SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY Review
Well, we had a lot of fun watching SOLO yesterday in the theaters, which according to the internet, was a big no-no to do. Apparently, we’re supposed to be watching STAR WARS movies now for their Eugene O’Neill inspired characters, social messaging and their based-in-reality, non-nostalgic, no-plot-contrivances and iron-clad-plot-beats. Yikes. I guess I forgot to check my inbox for that memo.
SOLO, of course, follows the early adventures of Han Solo, how he meets Chewbacca, acquires the Falcon and finds his balance between survival and nobility. I guess it’ll be the first in a series of his adventures, and if they’re going to go with a James Bond/Indiana Jones/Conan sort of thing, then I’m a-ok with it.
I guess depending on how much you’re embedded in believing Harrison Ford as Solo will determine how much you like Alden Ehrenreich’s performance. Abram’s STAR TREK broke me of my “only-this-actor-can-play-this-role” mindset, so I was open-minded and rewarded. Both Ehrenreich and Donald Glover hit the right tone (in my opinion) for the sum of their characters; I didn’t once think I was watching a gimmick or an impersonation. It was good to see Chewbacca in a primary role as well — and not only the indentured muscle/comic relief. I appreciated there was an understanding and blossoming friendship between Solo and the Wookiee.
The actual plot, which involves a couple of heists with a varied group of rogues, isn’t breaking THE USUAL SUSPECTS for narrative originality, but then again, I felt it didn’t have to. I grew up watching THE WARRIORS, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, ICE PIRATES, and BUCKAROO BANZAI. I liked reading Harry Harrison’s STAINLESS STEEL RAT series and Donald Westlake’s PARKER novels. Not every Batman story has to be the DARK KNIGHT RETURNS or THE KILLING JOKE; sometimes it’s just fun to watch Bats fight the Penny Plunderer on a giant-sized typewriter.
Sometimes a simple, silly adventure is its own reward.