By JASON GUYER
iRate
Three years ago or so – sometime around December 2015, when “Stars Wars: The Force Awakens” arrived – is when I first heard about the “Solo: A Star Wars Story” film. The first thing I said to a colleague is that the only plot that makes sense is the Kessel Run. The only Han Solo story worth telling was the Kessel Run. “Solo: A Star Wars Story” is in part about that famous smuggler’s run in the Star Wars universe as well as about Han himself.
“Solo” is for better or worse an origin story, an origin story about not only the best smuggler/pilot this side of Tatooine but the best smuggler/pilot team. It is a journey to find out where Han is from and how Han and Chewbacca meet. Throw in how Han got his last name and how the duo met Lando Calrissian and in new Disney-run Star Wars universe that equates to a movie and not a great one.
Alden Ehrenreich plays the quippy Han Solo. “Solo” could have been great or even just good, and it all starts with who you have playing Han Solo. Ehrenreich was not a good choice. Besides having the strong jawline like that of a young Harrison Ford, there is not much else they seem to have in common.
The biggest difference is line delivery. Harrison Ford is always on point with his line delivery as Han Solo. The jokes land as they should and Ford’s charisma sold every joke Han ever made. Ford’s Solo was the guy who somehow made you enjoy getting bagged on by him and laugh with him about it. That takes a very certain type of charisma to sell that type of character.
Ehrenreich does not have it. Ehrenreich’s jokes in “Solo” ring hollow and fall flat. The double-take joke is the style you get from Ehrenreich. When you look at him, turn then look at him again and say to yourself, “What did he just say.”
Ehrenreich’s line delivery is on par with the now infamous acting of Hayden Christensen.
Well, not quite that bad, but it is close.
Ehrenreich has the looks but he never feels like he fits in with any of the other characters, especially Chewbacca whose relationship with Han should be the stuff of legend in “Solo.” Ehrenreich never even feels like he fits in with character he is playing, Han Solo.
One actor and character that does fit in and commands the screen everytime she is on screen is Emilia Clarke. As Qi’ra, Clarke is the second best thing “Solo” has to offer, besides more Chewie. Clarke’s command of a strong female character is not surprising. I mean she is the Mother of Dragons afterall. Although the strength of Qi’ra compared to Daenerys Targaryen is night and day.
Qi’ra is a survivor through and through, and survival proves to be her character’s modus operandi. Clarke plays Qi’ra with that quiet strength that commands the screen and every room her character is in.
Qi’ra is the one in charge of every situation and every decision. Even when she doesn’t make the decision, you can see she influenced it and is steps ahead of everyone else and always steps ahead of Han.
Qi’ra’s mental rival as she competes to outwit Han is Beckett, played by Woody Harrelson. Harrelson is Harrelson. Has he ever really played anyone besides Woody Boyd.
Beckett is your average overachieving bad guy. The one who plays boss but never really is boss. The character who is written to lose and be outwitted. Who is only there to teach the main character valuable lesson. Harrelson’s Beckett does just that, teaches Han that lesson that drives his character arc for all the future “Star Wars” films.
And all delivered with the irresistible Harrelson ah-shucks charm. An extremely likable character, the frenemy that they all like to dislike. That sentiment that sums up the film “Solo” in its entirety.
Don’t get caught up in the hype machine that are trailered reviews. “Solo” is not bold, and it is barely fun. What “Solo” is is necessary.
You will dislike far more than you will like, and the film will feel boring, but just as you feel bored there is always a little something there to keep you somewhat entertained. “Solo” does exactly that, it gives you Han and Chewbacca’s story and – much like “Rogue One” – it ties into an earlier “Star Wars film.” Although the tie-in is unexpected and quite the juicy little nugget of information, it ties into the prequel trilogy and not the original trilogy, which brings the Han Solo character and the “Solo” film all the way down and almost as low as the prequel trilogy in the hierarchy of Star Wars movies. It is somewhere near “Attack of the Clones” and “Phantom Menace” but far more fun the famous Anakin sand speeches, A plus if I ever heard one.
“Solo” is a film that tells a story that everyone felt they wanted to hear, just to realize you really really didn’t. The imagination was always better, but the necessity of knowing is more important. It is a film that only serves to tie the Star Wars universe together and make it whole. “Solo” is about as necessary as Luke drinking green milk, about as entertaining too.
“Solo” is more necessary than it is important.
IRATE SCORE: 2/5
Jason Guyer is an avid moviegoer and works in the Graphics Department at the Eagle Times. For questions or comments he can be emailed at [email protected]
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