 |
| Courtesy of Disney |
True, the story’s frequent tonal shifts and jarring narrative developments make it obvious that that script went through numerous changes. For example, characters’ personalities constantly fluctuate between the comedic versions that original directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were aiming for and the more traditional Star Wars archetypes that replacement director Ron Howard ended up going with.
However, once viewers acclimate themselves to that strange dynamic, Solo ends up being a fun ride that should please fans of the long-running franchise. There aren’t many surprises – one of the major drawbacks of prequels – but the story has plenty of clever nods to other chapters and chronology nerds will get the satisfying feeling of narrative puzzle pieces clicking into place.
The film begins with a young Han (Alden Ehrenreich, awarded the unenviable task of following in Harrison Ford’s footsteps) enslaved by a local crime boss, but he gets a chance to escape when he steals a valuable fuel source and bribes his way off the planet. Sadly, his girlfriend Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke) is captured along the way, but Han vows he’ll return for her.
That’s how he ends up with Beckett (Woody Harrelson), a master thief whose crew (Thandie Newton and an ape-like alien voiced by Jon Favreau) is indebted to a dangerous mobster (Paul Bettany). If Han can help his new partners pull off a massive heist, he’ll have enough money to buy a ship and rescue his beloved.
Of course, complications arise. As a result, Han and Beckett must reach out to some familiar faces – including Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo, stepping in for the retired Peter Mayhew) and Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) – for help.
Solo eventually gains steam, but it gets off to a rocky start. The first half-hour is weirdly sluggish and feels a lot like the pilot episode of a television show. Combined with the issues I mentioned above, it ends up being a giant step back from Rian Johnson’s masterful The Last Jedi.
But that doesn’t mean the film isn’t entertaining. As we’ve come to expect from Star Wars movies, the visual effects are incredible and the score (by John Powell, with a few familiar John Williams touches) is terrific. Bradford Young’s unique cinematography is also memorable.
The performances are strong as well. Harrelson, Clarke and Bettany do solid work injecting personality into their stock characters, but most viewers’ expectations will be laser-focused on the two most iconic roles.
No one can truly replace Ford, so Ehrenreich doesn’t try to mimic his predecessor. Instead, he infuses Han with the charm and blustery swagger we’ve all come to love, while also putting his own spin on the character. It’s a wise decision, but there’s still a weird duality of enjoying his performance while simultaneously feeling like it’s not the “real” Han. That was going to happen no matter who was cast, so it’s not Ehrenreich’s fault.
Strangely, that doesn’t happen with Lando. Perhaps it’s because Billy Dee Williams had far less screen time than Ford in the original trilogy (even though he was equally charismatic), but from the moment Glover appears onscreen it’s obvious he’s the perfect actor for the role. There’s just enough of Williams in his performance to make him feel like the same guy. He steals every scene he’s in, but it’s unquestionably a supporting role. Now he needs his own movie.
If I can sum things up with a strange analogy, Solo is fast food to the home-cooked meal that is The Last Jedi. There’s nothing wrong with fast food occasionally (it’s fine!) but I don’t want to eat it all the time. I like my meals with more substance and a personal touch.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action/violence.
However, once viewers acclimate themselves to that strange dynamic, Solo ends up being a fun ride that should please fans of the long-running franchise. There aren’t many surprises – one of the major drawbacks of prequels – but the story has plenty of clever nods to other chapters and chronology nerds will get the satisfying feeling of narrative puzzle pieces clicking into place.
The film begins with a young Han (Alden Ehrenreich, awarded the unenviable task of following in Harrison Ford’s footsteps) enslaved by a local crime boss, but he gets a chance to escape when he steals a valuable fuel source and bribes his way off the planet. Sadly, his girlfriend Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke) is captured along the way, but Han vows he’ll return for her.
That’s how he ends up with Beckett (Woody Harrelson), a master thief whose crew (Thandie Newton and an ape-like alien voiced by Jon Favreau) is indebted to a dangerous mobster (Paul Bettany). If Han can help his new partners pull off a massive heist, he’ll have enough money to buy a ship and rescue his beloved.
Of course, complications arise. As a result, Han and Beckett must reach out to some familiar faces – including Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo, stepping in for the retired Peter Mayhew) and Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) – for help.
Solo eventually gains steam, but it gets off to a rocky start. The first half-hour is weirdly sluggish and feels a lot like the pilot episode of a television show. Combined with the issues I mentioned above, it ends up being a giant step back from Rian Johnson’s masterful The Last Jedi.
But that doesn’t mean the film isn’t entertaining. As we’ve come to expect from Star Wars movies, the visual effects are incredible and the score (by John Powell, with a few familiar John Williams touches) is terrific. Bradford Young’s unique cinematography is also memorable.
The performances are strong as well. Harrelson, Clarke and Bettany do solid work injecting personality into their stock characters, but most viewers’ expectations will be laser-focused on the two most iconic roles.
No one can truly replace Ford, so Ehrenreich doesn’t try to mimic his predecessor. Instead, he infuses Han with the charm and blustery swagger we’ve all come to love, while also putting his own spin on the character. It’s a wise decision, but there’s still a weird duality of enjoying his performance while simultaneously feeling like it’s not the “real” Han. That was going to happen no matter who was cast, so it’s not Ehrenreich’s fault.
Strangely, that doesn’t happen with Lando. Perhaps it’s because Billy Dee Williams had far less screen time than Ford in the original trilogy (even though he was equally charismatic), but from the moment Glover appears onscreen it’s obvious he’s the perfect actor for the role. There’s just enough of Williams in his performance to make him feel like the same guy. He steals every scene he’s in, but it’s unquestionably a supporting role. Now he needs his own movie.
If I can sum things up with a strange analogy, Solo is fast food to the home-cooked meal that is The Last Jedi. There’s nothing wrong with fast food occasionally (it’s fine!) but I don’t want to eat it all the time. I like my meals with more substance and a personal touch.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action/violence.
Grade: B-
Comments
Post a Comment