Review of Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) by Odie S — 08 Jun 2018

'Solo' is the best Star Wars film, not just since Disney acquired Lucasfilm, but since 'Return of the Jedi', which was released all the way back in 1983. 'Solo' accomplishes what neither 'The Force Awakens' or 'The Last Jedi' could, which is tell a refreshing narrative featuring beloved characters that takes them in a brand-new and unexpected direction, without changing everything the audiences knows, or think they know, about them. It is the perfect middle ground, and hopefully this means both Disney and Lucasfilm have learned a valuable lesson after the disappointment that is 'The Last Jedi'.

Much controversy and doubt arose once Alden Ehrenreich was announced to lead the film as the young smuggler as many die-hard fans pointed out that the actor didn't look anything like Harrison Ford when he was younger, and that even if he did, no one could play the role as well as he had. These preconceived notions are unfortunate, and are rather similar to those concerning the late Heath Ledger taking on the role of the Joker before The Dark Knight was released in theaters. While not the ideal casting choice, Ehrenreich puts those notions to rest and will make you believe that his Han Solo will eventually become the Rebel hero we all grew up with. From nailing the inflections of Ford to even adding a welcomed sense of naïvety, as he isn't quite as experienced as he is in 'A New Hope', which is what the purpose of a prequel or an origin story is. In summary, the risky decision to not do an impression of Ford truly works to both the actor's benefit as well as the film's.

Another standout performance is Emilia Clarke who portrays Han's love interest, Qi'Ra. To be a brand-new addition to the Star Wars universe while simultaneously being the most mysterious and intruiging character the series has had for years is no small feat, and should not be overlooked as such. From beginning the film as even more naïve than Han himself, to arguably becomming even smarter by the time the credits roll, much of her character is left unexplored. Which, in a worse film, would be a black eye on the film, but in 'Solo' it works to the film's advantage as the decision to do so is clearly intentional. At this point, the only way her character arc could be ruined for me is if it is never completed. That being said, I eagerly await to see her appear again sometime down the line. Perhaps in a novel, or maybe another spin-off.

Unfortunately the rest of the cast cannot be spoken as highly of. Not to say that they give bad performances, not at all. The characters themselves, besides Chewbacca, just don't progress the plot as much as I would have hoped. For me, personally, had those characters been written out of the script entirely, I feel as though the plot would have ran more smoothely. However, certain characters do end up playing significant roles later on in the film, like Harrelson's Beckett and Glover's Calrissian, but once again, not until very late in the film, and their performances reflect how useless their characters are for a large portion of the film. However, Star Wars fans have seen worse examples of useless characters and not-so-good acting.

Aside from the side characters previously mentioned, another weakness of the film is the score, as it is mainly compiled of pre-existing Star Wars themes, which resulted in me tending to block out the soundtrack during scenes. Fortunately, the action sequences in the film are so entertaining and suspenseful that you aren't even thinking about the bland and generic score being played in the background. Set pieces, uses of lighting, costume and character designs, as well as the use of, for the most part, practical effects also give the film a very 1970s, sci-fi aesthetic, which is what a film exploring the early years of Han Solo should look like, given the way 'A New Hope' looks.

In summary, 'Solo' is a relentlessly fun sit and ranks as my fourth favourite Star Wars film ever made. Please pay money to see this film as it will give both Disney and Lucasfilm the incentive to incorporate more stories like this into the Star Wars universe.