Showing posts with label Han Solo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Han Solo. Show all posts

Friday, May 25, 2018

'Solo: A Star Wars Story' Review

Nominated For: Best Visual Effects. 

Solo: A Star Wars Story chronicles the early escapades of a young Han Solo as he winds up deep in the dark, dangerous criminal underworld and joins a crew of smugglers looking to pull off a huge heist for a notorious crime lord.
Now it's no secret that Solo: A Star Wars went through some significant behind-the-scenes drama, as reports of the director shake-up and extensive reshoots were highly publicized and it was all slung around by the press as though this film might be Lucasfilm's first flop. For those curious what I'm referring to, directing duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller were taken off the project mid-way through production last summer due to creative differences only to be replaced by the Academy Award winning director Ron Howard. We recently saw something similar happen to Justice League, so I'm sure many have feared the worst since the news broke, but I've gotta say that the change-up is not noticeable in the slightest within the context of the film itself. You can tell this is a film guided by a singular vision at the helm of it all. It's not a hodgepodge of conflicting voices strung together by a committee purely to sell more merchandise.  
Howard's actually got something else in store for Star Wars fans. Solo is an origin story for Han in the vein of a western/gun-slinger with a youthful exuberance and the added benefit of a heavy criminal element. While Howard certainly deserves credit for the execution of it all (especially considering the amount of time he had), I've gotta hand it to Lawrence and Jonathan Kasdan for writing a tight script. Larry Kasdan is quite familiar with Han Solo because he's been writing the character since The Empire Strikes Back, and it really shows in the dialogue and story-framework. The scope of the story is small, but the stakes felt intimate as a result, which is precisely how it should be. It's actually quite refreshing to see a blockbuster with such an adventurous spirit that ironically brought Indiana Jones to mind. 
Howard and the Kasdans also found a nice balance between treating fans to fun nuggets of Han's origin and revealing an excessive, unnecessary amount of Han's backstory. For those angered that the Expanded Universe lore was stricken from canon when Disney purchased Lucasfilm, you'll probably be pleasantly surprised to see quite a bit of Han's Expanded Universe history reintroduced in Solo. Of course, there are many easter eggs to be found as well, but I was really relieved to see none of them take precedence over the story at hand as a cheap wink to the fans. While there are certainly moments of fan-service, none of it felt egregious or unnecessary. Although, there's one surprise cameo that will likely confuse casual fans of the franchise. All I have to say to that is you'll understand it if you go watch the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series (it's on Netflix). Before I move away from the fan discussion, I should also probably mention that Solo bucks many longtime Star Wars traditions so just be prepared for that. 
Technically, Solo is as proficient as any of the Disney era Star Wars films. There's nothing particularly game-changing for the medium of film or the franchise in general, but the costumes, production design, editing, visual effects, sound editing and sound mix are all very well-polished examples of exemplary work from the crew. It's also worth noting that John Powell composed an accomplished score which occasionally incorporated an appropriate use of familiar John Williams musical motifs while the action sequences on display were quite exhilarating. In particular, I most enjoyed the Conveyex train heist sequence in addition to finally watching the infamous Kessel Run unfold. 
If I were to rattle off some nitpicks, I'd have to start by saying I found it difficult to see everything that was going on in certain scenes due to dim lighting. I largely just found this disappointing because Bradford Young was the director of photography on Solo and I loved his work in Arrival. This perhaps could be chocked down to a poor projector in the auditorium I watched the film in (I'll know for sure after a second viewing), but everything just looked very dark and dingy at times. Part of me thinks the projector was operating perfectly fine and the color palette was just grittier to match the backdrop of the criminal underworld as a stylistic choice, but one can never be too certain. 
One of my favorite things about Star Wars is the world-building that accompanies fleshing out a galaxy far, far away. So, naturally, I'm a sucker for introducing new locales and abstract aliens. However, I found myself a little let down by that component of Solo. The production team did very little to differentiate the "new" planets (some are pre-existing in the canon) from anything seen previously. Normally, I find myself so enraptured by the scenery that I unrealistically wish I could venture there. With Solo, that simply wasn't the case despite top-notch production quality... The settings in Star Wars are almost a character of their own, but they just felt like set dressing in this instance.
In regards to its cast, Solo had some big hurdles to overcome. While he may not have had first shot at portraying the character, Alden Ehrenreich brings new life to Han Solo as a younger, inexperienced version of the beloved scoundrel. Ehrenreich delivers the essence of the character we all know and love while taking ownership of his own version. I'm sure many are skeptical about the idea of anyone else in the role of Han Solo other than Harrison Ford, but I can speak for myself in saying I was assuaged from the get-go. Opposite Ehrenreich is an actor who really doesn't get enough credit... Since The Force Awakens, Joonas Suotamo has put on the big furry suit and chortled onscreen as the big fuzzball we affectionally refer to as Chewie. However, this time, Suotamo gets to shine in ways the previous films simply didn't allow time for since the burgeoning bromance between Han and Chewbacca is a focal part of the film. The chemistry between Ehrenreich and Suotamo makes the companionship between these classic characters completely convincing and it's quite amusing to see their friendship flourish over the course of the film. 
The other familiar face to be found in Solo is Lando Calrissian, who's portrayed perfectly by Donald Glover. Like Alden, Glover brings his own spin to the role that's already been previously popularized by another actor. Glover's take feels like it's entirely his own, yet is also remarkably in line with the precedent previously set by Billy Dee Williams. Glover just oozes the eccentric ol' smoothie charisma required for the role and will charm your socks off. Phoebe Waller-Bridge plugs into the affairs as L3-37, Lando's navigator droid who's a vocal droids-rights activist. Waller-Bridge steals many scenes with some well-timed quips and certainly stood out as one of the funnier characters in the crowded cast.
 
