Chewie...We're Young!
135 Mins. Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, Jon Favreau & Paul Bettany. Director: Ron Howard.
When this writer was just a scruffy nerf herder of a kid all he wanted to do was act. And act up he did. Begging his mother to enrol him in the local drama school. "I want to be Harrison Ford mum"! Not the next Harrison Ford. But, "I want to be Harrison Ford mum"! The reason being nothing to do with 'Star Wars' or 'Indiana Jones', but actually because of one Dr. Richard Kimble, A.K.A., 'The Fugitive' is besides the point. Anyway...I digress. Now much to my 10 year old dismay over twenty years back, we cry 'Hail Caesar' today! As Alden Ehrenreich gets to be Harrison Ford...or more fittingly Han Solo. "Would that it were so simple"? Alden may have flubbed his lines for Ralph Fiennes, but he sticks to the script here with the compelling charisma of a rebels heart. Ehrenreich beating out the likes of 'Baby Driver' Ansel Elgort, 'Kingsman' Taron Egerton (my Sabacc cards were on him) and the 'Whiplash' of Miles Teller. Like Harrison did sci-fi genre, all-action crossover great Kurt Russell, Bill Murray(?) and the hoo-rah of Al Pacino for Han. For the latest solo 'Star Wars' story...erm...'Solo: A Star Wars Story' that's the real rogue one. After the menacing phantom of a new millennium trilogy tried to reawaken the force like 'A New Hope', but instead ended up as confused as a 'Last Jedi', we now have a new Millennium Falcon for you rebels waiting around as patient as carbonite. And for all the solo projects coming out (from frenemies like Lando to Bobba), just like 'Rogue One' (which was like immersing yourself in the epic 'Battlefront' of one of those 'Star Wars' video game platforms) this seems to be the best of all the new 'Star Wars' stories and series of trilogies coming out. Don't listen to the critics, it was a boring conversation anyway. It's not true. All of it. When it comes to this Solo, you really are going to have a good feeling about this. Hands or Han down. As on the up and up, this cocky and confident driver and flyer has the effervescent charisma of a young kid with his whole future ahead of him. And not the ember charm of an old rebel burnt out by the knowledge that the trick is to "assume everyone will betray you and you'll never be disappointed" as his criminal crew mentor puts it. But take it from us and trust us here that you won't be disappointed as 'Solo' goes it alone for a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away as Alden gets to shoot first. Sort of.
But boy is he a blast with the blaster. Armed to the standoff unclipped holster with that out of this world, space wild west, look and chapped feel of a futuristic western (from the saloon card games, to the train hijacks, to the duels) like 'Westworld' to 'Futureworld'. Even if we do have to see most of the epic establishing shots here from under and between the literal junk of his leather legs. C'mon I know he's supposed to be a sex symbol, but how many times do we have to see Hans solos? Still the 'Blue Jasmine' and 'Rules Don't Apply' (showing they really don't) actor more than fills the boots of Han. Striding in them with pride and a scene of poise, presence and place. Wrapped in a jacket that's so cool even Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron wouldn't let John Boyega's Finn keep it, because who cares who it looks better on. It fits perfectly like Alden here when he isn't wearing a fur coat that will have his hair raising best friend roaringly wondering what...or who it's made of. With a usual begrudging at best Ford's furiously afforded blessing and standing on his own two as Solo, Ehrenreich is good...a little rough around the edges (but isn't he supposed to be), but good. Showing us that Han lives even after (SPOILER ALERT if you've been frozen in carbonite since late 2015) his own Vader wannabe all the way down to the lozenge worthy (or needed) son turned him into a jagged lightsaber shish kebab (word to the samurai of 'Deadpool') and tossed him into that same void half of Darth Maul is probably still falling down. This young Han has new hope and is more of an eager hero than his reluctant one of the future past who would rather let someone know in two words what most say in three. And this hope is jukebox elbow punched in a fast and furious 'Rush' to the finish line job by 'Willow' and 'Apollo 13' director Ron Howard. The one tasked with bringing this force of a franchise back to happy days. Building on the blocks of the 'LEGO Movies' pieces Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who where found in the cockpit of the Falcon with not a clue how to fly or where to take this thing next. But their original instruction manual blueprint still breathes through this ship, no matter their director to executive producing downsizing (see, 'Ant-Man': Edgar Wright. Despite these Disney franchises requirements, everyones vision still sees the light of day in some way). Howard's end is so good here that he may even be able to take on the dinos of his own daughter Bryce Dallas and the 'Fallen Kingdom' of her 'Jurassic World' with 'Infinity Wars' Chris Pratt next week. The heels are off! There's hope for 'Solo' after all. Just when everyone though it was all about yet to be seen in the 'Sicario' sequel 'Day Of The Soldado', Josh Brolin's Thanos war on Cable and himself in both the latest 'Avengers' and 'Deadpool' sequels. When really with a click of the fingers and a flip switch change of the gears it's the day of 'Solo' right now.
