Solo |
  • Mexico / USA • 1996 • 94m •   • Directed by: Norberto Barba. • Starring: Mario Van Peebles, Barry Corbin, William Sadler, Jaime Gomez, Demián Bichir, Seidy Lopez, Abraham Verduzco, Joaquín Garrido, William Wallace, Adrien Brody, Brent Schaeffer, Lucas Dudley, Christopher Michael. • Music by: Christopher Franke.      An android is designed by the military and utilized to enter into a Latin American war to destroy the rebels - natives fighting simply to maintain their freedom. Contrary to his programming, he develops an affinity for the villagers and decides to help them fight back.
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Review:
(Solo) is the electronic super soldier who got human, and became more sensitive than all the senseless war machines around him, who ironically are the original humans. It's Frankenstein again, but in Rambo shape and Robocop suit, with the conflict of the little village and its protector "one" samurai against his crazy makers. I just want to assure how catchy the elements of the story were, which made me confused about how the big Hollywood majors missed that one!
I couldn't believe the presence of so many thorough points, since my experience with familiar low budget movies was horrible. For instance: The script. Actually they could have recreated Frankenstein who took revenge cruelly on its makers, but on the contrary we watched the (human beast) conflict, and how (Solo) personified - by his muddle newborn humanity - the noble martyr of this inferno, or that greedy degenerate human world. Also how it was wonderful to begin hotly enough with the point of attack when (Solo), the robot, used his own merciful tactic, then we watch his past briefly and smartly later. Moreover, the nice touches to affirm his importunate desire to be human like; the childish wicked tricks, the joy of the smile, the meaning of sacrifice.. etc.
However, that script saved its best to the end. Because its idea of another electronic, more lethal soldier was unpredictable, along with expressive; as we watch the ultimate confrontation where the heartless American military commander turned perfectly into that mighty monstrosity against the android where the android looked more high and powerful, because of what he already learned from the pure human souls. And although the android triumphed eventually, but the sole (Solo) must die at the end; as the only one there who is deadly and kind in the same time, so he couldn't live by the deranged logic of this world, yet his death informed about how the human could win the beast humanly. That final truthful laugh was such a marvelous end which summarized the main victory of the lead character, and the basic tragic sense of the story. Maybe that end was what Hollywood hated, with a lot of sadness and no chance to make a sequel!
The direction wasn't that vapid or that Kubrick either. It made fair action, despite the non-zillion budget. Then we come to the matter of (Mario Van Peebles); regardless of the ordinary charisma and the quiet career which both didn't serve him much; this actor confirms here how talented he is. His performance grasped the subtle features of (Solo)'s personality, even if it seemed so easy to act. This man, as a true actor, did an effort to show us (Solo), not as another metallic character done by metallic star; but as a robot that has some simple human sense, to make us watch carefully how (Solo) the machine feels the pain of not feeling, experience the confusion of the human games, and taste his unfortunate mineral laughter; which was his best scene. (Peebles) succeeded in playing (Solo) clemently; by putting slight doleful compassion, with strong pride, right in his eyes, voice, and moves.
Maybe I didn't like that stereotypical, forever-evil, guy with its bad characterization, where he was so devilish with no convincing reason or whatsoever. But anyway, (Solo) is solid piece of work, that made such a new Frankenstein, mixed it cleverly with the one-man-army superhero action, and while presenting the story of the monster; it didn't turn into one itself!
Review by elshikh4 from the Internet Movie Database.
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