Rounding out the cast, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, Jon Favreau, and Paul Bettany all do a fine job playing a host of characters with mysterious, ever-changing motivations. These are Qi'ra, Tobias Beckett, Val, Rio Durant, and Dryden Vos respectively, but I'm going to stay out of specifics to avoid spoiling anything. 
Lastly, a reoccurring threat for Solo and his band of smugglers is the marauder and leader of the Cloud-Rider gang, Enfys Nest. I found this character to be very cool along with her devoted group of followers and liked how they played into things, but I'll leave it at that since the character's masked and this is a spoiler-free review.
Really, Solo had everything I could ever want from a standalone Han Solo story. In spite of a troubled production, Solo: A Star Wars Story tells a fun, fairly risk-free adventure that I can't wait to experience again. You better buckle up baby, because Solo: A Star Wars Story is the summer blockbuster you're gonna want to ride over and over at light speed!

Film Assessment: B+

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Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Star Wars Speculation: The Smuggler

It's been awhile since my last Star Wars Speculation, but I figured I needed to whip something together for this week's release of Solo: A Star Wars Story. After thinking it over, I decided to make this post the first in a three-part series. The series of posts will highlight each member of the Original Trilogy's protagonist trio and be titled The Smuggler, The Princess, and The Jedi Knight respectively. Naturally, I figured Solo would be a good starting point. It's also worth noting that I'll be incorporating a brief discussion of each character's latest tie-in novel for my analysis (Last Shot, Leia: Princess of Alderaan, and The Legend of Luke Skywalker) and I've reached out to my Twitter followers asking for their thoughts on these characters so I'll highlight their responses at the beginning of each post.

Twitter Responses









Solo: The Smuggler 


Han Solo can best be described as a scoundrel with a heart of gold. Over the characters' 41 year history, that much has remained constant. When we first meet him in the Mos Eisley Cantina, he's boastful, confident, and dubious that an all-powerful force could control his destiny. Han gets by on dumb luck, putting his faith into reckless action because it's proven successful more often than not. Why try anything else if you're good with a blaster and captain of the fastest ship in the galaxy? Han's the kind of guy that will try and talk his way out of a hairy situation till there's no other choice but to blast the problem away. Once there's no other alternative, he shoots first and asks questions later. 
Compounding his roguish behavior, Han Solo always looks out for himself first, his loyal Wookie companion second, and that's it. He couldn't possibly muster the motivation to care about anything else at this point. Han is initially driven by a selfish desire to save his own neck. He only agrees to help Obi Wan and Luke because the reward could prove useful in paying off Jabba the Hutt and getting the slug off his back. He's not a hero, not yet at least... However, Luke's virtue and worldview rubs off on him a bit as he slowly becomes more interested in helping others and begins to sees the galaxy through a different lens. He swoops in to save Luke at the end of A New Hope not for glory or more financial reward, but because he knows he's able to help a friend and now has a desire to do his part in the larger Rebellion.

