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During an adventure into a dark criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his future copilot Chewbacca and encounters Lando Calrissian years before joining the Rebellion.
The “Star Wars” franchise – as household a name if ever there was one – has taken some of the favorite characters and given them the backstory that many fans probably wanted. This latest installment treats us to the early days of Han Solo, Chewbacca – the adorable Wookiee, who just might rip your arms off – and Lando Calrissian, the smooth-talking smuggler.
After completing six of a planned nine-film, three-trilogy series, George Lucas grew weary of the incumbent challenges associated with producing and directing. In the course of contemplating retirement, Disney made him a $4 billion offer he couldn’t refuse. As a result of the deal, new life was infused into the entire stable of existing “Star Wars” characters, as well as some new ones too.
“Solo” was originally set to be directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, whose credits include “The Lego Movie” and “21 Jump Street.” Apparently, however, there was disagreement about the degree to which the movie should be a comedy. When the directors allowed improvisation by the actors and changed parts of the script, they were summarily replaced. In Hollywood parlance, there were fired.Word on the street was that the producer and Lucasfilm president, Kathleen Kennedy, as well as co-screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, were unhappy with the tongue-in-cheek approach the directors were taking. Kasdan, aside from his many directorial credits (“Body Heat,” “The Big Chill,” “Grand Canyon”) is also a top-notch screenwriter, having penned “The Empire Strikes Back,” “The Force Awakens,” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
Enter Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard, who economically reshot many scenes and hewed more closely to the spirit of the previous “Star Wars” films. This was probably for the best, although with counterfactual scenarios, one can never know for sure. While “Solo” certainly contains many instances of humor, as a “Star Wars” film, it is also one of the darker episodes.
For the title character, the filmmakers wisely chose Alden Ehrenreich, a relatively unknown actor. A more recognizable face might have come with too much baggage for a franchise property such as this. Ehrenreich deserves credit for even attempting to step into the role made so famous by Harrison Ford – a hard act to follow if ever there was one.
“Solo” boasts a plethora of fine supporting characters, including a conflicted Woody Harrelson as Tobias Beckett, who is putting together a crew, as it were. Paul Bettany is menacingly intelligent as Dryden Vos. Emilia Clarke as Qi’ra proves herself a compelling screen presence as she accumulates some dark secrets in the course of her exploits. No doubt, these mysteries will be revealed in future sequels. However, the standout performance belongs to Donald Glover, who takes the mantle of Billy Dee Williams’ Lando Calrissian and infuses a gleeful, endearing narcissism into the role, making the ride even more fun.
“Solo” is nothing if not a crowd pleaser. Fans of the Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian characters will not leave the theater disappointed. Perhaps unsurprisingly – given the screenwriting credits – the film’s ending evinces a trace of “The Empire Strikes Back,” arguably the best of the “Star Wars” films to-date. As such, “Solo” is in good company.
In theaters Friday, May 25th
