Movie Review - Solo: A Star Wars Story

The latest anthology film to grace the galaxy far, far away arrives in the unexpected origin of smuggler-turned-rebel Han Solo, in this month's Solo: A Star Wars Story. From director Ron Howard, and writer Lawrence Kasdan, the story of how Harrison Ford's iconic character from 1977's Star Wars came to be is finally chalked up for the live-action platform. While not entirely necessary, the ambitious project managed to soar high, drawing together a low-stakes adventure that kept steady in both its tone and purpose. Despite its troubled production and mixed reception, Solo delivered as a highly-enjoyable origin for one of Star Wars' most recognizable faces.

A young Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) spends his days on the streets of Corellia, scraping his way through a world of vicious crime and growing disorder. In a last chance at escaping a life of slavery, Han and childhood friend Qi'ra (Emilia Clarke) manage to bribe their way into what should be a straight shot towards freedom. But after getting separated from Qi'ra, Han quickly finds himself in the heat of war, as an Imperial soldier for the Galactic Empire. Joining a band of thugs, including Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson) and wife Val (Thandie Newton), as they seek to escape the fight to pull off a get-rich-quick scheme, the young pilot eventually crosses paths with ruthless crime lord Dryden Vos (Paul Bettany). Seeking to earn his respect as a pilot, and reconnect with Qi'ra, Han must enlist in new allies Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) and Wookiee Chewbacca to stay one step ahead of a heist that could go south at any moment. 

For the first Star Wars anthology film -- or spin-off if you will -- Rogue One, leaping off the back of 2015's The Force Awakens seemed to be an more-than-simple task to pull off some two years ago. With our faith mostly restored in the long-awaited return to a galaxy far, far away, J.J. Abrams' The Force Awakens quickly opened the door for both Disney and Lucasfilm to dabble with the universe they sought to expand. As Gareth Edwards' ambitious prequel lent itself to become one of the highest-grossing films of all-time, the prospects of many more spin-offs like it seemed all but certain. With that, the release of 2017's divisive The Last Jedi pitched the franchise into a volatile state of unease. Enter: Solo. With Empire Strikes Back writer Lawrence Kasdan on-board, and the guys behind The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street set to direct, the origin story of pilot and scoundrel Han Solo looked to be the light at the end of the tunnel for a fandom that lay divided.

While the road to this month's Solo: A Star Wars Story might have been a rough one, plagued by casting controversy and the departure of initial directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the spin-off still managed to explode into theaters without delay. Albeit a significantly smaller debut than Rogue One, the Ron Howard-directed origin sought to bring Star Wars back to the summer. In near-perfect summer popcorn-film fashion, Solo aimed to bring lighthearted fun and exhilaration before we return to the far-more-serious central Star Wars trilogy next year. Still, while Episode IX remains in the pipeline, a rather impressive western-sci-fi thrill-ride found itself in Solo.

Before delving into the main points of disdain for the origin feature, I'll first cover what most of you came here to read -- my thoughts on the film as a whole. While I too was of course hesitant of a Han Solo-focused film, releasing at a time when I imagined the franchise was moving forward instead of back, I slowly became open to the idea of a gritty western set on the shoulders of one of the space opera's most iconic characters. As I quickly dispelled my hopes that Harrison Ford would ever return to the role, after he met his fate in the sequel trilogy, I beckoned for answers as to not only who would play the lead, but where the origin story would take us. To my surprise, the film, set ten years before the events of A New Hope, offered up a riveting plot centered on one of Han Solo's first heists. Lined with compelling performances, some breathtaking visual effects, and a thorough treasure trove of easter eggs for fans to chew on, Solo quickly managed to become less of a contrived effort for the franchise, and more of a unique side story all its own.

Even while its not-so-lasting heist storyline played out in the background, amongst mostly forgettable crime lords and unsurprising conveniences, the journey at the heart of Solo lied with its protagonist. As young actor Alden Ehrenreich cautiously stepped into the role once made famous by Harrison Ford back in 1977, I yearned to see just what the up-and-coming actor could bring to the scoundrel. While matching the instant charm and charisma of Ford might have been a nearly-impossible task, Alden managed to sell me on his portrayal right from the start. Tackling a younger, far more ambitious and reckless Solo, Alden's balance with the character between his overconfidence and subtle snarky attitude situated the actor as a worthy choice for a Han Solo still figuring out his role in the galaxy. Merging well with his co-pilot Chewbacca, and keeping the film steadily moving along with his wide-eyed idealism, Alden held his own in a compelling peek at Solo's earlier days.

Han Solo's journey towards infamy across the galaxy was never meant to be one he faced alone, even in his first stories spelled out in countless novels following the 1977 classic that introduced him. As Solo trekked along, tossing references to the likes of 1979's The Han Solo Adventures and other lore of the character at the select few who were able to catch them, it remained mostly straight-forward in the central characters who played into the film's plot. As familiar faces like Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca joined Alden's lead, packing in mostly faithful performances from actors Donald Glover and Joonas Suotamo, the newer characters to the franchise sought to tease at some of the more obscure friends and foes of Han Solo's past. While Emilia Clarke's Qi'ra, Woody Harrelson's Tobias Beckett, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge's L3-37 offered up mostly normative roles to the film, their familiar personas were just a few of the intriguing callbacks to the origins of Solo.

Despite some of the obvious criticism the Star Wars franchise often receives based on its somewhat over-reliance on nostalgia to fuel their stories -- most prominently in the sequel trilogy -- Solo managed to blend an exhilarating western action-drama with a fluent mix of easter eggs. While most of them draw heavily from the character's thick literary past, others sought to piece together the fragments from the films and television series to hint at a fascinating timeline still waiting to be explored. While most of the stories of Star Wars past remains outside of its newly-established canon, Solo worked to at times toss fun nods to the audience, but more essentially, give context to both Han Solo's and his allies' roles in the ever-expanding, unexpected galaxy.

Overall, even as Solo trailed beat-by-beat as your average origin story, checking off names and events like clockwork, the feature from director Ron Howard sent up a vastly-entertaining premise full of thrills, mystery, laughs, and a number of worthy surprises. While it might not be everyone's cup of tea, be it Star Wars fatigue or a hesitation to let the past die (sorry, had to say it), Solo delivered a fun, lighthearted adventure that never felt obliged to inject any galactic-level ramifications into its story. With a delightful ensemble, a moderately-compelling heist at its center, and plenty of treasures for long-time fans, Solo soared as a solid, straightforward spectacle.    

I gave Solo: A Star Wars Story a 7 out of 10 for its radiant ensemble, with superb performances from both Ehrenreich and Glover, its action-packed premise, and its subtle -- at times obvious -- appreciation of the more buried-away lore of a galaxy far, far away.