Note – I’ve now seen Solo three times. I’ve only had to lightly edit this review since, as I firmly believe it gets a hard time and is a mid-tier Star Wars film.
The Lucasfilm logo on the big screen is a special experience. I clearly remember lamenting seeing it for the last time in front of Revenge of the Sith. Then Disney bought the company and promptly released five films in four years. Sure, we’d take every piece of Star Wars we could get, but that pace came at a cost. The Sequel Trilogy took a huge hit in terms of cohesion and storytelling quality.
Venturing into a new type of Star Wars Story at the time was risky.
Rogue One was the first anthology film to be released, a year or so after the overall warmly welcomed The Force Awakens, and whilst it had it’s own issues getting to the screen, it immediately came in as one of the best Star Wars films.
Solo on the other hand, arrived a mere six months after possibly the most divisive Star Wars ever. Not only had the aftermath of that film not fully cleared, but Solo was on shaky ground ever since the cast was announced. I don’t think Disney helped the film with their decisions around release dates and marketing.
But the dust has settled, and Solo is a decent film. I have some small issues with it, but after seeing various hyperbolic statements I have to wonder what exactly some people were watching. Do you want a good time at the cinema? Solo can provide that. Would you like a few cool shout outs and a couple of very surprising moments? Solo does that.
Now, if you’re looking for a fulfilling arc to follow for Han, you’re out of luck. Alden Ehrenreich’s younger scoundrel comes along pretty much fully formed. He’s a talker, a good pilot, and gets himself out of tight spots with more than a bit of luck. Thankfully Alden isn’t trying to do a Harrison Ford impression; he manages to capture the feel of Han, and that goes a long way. Joonas Suotamo’s performance as Chewbacca is going to go unnoticed by a lot of people, and that’s due to how seamlessly he has taken over the role. His chemistry with Alden is perhaps the best part of the film, closely followed by Donald Glover’s Lando Calrissian. Again, not much growth or change, but damn it he’s so good.
The story doesn’t dwell on anything, moving Han through various situations as he meets a host of characters. It’s a shame some of them don’t get longer to breathe. There is a potentially stronger film in here somewhere; a film which concentrates on fleshing a smaller cast out than seemingly ticking things off a list. Blaster, dice, partner, ship etc. But, there’s enough warmth, chemistry and action to make this better than being just a list.
I laughed, I gasped, and I whooped. Solo is not a 10/10, but most Star Wars isn’t! There’s plenty to enjoy, and it’s still better than at least four other theatrically released films in the saga. I suggest you see for yourself rather than listen to any naysayers.
Solo isn’t a game-changer, but it is a good fun movie, and that’s still a good thing.
P.S. If Lucasfilm/Disney stuck to their guns regarding recasting, and weren’t hellbent on using tech to keep the same few actors around, Solo may have fared better. Let characters be recast!
Yes, we did get an enjoyable filler film from the Star Wars franchise. I found it enjoyable (and recent rewatching on disc have fleshed out my opinion that it’s at least a solid, well made movie that had to overcome a LOT of obstacles) and consider it a hidden family classic in the making.