A few nights ago we watched Solo: A Star Wars Story, the next movie in the Star Wars chronological timeline after the prequel trilogy.
This is not a review and it isn’t meant to rain on anybody’s opinion of this movie – it’s simply an attempt to articulate my own feelings about it. Your mileage may most definitely vary.
I’ve never really understood the antipathy toward Solo from a lot of fans/critics. I remember seeing it at the theater when it was first released in 2018 and enjoying it immensely. Perhaps the difference is that I’m what I would call a casual Star Wars fan. I do (mostly) enjoy the movies and tv series, and I have characters I love – one of which is definitely Han Solo – and characters I hate. But as much as I have opinions about various things in the Star Wars Universe, I’ve never been particularly upset when those opinions aren’t reflected back at me from what’s on the screen. Solo is a case in point.
Warning! Spoilers Below (if there can be such a thing as spoilers for a movie released in 2018).
What I Liked
Character Backstory. I enjoyed getting a glimpse of Han Solo’s early life – years before Luke and Ben meet him on Tatooine. The start of his career as a scoundrel, really. I thought Alden Ehrenreich did a marvelous job as the young Han. Then there was the beginning of his relationship with Chewbacca – not just their “meet cute” but the moments where their actions turned them into genuine friends. Also, I loved the ending with Beckett. It did dual duty as a character moment that showed Han had paid attention and understood who Beckett really was at his core AND as a nod to the original cantina scene in Star Wars between Han and Greedo.
Donald Glover. I thought all of the cast did a good job, but Donald Glover, in particular, was a treat as Lando Calrissian.
L3-37. I really loved this droid. While I wasn’t crazy about how it happened, knowing that she’s part of the Millenium Falcon makes me happy.
Adventure / Heist Genre. I liked that the story wasn’t hip-deep in the depths of the Star Wars Empire/Jedi/Rebellion story lines, but was actually an adventure/heist film. Yes, there are certain things we know won’t happen – for instance, we know that Han, Chewie and Lando will all survive – but other than that there was a lot of room for this story to play out. It was a real treat to meet new characters and have a new adventure.
What I Was Ambivalent About
Crimson Dawn. Dryden Vos was a mostly decent villain (and I’d watch Paul Bettany in almost anything). I’m still not sure how I feel about Crimson Dawn and its association with the Sith (Darth Maul?), though. I also think I might have felt better about Qi’ra if part of her reason for killing Vos was just to take complete control of Crimson Dawn (but not to then still be under Maul’s thumb).
What I Disliked
I’ll be honest. I’m having a hard time finding things to nit-pick about. It isn’t perfect, by any means, but it’s certainly a better overall movie than any of the prequels (which I definitely cannot re-watch all the way through).
I guess, if I have to find something to complain about, I’d say that Solo leaves a few unanswered questions that I’d really like the answers to. Such as, what happened to Crimson Dawn and Qi’ra? What about the slaves on Kessel? Did their rebellion ultimately succeed? Maybe these questions are answered in other media, I don’t know – and frankly I don’t care. They’re left open in this movie, and that is a bit unsatisfying to me.
Conclusion
I’ve watched Solo several times, and each time it draws me in. It isn’t necessary to watch it in order to understand the overall Skywalker Saga. It is, however, an entertaining standalone movie that doesn’t get the love and appreciation I think it deserves.
