Solo, A Romance Story with the Millennium Falcon

Written By FeastnFlix on Friday, May 25, 2018 | 7:47 AM

Solo A Star Wars Story, is thought of as the origin of Han Solo. How did Han become the man he is when we meet him in Star Wars A New Hope. Having seen the film, I have a different take away. The moments in the film that shine more than anything are the moments with Han and Chewie in the Millennium Falcon. And while Han Solo is very much a Star Wars character and people know him to be such, the Millennium Falcon surpasses his iconography association with Star Wars by light years. So while the film does show Solo and where he came from, it also shows the legendary story of the Millennium Falcon and how the two came to find each other.

Yes, the film shows where and how Han grew up. It shows his passion to be a pilot. It shows how he met Chewbacca and how he got into a life of crime. How to pull off a big heist he needs a fast ship. How he needs to find the man who owns such a ship. Then he gets on the ship that belongs to someone else.

But all of those are just beats that lead to the most glorious and legendary moment in the entire film, when Han and the Millennium Falcon finally connect and he pilots her for the first time. And the Millennium Falcon has always been referred to as a female. There is even a moment in the film when Han mentions how “she belongs with me;” referencing the ship. And the most magical moment is when Han and Chewie are in the cockpit and they put their hands on the controls and that John Williams Star Wars theme swells. That moment is like a revelation that no one but Han and Chewbacca belong in those seats piloting her. And that’s Star Wars.

Taking over as young and not-yet-weathered Han Solo is Alden Ehrenreich (Blue Jasmine, Hail Caesar!, Supernatural). While not resembling Harrison Ford, Ehrenreich performs the role in the film in such a way that its likely only a young Harrison Ford could do it any better. Joonas Suotamo (who shared the role of Chewbacca with Peter Mayhew in The Force Awakens) fills the role of younger Chewbacca and captures the spirit of his predecessor Peter Mayhew flawlessly.

And Donald Glover (Community, The Martian) nails Lando Calrissian really stealing every scene he is in and also proving that only a younger Billy Dee Williams (the original Lando from Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi) could do it better. His charisma and performance leaves much hope that one day we will see Lando, A Star Wars Story.

Brand new characters include Woody Harrelson (War for the Planet of the Apes) as conman Tobias Beckett who is a kind of mentor for young Han. Beckett's actions definitely set Han on his path to becoming a scoundrel with a heart of gold.

Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) is Qi’ra an old friend of Han. And in the tradition of old movies, he wanders back into his life but changed by the experiences and choices she has made since they last met. Clarke brings a grace, mystery and danger to her performance that perfectly establishes her as a femme fatale in the Star Wars universe.

Paul Bettany (Avengers Infinity War) is the dangerous gangster Dryden Vos. Bettany gets to let loose and have more fun with a sleazy and despicable character who isn't even the most dangerous person in the film.

Behind the camera is Academy Award Winning Director Ron Howard (Willow, Backdraft, Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind) working from a script from Lawrence Kasdan (The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Los Ark, The Force Awakens) and son Jonathan Kasdan (Dawson’s Creek). While Kasdan’s script provides many of the moments that will easily be identified by the fans, it really feels like a Ron Howard film. Howard builds that excitement in scenes that I have not seen him do since Ransom over 20 years ago. He has gone to more period pieces and dramas, but as a contemporary of George Lucas, Ron Howard proves he still has the passion and skill to pull of adventure and I hope he makes a return soon.

Most importantly, Solo proved to be a very fun time at the movies and felt like a perfect summer action blockbuster film with the right amount of action, humor, adventure without being weighed down by too much drama. Exactly what Star Wars was always meant to be.