Solo

This was an interesting little B film. Mario van Peebles is a cyborg with a capacity to learn and have independent thoughts. The film is rather predictable, but on a weekend afternoon when there's nothing to do, it's nice to watch. This is the kind of thing you can find a lot of problems with if you analyze it, but if you do, you're really being too serious about it.

When I stumbled on SOLO on cable TV and realized Adrien Brody, one of my favorite actors, was third-billed in this Mario Van Peebles action flick, I decided to record it and check it out later for the heck of it. Turns out that was a good idea, since I got the most enjoyment out of this derivative SF/action/adventure when I simply gave up and fast-forwarded to Brody's scenes as Solo's endearingly scruffy creator Dr. Bill Stewart (sounds like the kind of bland name they'd give the hero in a 1950s creature feature -- told you SOLO was derivative! :-). Brody's one of the few performers in the film who actually says his lines with heart and conviction. When he was emoting opposite Van Peebles & Co., I wonder if Brody ever thought one day he'd be winning an Oscar for his starring turn in a Roman Polanski drama? :-) Adrien Brody fans, get the VCR ready; genre fans, try renting THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, FRANKENSTEIN, THE TERMINATOR, or any of the other movies that SOLO rips off! :-)

Solo is a pretty good movie. Mario Van Peeble is good as Solo, the andriod soldier that learns to think for himself. When he escapes from his superiors and takes refuge in a small mexican village, he agrees to help the villagers defend themselves against a rebel and his army. The action scenes are good, and the fight at the end between Solo and the bad android is awesome.

My dad took me to see 'Solo' back when it hit theaters in 1996. Even then I knew it wasn't great but still had fun. Returning to it nearly thirty years later this sentiment remains. It doesn't do anything new or flashy with it's cyborg formula, but if you tolerate a measure of predictability you'll find a few likable faces in the cast - Mario Van Peebles, William Sadler - and some well shot action pieces particularly towards the end.

Solo (Peebles) is an experimental cyborg creation of the US Army who's sent on a field test in Central America to take out some bad goons, but when he disobeys orders because innocent people will be killed the decision is made to reprogram him. He can't allow that to happens due to his directives so he escapes his handlers and stands up for the poor innocent villagers as his own military sends in Col. Madden (Sadler) to capture or take him out by any means.

Barry Corbin plays a one note General and in an earlier role it's Adrian Brody as the android doc who's sympathizes with Solo. Peebles turns in a wooden performance, but I guess you can say that's what was asked of him. Sadler is the biggest burst of energy as the lifelong military man resentful of a machine taking over a soldier's job and carries the task of being the bad guy effectively.

If you ignore cliche emotional sentiment, tolerate minuscule character development and avoid thinking too deeply, 'Solo' makes for a passable low level action trip. Peebles physically looks very much up to the role and there's a few mild twist 'n turns along the way. Everything looks good too, but it's fairly uninspired.

When I saw this film, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the ridiculous plot, with bad acting, bad effects etc. it was probabaly worse than the butt ugly operation: Delta Force film series! I really smell a huge rip- off of good films with human/ robotic cyborgs eg. Terminator, Robocop, even the British TV show Red Dwarf. SOLO, aka Mario Van Peebles attempts to create an atmosphere that is spoilt by a commando team searching for SOLO and the scene where he throws the knife with the wire on it is pathetic, especially where he shimmies down the wire on his bare hands without any scratches, comedy, and definitely a bargain bin classic!