Solo A Star Wars Story Theatrical Review
Solo: A Star Wars Story is a prequel to the
original Star
Wars series. The film aims to introduce our rouge hero Han Solo by
exploring his early days years before coming into his encounters with
Luke
Skywalker and Princess Leia. This time Han flies Solo. Hence the
pun-tastic
title of the film. The film is executive produced by Lawrence Kasdan,
Phil
Lord, Christopher Miller, and Jason D. McGatlin.
Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) has yet to join the
rebellion.
He sets off a journey all on his own after becoming separated from his
childhood friend Qi'ra (Emilia Clarke) after evading the clutches of
the dark
side. Going on his own missions, Solo traverses the galaxy working a
number of
"odd jobs" as a pilot.
Along his journeys, Han meets Chewbacca (Joonas
Suotamo) for
the first time. This scene is an unexpected delight. Anyone who
cherishes the
universe of Star Wars will find something to enjoy in the
initial
meeting of Han and Chewie.
Solo later joins up with Beckett (Woody Harrelson)
and Val
(Thandie Newton) for a intergalactic heist mission for the menacing
Dryden Vos
(Paul Bettany). Because of these encounters, he once again meets his
old friend
Qi'ra. A romance and a whirlwind of emotions spur between. The two have
a lot
of catching up to do. They meet up with Lando (Donald Glover), and he
proves just
as sly as always in this outing.
Going in to this film, I must admit to having had
a lot of trepidation
about the possibility of not even enjoying it. As a massive Star
Wars
fan, I hold these films dear to my heart, and the idea behind it was
somewhat off-putting
from the get-go. Revisit Han Solo with a different actor? How could
anyone walk
in Harrison Ford's shoes? It just sounded like a recipe for possible
disaster. Toss
in the behind-the-scenes production woes, including the replacements of
the
original directors with Ron Howard (whom I tend to find uneven as a
filmmaker
and who certainly lacks much in credentials for helming adventures) and
it
seemed like this film potentially could be a major misfire for
Lucasfilm.
Much to my surprise and delight, Solo: A Star
Wars Story
is a better film than its trailers let on. It's a genuine blast of old
school
sci-fi adventure from start to finish. The film is loaded with great
references
to the originals (including moments which are sure to delight diehards). The line "I've got a good
feeling about this!" blurted out by Han Solo during a pivotal scene is
a
perfect reference to the original "I've got a bad feeling about
this!"
One can't help but enjoy the referential moments.
Or the
revelation of how Han got his last name, which feels surprising but
seems to
fit perfectly for the character like a glove. Then there's other
tidbits: Chewbacca's
age is revealed for the first time. These kinds of moments (which are
spread
throughout) add to the experience. If you're a big fan the series the
film is
filled with great Easter eggs.
From a technical standpoint, the film does not
disappoint
either. The production design by Neil Lamont (Rogue One: A Star Wars
Story,
the Harry Potter series) is downright incredible. The film
doesn't even
remotely disappoint on this level. The spectacle of it all is enormous:
from
the incredible set designs to the breathtaking special effects. If
there was
one thing I didn't doubt about this production, it was that Lucasfilm
would
deliver a well-produced product on the technical scale. It is truly a
technical
marvel with great artistry.
The cinematography by Bradford Young (Arrival,
Selma)
is equally absorbing and beautiful. The film has so many great moments
enhanced
by the stunning photography. The costumes by David Crossman (Star
Wars: The
Last Jedi) and Glyn Dillon (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
are also impressive
and befit the characters and Star Wars universe remarkably
well.
The music score by John Powell (How to Train
Your Dragon,
Rio) doesn't break new ground (or even try really). It features
a lot of
adapted music based on the original scores by John Williams. However,
in this
case, it's hard to fault it for leaning heavily on William's themes.
Many
scenes feel like straight adaptations of sections from Williams scores.
But why
mess with the master composer? The more original pieces blend well into
the Star
Wars music lore as well. Powell proves capable for the task at hand
even if
the film lacks the grandiose ambition of Michael Giacchino's epic Rogue
One score.
Based on the world and characters created by
George Lucas,
the screenplay for Solo was written by the father-son screenwriting duo
Jonathan Kasdan and Lawrence Kasdan (The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders
of the Lost Ark). To say the film is a blast in large part due to
their
script is a big understatement. It's a fun story which works both as a
standalone film while effectively adding on to established lore. To
their
credit, the script doesn't even attempt to fully define the past of
Han. It
remembers to keep some of his character a beautiful mystery while
filling in
some gaps which will satisfy fans.
Directed by Ron Howard (Apollo 13, A
Beautiful
Mind), taking over the reins of the previously hired filmmakers,
Howard
does much better in the director's chair than I expected. It's
interesting
to think the young Howard went from working as part of a ensemble with
George
Lucas on the masterpiece American Graffiti to becoming the
director of a
entry in this sci-fi universe. Howard may feel more workmanlike as a
filmmaker
than like a auteur but he does a great job of bringing all the pieces
of this
film together for a fun, well-paced, and memorable ride.
Solo is also a testament to the power of a great
producer
behind the scenes. Kathleen Kennedy proves once again why she's the
perfect
person to shepherd these films for Lucasfilm. While many studios fall
back and
allow films to suffer critically when there's a problem behind the
scenes,
Kennedy has repeatedly made efforts to make the film as good as can be
(i.e. Rogue One, which had similar
production
problems behind the scenes). When there's a problem, Kennedy seems to
know how
to fix it. This film is a perfect example of why she's one of
Hollywood's
crowning producers.
Solo: A Star Wars Story might be
underperforming at
the box-office but if you haven't seen it it's absolutely worth the
trip. This
is a fantastic entry into the Star Wars saga and it's a great
time at the
movies. It's worth seeing on the biggest (and best) screen possible:
the IMAX
presentation adds to the film's immersive experience and comes
recommended.
Journey solo (or alongside friends) and take a trip to a galaxy far,
far
away...
Highly Recommended.
Neil Lumbard is a lifelong fan of cinema. He aspires to make movies and has written two screenplays on spec. He loves writing, and currently does in Texas.