Solo: The Scoundrel


Han had numerous chances to take the money, leave, and never return, but he's still around three years later when the Rebellion's holed up on Hoth. The problem is that he's scared of commitment and isn't quite sure he can admit to himself that he actually has a desire to stay. He claims to want to settle his debt with Jabba, but persistently sticks around to help out his friends. Just look to the first thirty minutes in which he journeys out into the planet's frozen wasteland to find Luke or later when he takes Leia and C-3PO with him and Chewie in the evacuation of Hoth. He doesn't leave anyone high and dry at this point because he's grown to care about these newfound friend of his. 
He clearly stuck around because of his feelings for Leia, and despite her harsh rejection, Han does everything in his power to ensure she reaches the Rebellion's rendezvous point safely. Along the way, Han charms the princess with his wits and willingness to protect her. He pulls all the tricks up his sleeve and slyly avoids the Empire by flying straight into an asteroid field, hiding in a cave (which turns out to be a space worm they must subsequently escape from), and then attaches the Falcon to a Star Destroyer before stealthily drifting away with the garbage en route to Cloud City.
On Cloud City, the group is met by an old buddy of Han's, Lando Calrissian, who turns them over to the Empire almost immediately for Han to be frozen in carbonite and delivered to Jabba the Hutt. It's interesting that Lando is a foil of Han as they both are charming rogues initially in it for themselves. Introducing Lando as a traitor only further shows how much Han's grown since we were introduced to him in that wretched hive of scum and villainy. Where Lando betrayed the Rebels for his vested interest in his mining operation, Han did everything he could to keep them safe.
And I believe that's why Leia fell for Han in the end. She realized there was a good man underneath the stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder exterior. Sure, Han's roguish charm probably played a factor as well, but I'd like to believe it was primarily because Leia uncovered his heart of gold and saw Han for who he really was. Too bad it had to happen right before he was frozen in carbonite and carted away for delivery to a slimy space gangster.

Solo: The Hero

Next time we see Solo, he's the one being rescued thanks to some harebrained scheme cooked up by Luke Skywalker. Once unfrozen by Leia, Han's shown to be suffering from carbonite hibernation sickness. In these moments we see Han, the cockiest man in the galaxy, in a state of unease and confusion and it's very telling that Leia's presence calms his nerves a bit. Of course he's soon captured once again by Jabba and his crew and taken to the Sarlacc pit along with Luke and Chewbacca, only for Skywalker to somehow pull off an insane escape by defeating the pirates and bounty hunters on Jabba's payroll and destroying Jabba's sail barge. The heroes ride off into the twin sunset.
But that's not all... The Rebels rendezvous to coordinate an assault on a second Death Star where Han volunteers to lead a ground assault on the shield generator protecting the superweapon. Here, we're shown that Han finally feels comfortable committing himself to the cause. He takes the mantle of leadership proudly and is willing to do whatever it takes to help the Rebels win this fight. The Rebellion is of course victorious and Han lives happily ever after with Leia. The End. Just kidding!! There's subsequently thirty years of vaguely explored history for me to tackle!

