Solo: A Star Wars Story

• Directed by Ron Howard
• May 10, 2018 (Los Angeles) / May 25, 2018 (US)
• Based on characters created by George Lucas

Han and Chewie join a heist with a group of thieves and eventually find themselves in the criminal underworld. That’s it. That’s the plot for one of the most expensive movies ever made.

I’m still not sure why Solo: A Star Wars Story was even made. Was this a story that would improve upon anything involving the character? Hollywood these days does rather like to go back than instead of going forward. Studios have a need to go back and flesh out areas that don’t need to be fleshed out. Part of any great character is what the audience can project upon them. It allows the audience to bond with and become invested in this work of fiction. We fill in the rest with what we can infer. 

This is an origin story for Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) that gives us backstory that we didn’t need to understand a character the viewer already understood. It contains information that does nothing to elevate the character but rather does plenty to bring him down to Earth. We do not need our heroes or icons to be relatable but answering questions does just that.

I do question the casting in particular of the lead. Not because Alden Ehrenreich is a bad actor, but another individual named Jamie Costa did a fan film (watch on YouTube HERE) shortly before this and he got everything about Han Solo right. When you do an iconic character you’re almost forced to do a variation of the original actor’s performance rather than your own thing. Not a superficial approximation. Costa got the character beyond the surface. Alden Ehrenreich not so much.

Not only do we have Alden Ehrenreich stepping into the shoes of Harrison Ford, but we have Donald Glover stepping into the shoes of Billy Dee Williams. Few have ever been as cool and charismatic as Billy Dee with a charm that could either be that of a bad boy or a good friend depending on whatever decision he made. Glover tries but doesn’t quite succeed. 

I have no idea what actor working known or even minor could’ve stepped into Billy’s shoes but I don’t think Glover was the one. His performance is, well, I’m not sure what it is. It’s almost like he’s unintentionally mocking Billy Dee’s performance as Lando Calrissian. Or maybe all I see is Community.

There is also the abrupt addition of Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke). She is this great love of Han Solo’s life that was not hinted at previously. A formative character that never got a fleeting mention before. Clarke brought all the energy and charisma to the part that she did when she replaced Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor. Or maybe it was bad writing on the part of Jonathan and Lawrence Kasdan. Qi’ra is as deep as a teaspoon of water.

New to canon here as well is L3-37 (voice of Phoebe Waller-Bridge) who is Lando’s sidekick. The character had moments but could get a bit much. It possibly could’ve been better with anyone other than Phoebe Waller-Bridge voicing it. There were hints of equal rights and sexuality in the character, but it felt more like a lecture inserted in the film than an aspect of the story. Or they were simply highlighting how humans treat the droids in Star Wars as no better than toasters when they are clearly sentient feeling beings. And the implication that Lando did something of a sexual nature with a robot makes it weird.

And what exactly in the intervening years did Han and Chewie do to the interior of the Millenium Falcon? It’s all spit and polish while in the had the look of a cross between a luxury apartment and an Apple store when Lando had it. Fast forward to A Hew Hope and it looks like it’s been washed in coffee grounds and diarrhea. Did it smell and how poor is their hygiene? 

I do appreciate the nice and subdued connections to preceding Star Wars films such as the explanation of C-3PO’s comment about the Millenium Falcon having an unusual dialect and the appearance of Lando’s costume from Jedi used at Jabba’s Palace worn here by Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson). There were others. These were not backstory but rather acknowledgments to observant fans.

Tobias Beckett is meant to be some kind of mentor I guess. The thing is Han didn’t seem to learn too much from him other than people are predictable. And it’s not like he takes Han under his wing. Han is more like a cute kitten found on the side of the road that he takes home.

It certainly felt like a Star Wars movie. It was a lived-in world with familiar yet equally strange environments. Big battles and by the skin of your teeth escapes. But it never felt epic. It went through the motions but lacked the heart and energy. Worse Solo is a heist film where Han Solo just doesn’t feel like Han Solo or even a proto-Han Solo. The additions of Crimson Dawn and Enfys Nest (Erin Kellyman giving an uninterested performance) feel more like random choices from Legends material than a treat. It’s as if Ron Howard and pals are trying to tell us how Star Wars this film is without simply being Star Wars. 

Nothing builds in the story. Han’s change of heart doesn’t come from him being confronted by where he’s going wrong or coming up short. It comes along as a matter of necessity to get to the end. It’s a forced development to connect to the main movies.

Perhaps a better idea would have been an adventure that’s not an origin story but just a story we hadn’t seen from Han’s past. Adapt a Legends story featuring Han Solo. Something that could be added to canon rather than connect to canon. Maybe even one of the Han Solo Adventures novels.

Maybe it’s because there was so much re-shooting done on this and what we got is a combination of whatever Ron Howard did and what Lord and Miller did before they were removed from the project. It doesn’t feel like a theatrical experience. Rather the energy level is more of an at-home experience. And it feels like there is stuff that could be expanded upon. The sacrifice of Val Beckett (Thandiwe Newton). The rivalry between Enfys Nest and the Crimson Dawn syndicate. That’s just stuff that should’ve been built up, but we were just handed it. 

The story is ultimately about getting Han to Jabba the Hutt. At least there are two mentions vaguely alluding to a job implied to be with Jabba the Hutt. And that little bit of information is enough to get Han Solo to Jabba the Hutt. Why do I say Jabba the Hutt so much? Because his name is never mentioned. Nor is his species. And given the prequel films there appeared to be at least one other gangster on Tatooine.

What they do get 100% right are the stunning visuals. The space shots and the aliens are absolutely ideal. That drives home just how much of a space opera Star Wars is. Everything else lacks the right feel.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is good, but not great. It’s a home experience and not a theatrical experience. Not a disappointment but doesn’t reach the heights that a theatrical release of Star Wars should.