Wow! I don't know why people keep feeding the negative buzz. Solo is a smash-bang swashbuckling blast of energy and fun. Is it a game-changing entry in the franchise? No. Did anyone really want standalone origin movies about the heroes of the series? No. Is it a Ron Howard movie first and a Star Wars movie second? Of course. But none of these statements make the film bad, and none of these statements should continue to polarize true fans of the galaxy far, far away.
I won't waste time recounting the plot to y'all, except to say that this is the most compellingly plot-driven movie yet, after Rogue One. Though it skips time and space, its intensely focused story revolves around a young Han Solo as he, well, comes-of-profession more than of age. From his Dickensian roots stealing for the fabulously creepy Lady Proxima on Corellia to making the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs (if you round down), Han explores the galaxy and makes quite a name for himself. He meets Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, and a whole cast of other fabulous characters played by equally fabulous actors.
There's a lot to talk about here, so let's start with more formal elements. The film is gritty and realistic, owing a lot to the aesthetics of Rogue One and the original trilogy. The costumes are nothing short of amazing. The design of the movie is equally brilliant; planets are especially gorgeously realized. The cinematography worked well for me, though I confess irritation that the lighting was so dim; I assume they were going for a natural-lighting vérité kind of look, but I had to squint to try and see details on screen in most scenes. It's very Ron Howard-looking. I also really loved the music, which incorporates familiar melodies in new and exciting ways.
In terms of story, I am of course bitter (still, always, and forevermore) that the "Legends" storylines are not happening. There is a fantastic Han Solo trilogy of books that are some of my favorite in the series all about his origins and young adulthood. Alas for what will never be on screen! And yet I cannot deny the novelty and pure fun the Kasdans wrote for this movie. The humor is good, and with the amazing cast voicing it, it becomes great. The heart and soul of the film is never once anything less than we'd expect from our scruffy-looking nerfherder. And a big reason for that is Alden Ehrenreich, whose swagger and charm is arresting: He's not (thankfully) trying to impersonate Harrison Ford; he's doing his own delightful thing entirely, and when the other players (especially Donald Glover as Lando and Emilia Clarke in a new role) bounce off him, it's all dramatic gold.
Now for the geeky bits. Han CAN and DOES speak Shyriiwook? Cool. We finally get a threatening, larger-than-Jabba criminal organization? Sweet. And -- hold everything -- Darth Maul is alive?? Apparently. He was in the "Legends" and apparently in the new canon he has too. Some Wookieepedia searches later, I learned that he survived and played a part in the animated television series Clone Wars and Rebels. So for those of us who weren't up to speed (which would seemingly be everyone in the theater around me), the moment of his reveal was accompanied by the loudest communal "gasp" I've ever heard in a movie theater. Yes, Qi'ra, the badass Solo love interest who becomes even more badass when she kills her wicked boss (a very creepy Paul Bettany) and ascends the ladder of Crimson Dawn criminality, now answers directly to an older, cyborg Darth Maul, who summons her to work intimately with him on Dathomir.
WHAT? Yeah, I know. It's the stuff of our dreams. So the questions begin. Why would the studio include this problematic character from the shows (and their limited audience) with no greater explanation in the film (e.g. Saw Gerrera)? Surely they plan to incorporate him in other films. But which? Rumors abound of a standalone Obi-Wan Kenobi film of his time between episodes 3 and 4; surely Maul would be the antagonist of that picture. The studio has greenlit a standalone Boba Fett movie, which may combine elements of criminal underworld with the bounty hunters of the galaxy. We just can't say for sure. (And the situation has become more fraught, as the box office returns for Solo were not that great.)
Hopefully, the next standalone Star Wars movie has a less troubled production. In the meantime, don't listen to the haters. Solo is endlessly watchable, fabulous and stylish, and a great way to start the summer movie season. Get out there and buy a ticket!
IMDb: Solo: A Star Wars Story
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