Solo: A Star Wars Story is theoretically a standalone prequel to every Star Wars movie and focuses on a young Han Solo. The problem is that the original Han Solo was played by Harrison Ford, who is an icon, and I can’t remember Alden Ehrenreich’s name unless it is literally in front of me, which is not a reflection of his acting since he has apparently been in everything, but I don’t remember him in it: Supernatural, Somewhere, Beautiful Creatures, Stoker, Blue Jasmine. When you’re playing a well known character who was played by a legend, you somehow have to embody the spirit of the character, make it your own and avoid the pitfalls of doing an impression and seeming as if you belong in a Saturday Night Live skit. All the Star Trek actors in the J. J. Abrams’ franchise have succeeded at that, but the movies are increasingly dreadful and forgettable though initially promising.
Thank God for Donald Glover. I would have missed Solo: A Star Wars Story if he wasn’t playing Lando Calrissian, who was originally played by Billy Dee Williams, whom I think of as an icon. Once I heard that Calrissian was getting his own standalone movie, I knew that this one would be required viewing and resigned myself to see it otherwise I would have stayed away. I had no interest in it, especially since Ron Howard is the director, and despite all the accolades, I find mediocre and conventional with slight problematic undertones.
I surprised myself because I really liked Solo: A Star Wars Story. It is not as visually stunning as the most recent installment, Star Wars: Episode VIII-The Last Jedi, and it does not have such a shocking story as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but it managed to be slightly more than entertaining and never as bad as George Lucas’ prequels to the original three movies. It did take me awhile to become immersed in the film, but once it happened (when Han met Chewie), I was completely hooked, and you can’t tell me nothing about why this film is purely a cynical commercial enterprise. There were several themes in the movie that utterly resonated with me.
Solo: A Star Wars Story depicts the idea of having a calling, which is different from being cocky. A calling is when despite all indicators pointing elsewhere and insurmountable obstacles, inside you know that you are called to put everything into a particular task and that you will succeed at it. Han’s calling is to be a pilot. More than his love interest, Ehrenreich manages to imbue so much longing into this assertion. Being a pilot is his real compass. Despite all evidence to the contrary, ignoble origins, lack of experience, lack of opportunity, Han knows that he is supposed to be a pilot, not simply because he wants to. Even though he alludes to family memories and associations with flying, the longing is not only for the loss of family, it is the ache for the first time that he fell in love with the idea of flying.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is a Biblical depiction of the pitfalls of debt as slavery. From childhood, the system traps you into debt and having a boss for simply existing, not necessarily bad decisions. Even the big bad has a boss. It is a bit eyeroll worthy how many times a character of ill repute boasts about the one last job trope, but debt gets in the way of calling, poisons relationships and leads to death of the body and soul.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is at its strongest when it depicts friendship. I didn’t realize how much I love Chewie. You can joke all you want, but if there were a well-executed franchise on Chewie’s life with subtitles entirely in Wookie, I would hand over my money now. I found his story so compelling. I was moved when the movie revealed how Han won Chewie over into a life long (for Han) friendship. Han embodies what I have experienced in the best, most open Christian settings like church, small group or worship service. He instantly sees Chewie as a valuable, thinking and essential person. He speaks his language. He is interested in his life and brings no assumptions into the relationship based on stereotypes or others’ opinions. Unlike every other character in this movie, Chewie reciprocates by never diminishing the relationship into a purely temporary alliance. Han naively tries to create community despite literally never experiencing the warmth of one. Chewie recognizes and accepts it because he knows what a real community can be. Even though I kept silently urging Chewie to go with his people, it also made sense why he would stay with Han, and the final image of the two was even more poignant now that we know that Chewie is alone again. I’m not crying. Nope.
There are not many surprises in Solo: A Star Wars Story. The majority of the movie is devoted to fleshing out moments casually referenced in the other films. I didn’t have a problem with this, but if you find this annoying, then you should probably run the other way. The beginning of the movie is the weakest part because maybe don’t have people who are around thirty playing orphans. I don’t think that it would have hurt if younger actors played Han and his love interest. Even though I love Emilia Clarke in Game of Thrones, she is not the strongest actor as I initially discovered in Terminator Genisys. She presents as too placid and pleasant. If you love the Marvel Cinematic Universe, when you see Paul Bettany, you already know what is going to happen. Sorry, no one is scared of you.
Solo: A Star Wars Story finally had black women that you could see speaking more than one line in the foreground, but they aren’t there for long. I was most delighted at the appearance of the second one. I love Thandie Newton, but she was there for a hot second so you shouldn’t buy a ticket to see her. L3-37 stole the show, and based on her thick frame, wide hips and big butt, I don’t care if the brilliant Phoebe Waller-Bridge played her, I’m going to designate her as black. As expected, Glover was superb. When he said, “My lady,” he was at his most Billy Dee Williams-esque, but Lando is his now, and he is never giving it back. He was a joy to behold.
I was not surprised by the big reveal at the end. From the words that opened on the screen, I fully expected that Solo: A Star Wars Story would tease what happens in our world-the government uses the criminal world to further its aims. I know that this character isn’t the government yet, but we know where this story is heading.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is a solidly entertaining film that manages to hold the line with emotionally resonant moments. I would suggest a matinee showing at your favorite local theater.