are concise, detailed biographies of every character, no matter how central or minor to the cosmology.   Revealed are the intricacies and interconnectedness of characters and subjects throughout. We see how Akasha (Queen of Egypt and the first vampire) is connected to Mekare (the inheritor of the title of the Queen of the Damned), etc., and how these characters connect back to the darkest rebel outlaw of them all, Lestat de Lioncourt …

And we see, as well, the ways in which Rice’s vampires have evolved from warring civilizations to isolated covens to a unified race of blood drinkers led by their hero-wanderer and sole monarch, Prince Lestat.  For devoted and first-time Anne Rice readers alike, An Alphabettery of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles will be the holy grail of lore and revelation for those who have been, and continue to be, mesmerized by the worlds within worlds of these beloved tales of the undead.”

Are you as excited for all the coming adventures of Lestat in print and televised form as we are? Be sure to let us know in the comments.

Images: Warner Brothers / Alfred A. Knopf

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SOLO Remembers That STAR WARS Movies Can Be Fun (Review)

I still remember watching the very first Star Wars movie on VHS as a kid. I knew a lot about it from episodes of Muppet Babies and just general zeitgeist osmosis, but seeing the adventures of Luke Skywalker writ medium on our 27 inch tube TV sparked daydreams and later action figure scenarios for years. A lot of this was because of the character of Han Solo; he had the coolest ship, he was charming and funny, and his best friend was a giant bear dog who could rip people’s arms out of their sockets. Han Solo is a necessary character in Star Wars, and Disney and Lucasfilm know that, and luckily Solo: A Star Wars Story knows he embodies the fun of Star Wars.

It’s sort of a shame movies can’t just exist in a vacuum without the added baggage of often troubled productions or studio interference. Ron Howard is Solo‘s credited director, but we all know he didn’t start out that way, and I confess to spending the first little bit of Solo trying to spot the joints. You can see a little bit, but it’s certainly not nearly as egregious as Justice League, the new gold standard of Frankensteined blockbusters. And luckily, Solo quickly became compelling as the pieces in young Han (Alden Ehrenreich)’s life start leading toward his inevitable turn from street ruffian to interstellar scoundrel.

A lot of that first Star Wars movie–A New Hope; you know the one–is actually about one specific mission: Obi-Wan, Luke, Han, Chewie, and the droids head to the Death Star to rescue Princess Leia. There’s capital-H Hero’s Journey stuff surrounding it, but the focus of its narrative mainly concerns rescuing this one pivotal character, and there’s fun and excitement and laughs and thrills to be had surrounding that. Solo‘s set-up follows that formula, but without the universe-altering mythology of the ancient battle between Jedi and Sith. This is A New Hope without the mysticism.

I keep harping about “fun” but that’s what Solo has that Rogue One and even most of The Last Jedi were lacking. Yes, battles between good and evil are wrought with dread and tragedy and sadness, but Solo explores the universe through the eyes of a carefree–and often out of his depth–swashbuckler who’s only thinking about the next big score. This is the first Star Wars movie where it hasn’t felt like it’s being crushed by the portentous weight of what’s to come. Oh there are references–ho ho ho, don’t think there aren’t copious, winky references, but they’re in-jokes rather than any of the “Dun Dun Dun” grave nods to stuff that’s coming, as happened in Rogue One and literally all of the prequels.

Somehow, Solo is able to pack in several surprises. Even as we start to see the vestiges of who Han Solo will become pile up–each one done for maximum audience cheers–the script by Lawrence and Jonathan Kasdan gives us twists to the plot that feel like a proper heist movie. Not everything is as it seems, and stuff you might have thought happened one way actually happens a different way. This one loses the foregone conclusion element of something like a Rogue One, which is very welcome and refreshing.

As the crew starts to assemble, everything gets much more interesting. Not merely Han who makes it through life with the cheesiest of cheese-eating grins, but all of his cronies, both known and unknown. The budding partnership between he and Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) feels perfectly paced and earned, both orphans of a corrupt empire searching for a place. There’s probably a whole trilogy’s worth of adventures of Woody Harrelson’s Tobias Beckett, a gun-twirling outlaw with unfathomable debts to repay to particularly dangerous people. Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke) has layer upon layer of guise and you’re never sure which is the real her. And the movie really begins to shine when Donald Glover’s uber-dashing Lando Calrissian shows up, along with his co-pilot droid L3-37 (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) who is a voice for droid rights and a thoroughly welcome addition.

Solo: A Star Wars Story doesn’t reach the heights of daring of The Last Jedi, but it’s a movie designed to be safe, familiar, and smile-inducing, all while watching characters we grew up with be young and brash. If you heard Han or Lando mention something of their backstory in A New Hope or The Empire Strikes Back, you’re gonna see it played out here, but it’s more a function of the story rather than the point. And as we know Ehrenreich is signed on for more movies, Solo does a good job of setting up the intrigue of that saga, while taking care of most of the “oh THAT’s where that came from” moments so the later films don’t have to. More exciting were the references to things from The Clone Wars and nods to what’s to come in Star Wars Rebels, which are there if you’re looking for them.

For all the ways Solo could have gone wrong, it wisely aimed for a solid double rather than a grand slam on the first pitch. The Star Wars franchise under Disney and Lucasfilm is a long game, and they’ve finally learned not every movie needs to be the giant, saga-shattering puzzle piece, but instead can be a solid space adventure, like the best of what are now considered Legends. I wasn’t blown away, but I’m thoroughly compelled to watch more Solo movies, which even a week ago was not what I expected at all.

4 out of 5 burritos

Images: Lucasfilm

Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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