Review of Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) by Joseph H — 04 Jun 2018

Why do action and adventure films seem to keep getting bigger and bigger? Of course it's a trip to watch our protagonists stand up against seemingly impossible scenarios, but I start to disconnect when one unstoppable CGI machine stands up to a slightly more stoppable CGI machine, defeating its opponent and leveling one of our major cities in the process (though the massive civilian death toll always seems to somehow be avoided, or at least not carry enough weight to merit discussion). The action and adventure genre is generally designed for escapism, a chance for the audience to forget about life's little cuts and bruises.

Solo: A Star Wars Story delivers on such escapism. Little background is necessary for the title character, a fact respected by Ron Howard as his film launches us straight into Han's peril. We know exactly what we need to know: Han is in trouble and needs to escape. A curveball is thrown when we meet Emilia Clarke's Qi'ra, Han's apparent love interest in his former life. There is no plot to save the galaxy or to avenge some unknown character's demise; Han simply wants to create a better life for himself and Qi'ra. While not particularly ambitious in scope or storytelling, Solo focuses on the same elements that drive A New Hope into the hearts of its fans: fun, engaging entertainment via a simple but original story about some complex but ultimately relatable and lovable characters.

Howard's addition to the Star Wars universe succeeds due to its respect for the title character. The prequels prove that changing existing characters' personalities can be disastrous. The sequels often rely on regression and nostalgia, not just in humor or imagery but in story itself, which makes it hard for a viewer to view the most recent story as anything but a callback to the original films. Let's face it: anyone who experienced Luke, Han, and Leia's adventures at a young age cannot accept any major changes to these characters, but it can also be insulting to long-time fans to introduce new characters that end up shadowing the original adventures a little too closely. In a universe as developed as the Star Wars universe, a balancing act between originality and familiarity, is tricky but all too important. A new installment, especially a film about early adventures through the eyes of one of the most developed characters in the Star Wars universe, needs enough stakes to engage the audience but not enough impact to make the audience question "Why did Han not talk about these crazy adventures in the later films?".

Solo makes no effort to change Han's ambitions, background, or general character traits. This film is clearly not designed to challenge its audience's beliefs or cause them to consider Star Wars in a new way. Solo takes us on an adventure that features both some of the new and some of the old, and, while it breaks no new ground for the Star Wars franchise, the film allows us to have fun with our beloved Han Solo without any greater implications for the galaxy for the first time.