Director: Ron Howard
By Alex Watson
The filming of this production made as many headlines as the release did. Due to numerous creative conflicts, original director's Phil Lord and Chris Miller were dismissed and Ron Howard was brought into the steady the ship. As a Lucas disciple, Howard was the perfect man to bring Solo: A Star Wars Story to life. This picture is a fun prequel with an impressive cast to boot which provides a must needed dosage of Star Wars fun. However, fans may find themselves asking whether this picture adds anything new to this universe?
Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) is a talented but undisciplined pilot. Forced to flee the slums of his home planet of Correlia and abandon his lover Qi'ra (Emilia Clarke), Solo sets about reclaiming what he has lost. Gradually, he finds his way into the company of criminal Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson) who shows him the ropes of making serious money. Soon he will find himself boarding a ship named the Millenium Falcon and meeting his furry friend Chewbacca (now played by Joonas Suotamo).
Solo does a great job of reminding us of the scallywag charm that this scruffy looking nerfherder possesses. His early days of being a 'scrumrat' under the thumb of worm looking crime boss Lady Proxima (voiced by Linda Hunt) show a young man with barely any restraint. An impulsive yet forward-thinking rogue, his potential never fully blossoms until he encounters Beckett. This man frequently remains morally ambiguous throughout but Han treats him like the brother he never had. Tacking on a galactic heist theme could well have sent the plot spinning- but in the hands of Howard, it is utterly thrilling. Watching a gutsy heist on top of a speeding train is just one of the well-executed set pieces. The script by Empire Strikes Back helmer Lawrence Kasdan and his son Jake does tend to veer off the rails at points- in particular, its tendency to produce underwritten characters for extremely brief screen time.
From a nostalgia point of view, this story will satisfy tastes and due credit to the Kasdan duo who from very little have produced a believable backstory for our hero. It effectively answers any remaining questions Star Wars may have had before viewing. His alliance with Chewie is one that is excellently conveyed. At first, the pair are locked in combat, but they crawl out of the mud as reluctant partners. Ever wondered how on earth Han could understand this giant walking carpet? Well now's your chance! Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) is also another resounding success and thanks in part to a silky yet pedantic performance from Glover, this smooth character breathes life into this prequel. Qi'ra however, doesn't quite succeed and this is mainly down to the character's having a severe lack of chemistry. We cannot feel any longing or connection whenever the pair appears onscreen and this is a love that is key to the plot!
While Solo succeeds on thrills, its script get knotted up with constant twists and double-crosses towards the film's climax. The unfortunate thing here is that we can see them coming from a mile away. The main cast produces a tandem of excellent characters who help carry this film on their shoulders. Sadly, there are a bunch of supporting characters who fail to hit the mark! Phoebe Waller-Bridge's continually griping L3-37 fails spectacularly at the comic relief aspect. What really lets Solo down is a lack of a convincing villain. Paul Bettany's crime lord Dryden Vos has presence but outside of looking threatening, he adds little to proceedings. Despite these minor glitches, there is still promises for these stand-alone adventures in the Star Wars universe. Who knows what they will cook up for the upcoming Boba Fett feature?
There are few actors who would have been a better choice to play Han Solo than Alden Ehrenreich. After impressing in the Coen Brother's Hollywood satire 'Hail Caesar', Ehrenreich has the gusty charm that Solo badly needs. Showing his trademark roguish smirk and carefree recklessness, Ehrenreich has captured the spirit of a legend. Woody Harrelson once more shows that he is Hollywood's go-to man when it comes to complex supporting characters. Beckett is a tough character to bring to life, but Harrelson manages to make his confusing morality seem plausible. Donald Glover nearly steals the show from under Ehrenreich but unfortunately, he isn't given nearly as much screentime as he deserves.
Solo is a movie that despite its problematic production is a much-needed dosage of Star Wars joy that will conquer our addiction until Episode 9 comes around! Resist the urge to hug the screen and yell "HOW YA DOIN' YA PIRATE?"
