Well, now that everyone has seen it, I guess I’ll put in my two cents on the upcoming entry into the Star Wars expanded universe: Solo: A Star Wars Story.
The second of the “standalone” Star Wars films (after 2016’s Rogue One), Solo will tell the story of the beloved smuggler and unwilling hero of the Rebellion, Han Solo (portrayed in the “mainstream” films by Harrison Ford, by young Alden Ehrenreich in this film), until his ****SPOILER ALERT**** death at the hands of his son with Princess Leia Organa/Skywalker in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
Unlike some folks, I have watched this teaser footage/trailer exactly ONCE: when it aired during the Super Bowl last night. With all of the production issues that have plagued the film, I just wanted to get a sense of how the film was going to be. So here are some random thoughts about the trailer, in no particular order, followed by my overall opinion:
**Spoilers, obviously. Duh.**
– Who knew the interior of the Millennium Falcon was white?
– Donald Glover certainly looks the part of Lando Calrissian in his one second of screen-time.
– The visual tone of the film (based on the trailer) is dark: like, Lego Batman dark (blacks and very dark greys). Oddly, I don’t mind that at this stage.
– The Imperial Star Destroyer looks pretty bad-ass coming out that cloud.
– The exchange between Solo and the Imperial recruiter (?) seems reminiscent of the scene in Starship Troopers when they get their Federation assignments (“I’m going to be a pilot”).
– Chewie!
Overall, we don’t get a sense of the story Ron Howard has been left to tell us in the wake of all that came before him on-set, except what we already knew in broad strokes: that we will (somehow) get from Han enlisting, meeting Lando and Chewie along the way, leaving the Imperial Navy, and getting to the Millennium Falcon. And, hopefully, seeing a Kessel Run made along the way.
But, so far, at least, I’m okay with what I’m seeing. Let’s hope the full experience matches that.
Fingers crossed we can get into an advanced screening of this one.
See you in May!