But it's just more than Han with his hands on the controls, clicking and flipping all the switches and pushing all the buttons of this millennium machine for you millennials. And young like Skywalker but with no Luke, this Falcon flyer needs to be taken under someone elses wing. And from 'Happy Days' to 'Cheers' how good is it to see Woody Harrelson in a 'Star Wars' movie?! Adding to his legendary fantasy franchise legacy like he did a cut above the constantly shaving, bald headed rest last year in the 'War For The Planet Of The Apes'. Or has done with the new chapters of 'The Hunger Games' series. Or is about to maybe in the Carnage he's rumoured to bring to the world of Marvel with 'Venom'. But the Oscar worthy 'Three Billboards' star has always been a natural born chameleon as much as he's naturally killed it with the hard work he's put into his multiple films at the multiplex at once. Sometimes you forget it's really him...or how much he's really done. And this is no exception, but exceptional. As Harrelson hustles a 'Star Wars' character for the ages and adds a legendary name to the character vault, like the Star Wars cinematic world adds a legendary name to their Hollywood canon. Woody's heard of a job and he's putting together a tight crew. Featuring right hand woman, no B.S., all about the jobs line of duty, Thandie Newton. Straight out of 'Westworld' and right into an epic train jacking, smash and dash scene of twisting and turning, up and down, dual tracking heights. 'Iron Man's' own M.C.U. birthright Happy Hogan director Jon Favreau himself (whose about to helm his own 'Star Wars' standalone T.V. reborn series) in creature critter form. And of course Chewie, played hair perfectly to the look by Wookie of the year, Joonas Suotamo. The Finnish, former big-man basketball pro player taking over from Peter Mayhew since J.J. Abrams took over from George Lucas with a slam dunk. They've all got to work for Paul Bettany's sinister face streaked in blood villain. The nice guy Vision of the Avengers showing just how versatile and vile this veteran can get. All whilst appearing so busy his character actually in appearance looks like he left the 'Infinity War' set so early they didn't finish taking off his Vision make-up off properly. From the loving scenes of Scarlet heart bewitching romance between all the wars of 'The Avengers', to these light saber dagger wielding, dark lord overtones of oblique evils. This Great Brit adds to his ever underrated legion of work (did you forget how harrowingly haunting he was in the 'Da Vinci Code'? You can bet Tom Hanks doesn't!). And you can bet on Bettany who razor sharp takes over from 'The Wire's' great Michael K. Williams' original big bad, who unfortunatly had to be cut amongst reshoots he couldn't make it back for. But for all the heist and hijinks, let's not forget 'Star Wars' is a love story like 'Me Before You'. And before Leia (Carrie Fisher we love you!), Hans princess was just as rogue as he was. And not to be confused with 'Rogue One' lookalike Felicity Jones, 'Game Of Thrones' atomic star, Emilia Clarke is a class of elegance and grace in 'Solo'. Armed also the strength of solidarity that made her a perfect Sarah Conner in a 'Terminator: Genysis' film that should have been as critically convincing. Like a British Scarlett Johansson at her Widow's peak, Clarke is on fire without the dragons and ignites this picture everytime she's on screen. But when he's not chatting up Emilia's heart here, Alden's Han is flirting with Lando over a game of cards like everyone else wishes they were. As Billy Dee Williams' Calrissian is class of his own played with equal Ehrenreich to Ford honor by Donald Glover. No not Danny's boy. This is Childish Gambino. The same one who voiced Spider-Man Miles Morales, prowlingly played his uncle in 'Homecoming' and gave us a 'Deadpool' cartoon even more R-rated than the Ryan Reynolds version that it was actually shut down before it even had a chance to be banned. The same one who gave us 'Atlanta' (the best and freshest show on television right now...that also fittingly gave us 'Deadpool 2' sidekick Domino) and the real America in his funkadelic, soulful 'Awaken My Love' real and raw rap follow-up and probably the most controversial and groundbreaking music video since before the old Kanye we miss spent a night in Trump Tower. And lets not forget the same one who figured out how to bring Matt Damon home from Mars when everyone else was tired of saving 'The Martian' again. But here the same lion and king whose about to voice no other but a live action Simba nails his Lando solo movie audition in one hand in this 'Solo' movie. Cape to fur coat and canary tailored exquisite, Esquire styled perfection of charisma. Hello, what do we have here? This charmer claims his Lando is pan sexual (which is a good job because now everyone and their momma fancies Glover right about the time that is his now...yep me too). Meaning he's probably f### your pots and pans if they had a heartbeat. He's even maybe got a thing going on with his own electric sheep dreaming and K2-SO humor rivalling android L3 (played with puncuation by fantastic 'Fleabag' actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge). You might want to buckle up baby. Because this is one Donald we could never hate thanks to his disarming charm and arresting emotion all nuanced in one take. His accented performance embodies all that scene or whole show stealing swaggers like Billy Dee. Glover wears Lando like a glove. Believe it. Because everything...you've heard about him...is true. All of it. And all for one and one for all. All the stars, stunts. All the set-pieces and set-up surprises. When it all comes down to all there is in 'Solo' one things for sure. You'll love this...I know! TIM DAVID HARVEY
Further Filming: 'Rogue One-A Star Wars Story', 'Star Wars-The Force Awakens', 'Star Wars-The Empire Strikes Back'.
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