Solo: Husband and Father


One of the most fascinating elements of the sequel trilogy and subsequent new canon material is how they enables us to view these treasured heroes through a different lens. There were many things that were alluded to in The Force Awakens, but the nitty-gritty details are fleshed out in expanding multimedia arena of novels, comic books, and video games. I've detailed the more commonly known background of Han Solo, but I felt his feelings on parenthood were well-worth diving into as well because of how it further defines him as a character.
For instance, readers are treated to a glimpse of Han and Leia's early life together after the Battle of Endor in the novel Last Shot. Other canon material had already confirmed that Han and Leia soon married and Ben Solo was born a year later, but Last Shot offers an exploration of what Han was like as a parent. Ben Solo is two years old as of the events detailed in Last Shot, and it's revealed that Han was pretty uncomfortable about being a father because he was scared he might screw the whole thing up. He's shown to be apprehensive about how the entire ordeal and relieved to have an excuse to escape it all for awhile when Lando arrives on his doorstep asking for help at the start of the book.
Both Han and Leia wound up busy in later years so Ben was sent off to train with Luke as a result. We know from Bloodline that Han and Leia never told Ben the truth about his grandfather, and Leia's heritage is soon discovered and revealed to the galaxy. Since Ben and Luke were rarely ever able to be contacted, Leia wrote Ben a letter to try and explain the situation to him. However, I imagine Ben found out elsewhere and was subsequently seduced by the Dark Side only to completely turn to Kylo Ren when Luke tried to confront him and only made things worse (as depicted in The Last Jedi). The public revelation that Leia's related to Darth Vader happens approximately six years before the events of The Force Awakens and we know based on dialogue that Han is racing star fighters at this point in time, so I believe Han went back to smuggling alongside Chewbacca shortly after Ben turned to the Dark Side. 
I believe it happened at this particular breaking point because Han tells Leia, "We both had to deal with it in our own way. I went back to the only thing I was ever any good at." when they discuss redeeming Ben. Leia responds that they both did. Based on this dialogue exchange and information gleaned in Bloodline, I presume they both went their separate ways when they got news of what had happened to Ben. Around this point in time, Leia was practically shut out of the New Republic Senate because of her lineage. Meanwhile, she had just discovered hints of the First Order so she began to form the Resistance as an independent military force in hopes of countering any threats from remnants of the Empire. On the flip side, I believe Han resigned himself to smuggling because of his guilt.
I think Han feels partially responsible for everything that happened with Ben because he believes deep-inside that he messed it all up as a neglectful parent or something along those lines. Therefore, he went right back into the criminal underworld because he didn't know what else to possibly do. Then, in The Force Awakens, it seems to me that Han sees Rey as a surrogate daughter just as she views him to be a surrogate father because they share various skills and character traits. I think some part of him thought he reconcile his guilt by helping out Rey and giving her a place in the galaxy working alongside him and Chewie instead of waiting on Jakku for parents that would never return. 
I think this also contributed to his motivation to go to Starkiller Base towards the end because he probably thought he could help rescue Rey from First Order and have a chance at redeeming Ben's soul in one fell swoop. On that note, it's also very telling to me that he didn't confront Kylo Ren when he first saw him on Takodana. While there probably wasn't much he could have done aside from yell "Ben!" as he does later on, I think it echoes his fear of being a parent that I mentioned earlier. The difference being that he's more likely scared he'll make things worse somehow. Confronting his son and failing would mean he'd accept full responsibility for putting him down a darker path. I'm not sure Han wanted to add anything to his burden of guilt considering he already feels like he's failed as a father.
In the end, Han may not have been the best at settling down and starting a family, but his final act is irrefutably one fueled by love and devotion to his wife and son. The man who was once one of the most selfish in the galaxy commits to a purely selfless act to redeem his son. Han wants Ben back for Leia's sake, as well as his own, because neither could bear to think what had become of their son. So Han confronts his son and offers to help free him of his pain before being met with a lightsaber through the chest. As Solo begins to fall, he reaches out and touches his son's face one last time before falling to his death. Even while dying at the hands of his son, Solo still offers one last loving gesture towards Ben, which perhaps reveals more about Han as a father than anything else. Devoted till the bitter end. 

Conclusion


As of right now, I think that's about all I can say about the beloved smuggler, but we're sure to learn much more of the character's history later this week in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Seeing as I'd like to publish this post before then, I can't speak for that part of Han's life quite yet, but I'm excited to break it down in future online discussions!

-As always, thanks for reading and May the Force be with you!!
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Monday, April 9, 2018

Star Wars Speculation: 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' Trailer Talk

Last night a new trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story was released and I immediately debated whether I should bother posting anything about it or not. On one hand, I enjoyed the trailer and I've already made it a habit to discuss new Star Wars content via this Star Wars Speculation series. However, the new footage didn't really "reveal" much in terms of plot worth analyzing so I figured calling this a "Trailer Analysis" would be a little misleading. Ultimately, I've decided to rundown my favorite things from the trailer and add some occasional context to certain scenery.

**Keep in mind that this is all my interpretation of the scenery. I could be way off mark in regards to speculation, but provided I'm correct, potential spoilers lie ahead.**

