Okay, okay, I know I'm a little bit late to the party on this, but planning the Britcompilation took up a lot of time, so I couldn't write about Solo when it came out. But I guess this is as good a time as any to talk about the spin off about arguably the most beloved character from Star Wars, and maybe discuss whether or not it worked.
I like Star Wars. A lot. Yeah I know, it's a really problematic series, but I love it anyway. And so, I've actually really been enjoying the direction it's been going in lately. Force Awakens seemed unnecessary when it was announced, but actually turned out great. Rogue One was fantastic, and is my favourite of the newer movies. And Last Jedi was outstanding, and definitely doesn't deserve all the hate it gets. So Solo had a fairly strong foundation to build on. The three movies that came before it proved that Star Wars wasn't just financially successful, but was also well received. This didn't guarantee success for Solo, but at least it made sense that it was getting made.
But I'm not here to discuss the film's production, because we all know it. Lord and Miller were fired, Ron Howard took over and the film was a box office disappointment (relatively speaking). The thing about this film is that there's so much that works, and a lot that doesn't. I don't think that it's fair to say that everything that didn't work was because of the director change. Troubled productions are nothing new, and so many films have succeeded in spite of behind the scenes issues.
I think that the worst that the director change did was give the film a very uneven tone. The film can't decide whether it wants to be subversive and have fun with itself, or if it wants to be a little safer, and be exactly what you would expect from a movie like this. Unfortunately, it lands somewhere in the middle, and that doesn't do it any favours. The film just feels kind of bland as a result. There are definitely moments that feel subversive and cheeky, but overall, it's obvious that they didn't want to take too many risks with this one, and it really suffers for that. It's frustrating because sometimes it does get close to feeling like a genuine Han Solo film, one that really gets the recklessness and charm of the character. But that gets held back because the film the film doesn't want to take too many risks itself, and as a result, doesn't work as well as it could have.
The plot is actually pretty fun though. The whole heist thing is done well, and is relatively well paced. There's some fun twists and some genuinely emotional moments. The major story beats, like the Kessel Run and Han and Chewie's first meeting, are satisfying, if not essential. The story definitely held my attention, even if it did lack the heft of the last few films. But overall the plot's not bad.
The cast are also, for the most part, decent. Alden Ehrenreich plays the hell out of Han, and his performance genuinely holds up to Harrison Ford's legendary turn as the character. He's not just funny and likeable, but he's someone you do come to root for and believe in, and he's the core of everything that happens. That may sound obvious, but his performance is so good it actually makes a Han Solo origin story seem necessary. He's the film's heart and soul, and definitely elevates the whole thing that much more. Another standout is Donald Glover. This guy has been on fire all year, and his turn as Lando is also outstanding. He's got all the shit eating charm you would want from this guy, and is probably the most downright fun part of the whole thing. If Ehrenreich holds the thing together, Glover brings the fun. In spades. Speaking of insane runs, Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Her L3-37 is maybe the series most likeable drone, and she consistently brings the laughs here, as she strives for mechanical liberation.
If only the rest of the cast were as enjoyable. Emilia Clarke is far from bad, but she really doesn't get to do an awful lot in the film either. Woody Harrelson is fine, as is Paul Bettany. They're definitely not bad performances, but the characters they're playing are just so one note and flat, especially beside Han, Lando and L3-37.
And I guess that's my main issue with Solo. It's definitely fun, and it's absolutely harmless, but none of it feels necessary. Even looking past the fact that we really didn't need a Han Solo origin story, nothing in this film feels essential. The plot's definitely fun and well paced, but the conflict never has any weight. I'm not asking for something on the scale of The Last Jedi, but having a relatively consequence free plot really doesn't help to justify this film's existence. But here's the thing: it's fun. It's fluff, but the scenes that are fun have genuine energy and humour. Nothing feels essential, but it succeeds in being an enjoyable, if forgettable time. This film excels at being light and breezy, and if you can roll with that and not demand anything else, you'll probably have a good time. If you want something on the scale of the last few entries though, look elsewhere. Overall? Flawed, but lots of fun.
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