Solo: a Star Wars Thoughts

Alternative title: People Ranking “Solo” as the Worst Star Wars Movie Are Insane.

The release of “Solo: a Star Wars Story” has been a weird one for “Star Wars” movies. It hasn’t set the world on fire, so many have been quick to blame everything and declare it the worst entry. I’ve heard some actual fan reaction from people directly, but even that has been hampered with statistics and box office returns. It should be noted that none of these people I’ve spoken to have any vested interest in those box office returns. It’s more just the way our world works now. Everything is seen in terms of how money justifies existence.

That almost makes sense in terms of “Star Wars,” as they have been so synonymous with box office success that when one doesn’t make a zillion dollars, it does, I suppose, qualify as “news.” The films have also reached a level of their own film genre, as one of my friends has pointed out. Each “Star Wars” movie can only be measured against previous “Star Wars” movies. All other comparisons are irrelevant. Still, I’m going to try.

Alfred: Good Butler, So-So Friend

Continuing my digestion of “The Dark Knight Rises,” I’ve come to a conclusion: Alfred is the worse character in “Rises,” and maybe in “The Dark Knight,” and possibly the entire series if you don’t count Rachel Dawes as a character at all (which I kind of don’t). He is, at the very least, the worst pre-existing character used in the final two movies, and it’s a real shame since he started out so great in “Begins.” A heart-felt, supportive-yet-protective surrogate father. He can buzz-kill a little in the name of protecting his charge, but he’s there to help Bruce. He still hadn’t given up on him. Not yet, anyway. Not until the going got tough. Then he ran away.