Countdown to "The Rise of Skywalker" - Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Hey guys, Chuck here. As we continue the Countdown to The Rise of Skywalker, let's take a look at the Star Wars Anthology films, starting with the latest entry - Solo: A Star Wars Story.
While Rogue One was technically the first of the Star Wars Anthology films, Solo was set at an earlier point in the Star Wars timeline. The story starts with Han Solo on his homeworld of Corellia, struggling to survive and working for a serpentine crime boss named Lady Proxima. After making his escape, along with his friend and lover Qi'ra, Han travels to the spaceport, using a small amount of Coaxium, which is a type of fuel used for starships, to buy his way off world. After being betrayed by the Imperial Port Authority, Han and Qi'ra are separated, and Han decides to enlist in the Imperial Naval Academy to become a pilot. Years pass and Han, as an Imperial Soldier, fights in battles on the ground. It is here that he meets Tobias Beckett, a master thief who is looking to acquire a dropship for his use on another world. After turning Han in as a deserter, Han is thrown into a pit, and it is here that he meets the Wookiee Chewbacca. Teaming up together, Han and Chewie escape and join Beckett and his crew. We then see that Tobias is planning on stealing a set of train cars carrying Coaxium. Unfortunately, his crew are killed during the heist, due to the interference by a group known as the Marauders, led by Enfys Nest. After losing the Coaxium , Beckett reveals that they were stealing the Coaxium for the crime syndicate Crimson Dawn.
Han, Beckett, and Chewie then meet with Dryden Vos, who hired Beckett on behalf of Crimson Dawn, and we learn that Qi'ra was now working with Crimson Dawn. Han suggests getting unrefined Coaxium, but the only supply of it is located in the spice mines of Kessel. Han, Qi'ra, Beckett, and Chewie, in need of a fast ship, meet with smuggler Lando Calrisssian, and hire his services to fly them to Kessel. Along with his droid L3-37, they make the Kessel Run in Lando's ship: the Millennium Falcon, retrieve the Coaxium, and take it to the planet Savareen to be refined. It is here that we learn that the Marauders are, in fact, Rebels standing up against the crime syndicates, as well as the Empire. Upon his arrival, Dryden is double-crossed by Beckett and killed by Han and Qi'ra. After Han leaves to go after Beckett and Chewie, Qi'ra contacts Dryden's boss, who summons her to the planet Dathomir. After confronting Beckett, Han kills him and gives the Coaxium to Enfys and the Marauders, who plan to use it to begin building the larger rebellion. Han, having tracked down Lando, plays him in a hand of cards to win ownership of the Falcon, and Han and Chewie take off for more adventures, ending the movie.
Solo: A Star Wars Story was not successful at the box office, and is currently the only box office bomb among the Star Wars series. This has nothing to do with the film itself, but rather the behind-the-scenes issues involved with the film. Originally, 21 Jump Street and The Lego Movie directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were hired to direct the film, but screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan was not happy with the way that Lord and Miller were going off-script when making the movie, turning it into more of a comedy. About 70% into filming, Lord and Miller were removed from the film and replaced with director Ron Howard, who directed the remainder of the film, and re-shot the 70% already filmed. So, the cost of re-shooting the entire movie cost Lucasfilm and its parent company, Disney, a lot of money, which the film was unable to earn back.
However, while the film was not financially successful, it was a good film overall. Alden Ehrenreich, who plays Han in this movie, was a great choice for a younger Han, while Emilia Clarke was terrific as Qi'ra. Woody Harrelson was a lot of fun to watch as Beckett, and Paul Bettany was a great choice for Dryden. However, the one actor in this movie that everyone enjoyed was Donald Glover as Lando. He was easily the most enjoyable part of the movie, and I definitely saw him as a young Lando.
