Solo: A Star Wars Story 2018
I always thought Han Solo was the key character in Star Wars. He was the cool one, the funny one, while everyone else was so serious. I felt like the prequel trilogy suffered because there was nobody to replace him. But would he be able to carry a movie on his own? By focusing on him, you lose a lot of key elements like the Jedi, light sabers, etc., but after The Last Jedi maybe that is okay. This is Han Solo’s origin story and it explores the meaning of doing the Kessel run in 12 parsecs, as Han Solo once bragged and as was revisited in The Force Awakens. By the end, we realize that other parts of Han Solo’s life are not tied up in this movie, setting the stage for at least another Star Wars Story about him.
Reviews have not been bad, but also not gushing, and with remarkable consistency. It is a good movie, with some good new characters, but it does feel a little empty without the rest of Star Wars lore in play. It certainly isn’t as bold as some recent Star Wars movies, which is probably appropriate for the beginning of what is intended to be a franchise. But it also feels a little like an episode, which weakens the whole effort. Maybe it is a nice break from the heaviness of the rest of Star Wars, but it still feels a little light.
Written: 02 Jun 2018
Owned on: Blu-ray, Digital