'Solo: A Star Wars Story' Trailer Talk


My favorite things (No particular order):
1. Star Destroyer under construction- I love this shot for many reasons. One, we've never seen a Star Destroyer under construction before and it looks awesome. Two, I think the positioning of the camera communicates a lot about Solo's setting. Like Rogue One, you get the sense that the Empire is a powerful force that looms over everything. With the camera looking upward from a dingy, urban setting, you also get the sense this story will be told inside the criminal underbelly of the galaxy. Something that's rarely been examined in a Star Wars movie before. On top of all that, I'm guessing this takes place on Corellia because that is Han's homeworld which is known for building Imperial starships.
2. Enfys Nest and the Cloud-Riders- In my post about the first Solo teaser, I touched on these characters still unaware of who/what they were. At the time, I wasn't even able to provide any names or information for them whatsoever. Well, since then, details have surfaced that they're a pirate gang called the Cloud-Riders who are lead by Enfys Nest. While there's still no official word on this, Enfys Nest is said to be female and she and her gang will play an important role in the story as antagonists of sorts. Although, they supposedly aren't the main villains.
I included them to update my readers with more information and because I think Enfys Nest looks awesome.
I think they may also be trying to retrieve whatever the focal point of Han's heist is as there are numerous speeders in this sequence and I spotted Nest onboard the Conveyex (the train) in the last trailer. 
3. Sabacc- I've already touched on this in a previous post as well, but I believe this will be the game of Sabacc where Han wins the Falcon from Lando. Aside from that, we get another look at the cool crustacean Therm Scissorpunch (who may just have the greatest Star Wars name of all time) and the other aliens who will be present in the scene. I'm spotlighting this because I'm excited to see this sequence play out, I'm excited to hopefully learn the mechanics of Sabacc, and I really like the creature design as they reminds me of all the aliens found in the Mos Eisley cantina. 
4. Chewie's family?- Many have pointed out this shot as possibly introducing Chewbacca's wife Malla and son Lumpy from the Star Wars Holiday Special into canon. However, it's worth mentioning that these characters have already been made canon by the recent Aftermath trilogy of Star Wars novels and this doesn't mean that the Holiday Special itself is canon. Just the existence of the characters. Anyways, this looks like it may be what Chewbacca presumes to be a final farewell as he escapes captivity thanks to Han. I presume he's promising to return one day to free the other Wookies, which we already know happens in the events of Aftermath: Life Debt after Return Of The Jedi.
5. Chewie and Han- Just seeing Han and Chewie together puts a smile on my face, and I'm getting the sense Ron Howard's captured the delightful dynamic between the two based on the banter showcased in the trailer. 
5. "You might want to buckle up, baby."- I love this line because it's classic Lando. I'd say Donald Glover seems to have captured the charming spirit of the ol' smoothie and will be a standout for sure!
6. Chewie slamming someone into the ground- Chewbacca doesn't have on his bandolier here so I presume this will be some sort of slave revolt on the spice mines of Kessel. We'll probably see how Han helps free Chewie before learning the exact circumstances behind Chewbacca's pledged Life Debt to Han. Putting all that aside, seeing Chewbacca running rampant will probably be pretty cool if this shot from the trailer is any indication.
7. Origin of Han's DL-44 blaster- Looks like the film will show us that Han's classic blaster was given to him by Beckett. I'm curious to see if there's any particular reason Han holds the blaster in high esteem. Otherwise, I hope the film doesn't go overboard in explaining the origin of all of Han's things to the point it overtakes the story. 
8. Dryden Vos- Dryden Vos is described in the trailer as big shot gangster who's putting together a crew, so it's only natural that we can assume this crew pertains to the Conveyex heist. What he's after remains to be seen, but it's worth noting that his face is visibly scarred so it may be something that could help heal his face.
This weapon he's wielding is also quite cool and I think it may be a vibroblade of some sort. 
9. Range Troopers- It's always cool to see new Stormtrooper variants introduced in every Star Wars film. I like the look of these range troopers a lot and think it's awesome that they seem to have magnetic boots as they all remained balanced on the moving Conveyex train at various angles.
10. Beckett's advice- I really like what Beckett tells Han when he says "Let me give you some advice: expect that everyone will betray you, and you will never be disappointed." I think it sets up the idea that Han will in-fact be betrayed by someone or multiple people over the course of the film and that will drastically alter his ability to trust others.

General Thoughts: Like Han said in the trailer, I've got a good feeling about this. I'm obviously excited for Solo while others still seem skeptical. I realize the production problems are troubling, but I think Ron Howard seems to have come in and course-corrected things. I'm liking the Western-gunslinger vibe because it suits Han's introduction to a life of smuggling perfectly. I've gotten good impressions from the cast so far and I think the film will be visually impressive regardless of anything else. All I'm hoping for is a fun space adventure and I remain optimistic that Solo will deliver.

-As always, May the Force be with you!
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Friday, February 9, 2018

Star Wars Speculation: 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' Teaser Takeaways

This week we've been blessed with our first look into Solo: A Star Wars Story. This included the release of a TV Spot during the Super Bowl, an official teaser trailer on Good Morning America the next morning, and a lot of insight provided by Entertainment Weekly. I began writing this at the beginning of the week, but I knew I had to wait a little longer to actually publish it once the EW info started trickling out in so I could share more accurate information. I'll include links to the full EW articles at the end if you'd like to read more into anything, but I've cherry-picked the more interesting tid-bits and spread them throughout this post. Also, I'm calling this "Teaser Takeaways" as opposed to a "Trailer Analysis" because it's really just a compilation of the biggest takeaways from the teasers and EW issue.

