Director: Ron Howard
Screenplay: Lawrence Kasdan, Jonathan Kasdan
Starring:
Alden Ehrenreich
Woody Harrelson
Emilia Clarke
Donald Glover
Paul Bettany
Joonas Suotamo
“Why all the hate?”
Despite what is being said by many fans and critics, SOLO is not a bad or terrible film. Truth is, it’s a damn good film.
I have to admit, I went in with intripdation. I was part of the crowd that was not really looking forward to a Solo film (I Wanted Skywalker). I was also one of the many left unimpressed with the first trailer or two.
I went into the theater with low expectations.
I walked out 140 minutes or so later very happy with what I had witnessed. To me, Solo delivered.
The thing to keep in mind is this: This is NOT the Han Solo we’ve meet before and grew to love. This story takes place well before Luke and Ben and US ever meet Han Solo.
This is a younger Solo, a decade or more before A New Hope as we see the first steps this Han takes in his young life to become the scoundrel and Rebel Han that we know.
These first steps see Han and his girlfriend Qi’ra recklessly attempt to escape Corellia for a better life, only to get separated. She escapes, and Han avoids being caught by accidently enlisting in the Imperial Navy – Yes, at one point Han served the Empire! (Not Willingly.)
After a few years of trying to get out of the service to find Qi’ra, Han attaches himself to Tobias Beckett and his mercenaries. Thus begins a journey that sees him meet and rescue Chewbacca for the first time, reconnect with Qi’ra, meet Lando, make the famed Kessel Run and get ownership of the Millennium Falcon.
Solo is a very fun origin/prequel story that sets the stage and shows us some pivotal moments and people that shape this young Solo into the Han we first meet in A New Hope.
As one would expect from Star Wars, there is action, adventure and great special effects – but the true strength of this film is its characters.
Donald Glover shines as a younger Lando Calrissian.
Woody Harrelson steals the entire move as Tobias Beckett – giving us the template for what Han will become.
Alden Ehrenreich as Han carries the movie – he gives a stellar performance, praised by George Lucas and Harrison Ford alike.
This script was co-written by Lawrence Kasdan – with his son, Jonathan. Any Star Wars fans should know who Kasdan is. If not, check yourself.
The script delivered on the three things it should have: Story, Plot and Characters. The Story was very good. Keep in mind this was basically a character piece to introduce us to a young Han Solo and see him set on the path to become the Han we all know. WE DON’T KNOW THIS HAN.
YET.
In fact we don’t know this Lando or Chewbacca either.
While this is not the first time we are meeting them, we are seeing them earlier in their lives then when we first meet them.
Final Thoughts:
I thought it was a strong film across the board, and a more worthy entrant into the Star Wars mythos then the prequel trilogy, Forces Awakens or The Last Jedi.
A Damn Good film.
RATING: 7
Now “Why all the hate?”
I don’t get the hate toward this film from some Critics and Fans alike. The main arguments I hear are complete bullshit.
1) This wasn’t Han.
2) It didn’t add anything new to the Star Wars Franchise.
3) The film didn’t take any risks.
I’m going to tackle these briefly here.
3) The film didn’t take any risks.
Was it suppose to? Ron Howard came in to make the film at the last moment, taking over from the previous directors who parted way for creative differences. The film had one purpose, to entertain, like all Star Wars films. No Star Wars film has ever really taken risks, they don’t tell those types of story.
The only risk ever taken was the financial risk of making the first Star Wars film in the first place.
2) It didn’t add anything new to the Star Wars Franchise.
Ok, really? Let’s see . . . first off, why does it have to add anything new? There’s nothing new about Star Wars in general. Lucas has long admitted it’s based on Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers and many other film serials and ideas: Hence the ‘Star Wars Crawl.’
But let’s keep this to Solo. What does it add new?
Qi’ra, Han’s girlfriend and his whole reason for becoming what he has.
Crimson Dawn! Before this was only ever mentioned in Novels and Comics books – all of which Disney wiped out. Now it is official cannon.
How about Tobias Beckett? How can anyone say nothing new was added when here is the biggest new character added outside of Rey and Kylo Ren? And a better character.
1) This wasn’t Han.
Oh, please. I can’t believe people are going here. This was Han, only a younger Han. This was an origin story, this is who Han was before we meet him in A New Hope and the story of how he became that Han. To criticize this for not showing us the older Han is stupid!
I’ve heard that this Han wasn’t the gun ho, take no prisoners risking taking Han. First off, everything the younger Han in Solo did was taking risks. Escaping Corellia, escaping his service in the Imperial Navy, rescuing Chewy, joining Beckett, going head to head with Crimson Dawn, The Kessel Run.
Yeah, no risks there.
And lets the honest, the A New Hope and older Han was a scoundrel, smuggler and coward. That’s set up right from the start in Star Wars: A New Hope. Remember, Guedo is there because Han dumped Jabba’s shipment. Also, Han runs anytime there is trouble, such as from the Storm Troopers on The Death Star.
Granted, Han becomes braver as the films go on, but that is out of necessity – and to impress a certain princess.
The majority of people are comparing the Solo Han to the myth of the Older Han – not the actual character we know.
Get over yourselves.
