[Movie] @danila.soboy, review of the premiere of the film — Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

On the screens of the cinemas, the next chapter of the returning legendary space opera "Star Wars" — Solo: A Star Wars Story, narrating about the youth of the most charismatic adventurer in the history of "galaxy far, far away". The film stars Alden Ehrenreich as Solo, alongside Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, and Paul Bettany. Directed by Oscar-winning Ron Howard.

After watching the film leaves a pleasant feeling, and most importantly, does not hit at all on the feeling that Harrison Ford should be on the screen, not someone else. Alden Ehrenreich perfectly coped with the task and presented an interesting, memorable modern image of Han Solo to the viewer. The character turned out to be alive and bright, at some moments thoughtless, but in some shrewd and smart, in some situations self-confident and brave, and in others confused and frightened. That is, the character has turned out harmonious and versatile. The hero does not appear to us in a pompous, smug and confident cheeky boy, no, he is constantly changing and behaving differently in different situations, fully reacting to external circumstances. Probably, a little overdone with a constant big smile, in some moments, it is a bit inappropriate and once again captures the look not when it is needed. Very-very colorful Lando Calrissian! Donald Glover perfectly coped with the role - that's who really claims for the title of a pompous and confident smuggler). But even here there was a personal drama. Unfortunately, the character does not have enough screen time, and he will please you only with a couple of colorful entertaining scenes, no more.

New characters.. There is a Han's lover — Qi'ra performed by the Mother of the Dra... Emilia Clarke and Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson ) along with his small team of mercenaries. I liked the image of Qi'ra — a kind of reluctant femme fatale, concealing many secrets. It is interesting to observe her behavior, her choices, because the heroine is in a rather difficult situation, and it is not clear to the end of whose side she will or will have to accept. But Beckett, who became an unofficial mentor for Solo, is a classic type for Woody Harrelson. A standard mature and tough character, inclined more toward the side of good, but always pursuing personal gain and purpose. His small team seemed extremely faded, consisting of his wife and four-handed alien. Senseless static characters, serving for a tiny injection of humor and drama in the first couple of the film. The behavior of these characters in certain moments is puzzling, and the remarks and jokes of the four-handed seem incomprehensible and drawn. There is a cliched half-antagonist named Dryden Vos. This role was performed by Paul Bettany, and thank him for just a quality work done, for the acting without excessive pathos and any sagging. And in one moment his character managed to create quite a tangible tension.

The very story is good because here the whole epic, sweeping, serious and fateful for the whole galaxy moments that are typical for the main episodes of the saga, go to the background, distantly looming somewhere on the horizon. This makes the picture an original space adventure, rid of the galactic scale, all these eternal imperial-rebel confrontations, excessive heroism and self-sacrifice for the sake of a great goal and other-other things, that tons flies into the viewer while watching films from the trilogy of sequels and Rogue One. We have here the origin story of one particular character — Han Solo. We learn about his youth, his first love, his meeting with Lando Calrissian and his acquaintance with Chewbacca, about where his name came from and where the famous Millennium Falcon came from. Almost the entire film is one big ongoing gamble that simply moves through different locations. Motivation of all characters is clear, it is understandable and reasonable, but, on the other hand, there is also a minus here — it is the same for all. All the motives of the heroes are tied to money. Han, young and ambitious, wants to get rich to become the coolest and most famous pilot in the Galaxy. Beckett needs to crank out this adventure in order to reach a secure old age. Lando, who is represented as one of the best pilots and a well-known smuggler on the rise in the galaxy's underworld, generally says directly: "Well, money is needed, why not get off and go to a deadly business that could be a one-way flight?" Even Chewbacca needs money to look for the the surviving wookiees hiding in the Galaxy. Only during the final part the ideals of some of the characters are changing, their worldview is being rebuilt, unconcealed conflicts and relationships come to a logical conclusion.

A separate part of the story is dedicated to the onboard droid on the Lando ship, responsible for navigation — L3-37. This droid is not simple, but literally a fighter for equality among the droids. She constantly releases jokes on the exciting topic, is outraged by the oppression of her metal brethren and even creates one of the most dramatic moments in the whole film. On the one hand, it's great, because tolerance, climbing out of all the cracks in every modern work, is already boring everyone and the transfer of its implementation to the droids, that is, in fact, to the nonexistent oppressed "minority" in our world, this is a clever move, but on the other hand it turned out to be too concentrated, attracted, with a frank accent on it.

"Solo" turned out to be unlike other films from the Star Wars Universe. Easy and dynamic independent adventure, which even does not need this looming prefix "A Star Wars Story". New actors adequately embodied the roles of the good old characters, while preserving the spirit and, at the same time, bringing something new with the opening of the veil of secrecy about the past of the heroes known to all. New characters, previously unrepresented to the viewer, harmoniously blended into the narrative (although in the end there will be a very very unexpected cameo). There are certain flaws in the film, for example, the abovementioned same motivation (but it does not cease to be a motivation, and it does exist), as well as problems and their solutions that fall on the heroes with the snap of the fingers of the writers. But this picture does not cease to be a good strong middle, with a good reserve for future continuations. I will not recommend fans to watch this movie, they will run to the session at first opportunity, but lovers of sci-fi and adventure, especially the space theme — please, I think that the film should like.

Respectfully, @danila.soboy

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