Review of SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY: Introducing an Icon

May 17, 2018

The Star Wars franchise is still going strong after 40 years. Aside from films in the main trilogy of trilogies, there are now spin-offs that tell interesting side stories. This started with "Rogue One" which related events that happen right before "A New Hope". This time, one of the main characters of the original film -- Han Solo, the irrepressibly charming hotshot pilot of the Millennium Falcon -- gets his own origin story.

Han was a spunky young man who lived in the oppressed planet of Corellia. He had a girlfriend Qi'ra from whom he was later estranged. She served as his inspiration to better himself and return for her. The film depicted how he got his last name, how he became an ace pilot, how he met his Wookie partner Chewbacca, how he first met the slick Lando Calrissian, and how he became the owner of the Millennium Falcon -- practically everything we wanted to know about Han's past life, and more.

One of the worries of Star Wars fans when the first trailers came out was whether Alden Ehrenreich could pull off a younger Han Solo. Ehrenreich is already 28 years old in real life, and he looked his age. Han's age in "A New Hope" is supposed to be only 29, played by  Harrison Ford at age 33. Ford's iconic Han Solo had a particular roguish charm, grouchiness and swagger that Ehrenreich, try as he might, never really matched. 

On the other hand, that was not the case with the character of Lando Calrissian. Donald Glover, with his smooth and wily air, completely had us convinced that he can eventually morph into Billy Dee Williams, who played Lando in "A New Hope". Glover, who actually just hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with his song "This is America" (and its controversial video) as his musical alter ego Childish Gambino, did not have to try to hard, Glover's performance was very natural and smooth as silk. (Another plus in this regard was Lando’s wry droid, L3, voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge.)

Qi'ra was played by Emilia Clarke. She was not a mere damsel in distress here, but a woman who had to make difficult decisions and alliances for her survival, just like her Khaleesi Daenerys Targaryen character in "Game of Thrones." Tobias Beckett, a master smuggler who influenced Solo, was played by Woody Harrelson, an actor also familiar with playing men with questionable loyalties. Beckett's wife Val was played by Thandie Newton, who was a powerful presence despite a short screen time. Paul Bettany was barely recognizable as the ruthless lord of the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate, Dryden Vos.

Director Ron Howard's film was entertaining as a whole, but it can feel long at certain points during its 2 hour-15 minute running time. The best parts were those where references to the original trilogy are seen -- the classic words on the initial card, Han's lucky dice, the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, the card game, a certain "Phantom Menace" character, among others. Audiences cheered when witnessed Han make his legendary hyperspace Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs. My favorite scene was Han's first conversation (in Wookie language!) with Chewie, which marked the beginning of their long friendship.

One of my main problems about this film was the choice of Alden Ehrenreich to play the title role. Ehrenreich had the unenviable task of trying to convince fans that his Han Solo will eventually mature (in 10 years or less later) to become Harrison Ford's Han Solo, but frankly, he never did. Ehrenreich may have had his own swashbuckling charm as young Solo, but for fans of the classic trilogy, there is a sense of miscasting that can't be denied. 7/10.