While Rogue One was technically the first of the Star Wars Anthology films, Solo was set at an earlier point in the Star Wars timeline. The story starts with Han Solo on his homeworld of Corellia, struggling to survive and working for a serpentine crime boss named Lady Proxima. After making his escape, along with his friend and lover Qi'ra, Han travels to the spaceport, using a small amount of Coaxium, which is a type of fuel used for starships, to buy his way off world. After being betrayed by the Imperial Port Authority, Han and Qi'ra are separated, and Han decides to enlist in the Imperial Naval Academy to become a pilot. Years pass and Han, as an Imperial Soldier, fights in battles on the ground. It is here that he meets Tobias Beckett, a master thief who is looking to acquire a dropship for his use on another world. After turning Han in as a deserter, Han is thrown into a pit, and it is here that he meets the Wookiee Chewbacca. Teaming up together, Han and Chewie escape and join Beckett and his crew. We then see that Tobias is planning on stealing a set of train cars carrying Coaxium. Unfortunately, his crew are killed during the heist, due to the interference by a group known as the Marauders, led by Enfys Nest. After losing the Coaxium , Beckett reveals that they were stealing the Coaxium for the crime syndicate Crimson Dawn.
Han, Beckett, and Chewie then meet with Dryden Vos, who hired Beckett on behalf of Crimson Dawn, and we learn that Qi'ra was now working with Crimson Dawn. Han suggests getting unrefined Coaxium, but the only supply of it is located in the spice mines of Kessel. Han, Qi'ra, Beckett, and Chewie, in need of a fast ship, meet with smuggler Lando Calrisssian, and hire his services to fly them to Kessel. Along with his droid L3-37, they make the Kessel Run in Lando's ship: the Millennium Falcon, retrieve the Coaxium, and take it to the planet Savareen to be refined. It is here that we learn that the Marauders are, in fact, Rebels standing up against the crime syndicates, as well as the Empire. Upon his arrival, Dryden is double-crossed by Beckett and killed by Han and Qi'ra. After Han leaves to go after Beckett and Chewie, Qi'ra contacts Dryden's boss, who summons her to the planet Dathomir. After confronting Beckett, Han kills him and gives the Coaxium to Enfys and the Marauders, who plan to use it to begin building the larger rebellion. Han, having tracked down Lando, plays him in a hand of cards to win ownership of the Falcon, and Han and Chewie take off for more adventures, ending the movie.
Solo: A Star Wars Story was not successful at the box office, and is currently the only box office bomb among the Star Wars series. This has nothing to do with the film itself, but rather the behind-the-scenes issues involved with the film. Originally, 21 Jump Street and The Lego Movie directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were hired to direct the film, but screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan was not happy with the way that Lord and Miller were going off-script when making the movie, turning it into more of a comedy. About 70% into filming, Lord and Miller were removed from the film and replaced with director Ron Howard, who directed the remainder of the film, and re-shot the 70% already filmed. So, the cost of re-shooting the entire movie cost Lucasfilm and its parent company, Disney, a lot of money, which the film was unable to earn back.
However, while the film was not financially successful, it was a good film overall. Alden Ehrenreich, who plays Han in this movie, was a great choice for a younger Han, while Emilia Clarke was terrific as Qi'ra. Woody Harrelson was a lot of fun to watch as Beckett, and Paul Bettany was a great choice for Dryden. However, the one actor in this movie that everyone enjoyed was Donald Glover as Lando. He was easily the most enjoyable part of the movie, and I definitely saw him as a young Lando.
Story wise, the film feels like an interesting blend of several elements of things like Rebel Without a Cause, Cannonball Run, and even Firefly, all tied in to the Star Wars universe. While it feels unnecessary, like showing how Han got things like his last name, the dice that hang above him in the cockpit of the Falcon, and his signature blaster, it is great getting to see how het met Chewie and Lando, as well as how Han got the Falcon, and seeing it make the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs. Not a perfect film, but an entertaining one nonetheless. I give Solo: A Star Wars Story a rating of 4/5. This is Chuck signing off. See you guy next time as we take a look at Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as the Countdown to The Rise of Skywalker continues.
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