**Keep in mind that this is all my interpretation of the scenery. I could be way off mark in regards to speculation, but provided I'm correct, potential spoilers lie ahead.**

'Solo: A Star Wars Story' Teaser Takeaways


Characters
1. Alden as Han- If these teasers had one job, it was to ease fans into the idea of someone else playing Han Solo other than Harrison Ford. I've already seen several complaining about the casting choice because Alden Ehrenreich didn't sound like Harrison Ford, but I'm kind of glad his performance doesn't seem to be based on an impersonation. In fact, according to his interview with EW, Harrison Ford was an adviser on the film to a slight degree and even gave Ehrenreich some invaluable insight into the character. While I still need to see more footage of Ehrenreich before making a fair judgement, what was shown of him in the teasers didn't concern me. 
He had a smug grin on his face while calmly delivering the "Thought we were in trouble there for a second, but it's fine. We're fine" line though, so he seems to be capturing the genuine spirit of the character. 
Many have pointed out that the line also is quite similar to Han's dialogue in A New Hope where he says "Uh, had a slight weapons malfunction. But, uh, everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all finer her, now, thank you." 
2. Chewie- It just wouldn't be a Han Solo movie if everyone's favorite fuzzball didn't show up! Solo will likely address how Han and Chewbacca met as well as the origins of Chewie's life debt to Han. In Legends (the old canon), Han was a member of the Imperial Navy and saved Chewbacca from slavery after being ordered to kill the Wookie. We're not really sure if that story element will carry over or not, but I wouldn't be surprised to see something along those lines happening in the film. Another thing worth noting is that Chewie's got two bandoliers instead of the traditional one he usually wears. It probably won't be a BIG deal in the context of the film, but I'm curious to see what happens with that. 
3. Lando- The film also features Donald Glover as the ol' smoothie, Lando Calrissian. Glover seemed like a perfect casting choice from day one and I think he's got sufficient swagger to possibly steal the show.
Eagle-eyed fans have noticed that Glover's got Lando's salute down at the very least. The droid seen in the image above will be Lando's female droid and side-kick, L3-37, who is portrayed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge via motion capture. L3-37 is described to have a sophisticated working relationship with Lando and is a self-modified droid who's utilized various parts from other droids to improve upon herself over time.
4. Qi'ra- Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke will be portraying Qi'ra, one of Han's childhood friends and the film's femme fatale. In the EW interview, Clarke says that the two grew up together, there's a romantic element to their relationship, and she is one of the characters who will shape him to become the lovable scoundrel we're familiar with. Also, she hinted that her glamorous appearance seems to hide "a few rough roads."
5. Tobias Beckett- Woody Harrelson is playing Tobias Beckett, a mentor figure to Han who probably helped him become a smuggler to begin with. He's shown to be recruiting Han and Chewie for a heist we see later on.
6. Val- Here we have a brief glimpse of actress Thandie Newton's character, Val. She's one of Beckett's "business" partners who will probably partake in the big heist. She's also said to be skeptical of Solo.
7. Dryden Vos- This character was nowhere to be seen in the trailer, but he's been teased numerous times by Ron Howard on social media. He was originally supposed to be played by Michael K. Williams before Ron Howard took over directorial duties from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, but Williams schedule conflicted with the extended production so Paul Bettany was brought in to play the part instead. Anyways, the EW article says that Vos is a crime lord who's clearly more clean-cut than sleazy slug, Jabba the Hutt, and is more immersed in the galactic criminal world than anyone else Han encounters over the course of the film. He's described as a man who's found great success breaking rules, but isn't the kind to get his hands dirty. Fans have also taken notice of a familiar helmet in the back lefthand corner of the above picture Howard shared on social media... Take a peak if you dare to spoil that surprise. 
While Vos wasn't seen in the trailer, I suspect he'll be the owner of this high class cantina seen in the trailer because the setting seems to match the background environment of that image. 
8. Four Armed Space Monkey- I know literally nothing about this creature, but it looks cool! There's appears to be an Imperial in the background, so it's difficult to tell exactly what side this guy's on. 
My random far-out guess would be that he's driving this awesome roller coaster-looking train, called the Conveyex. 
The vehicle is carrying some unknown cargo that will be the target of the film's heist. My wild, out-there guess would be that this heist makes Han a more recognizable name among the galaxy and draws the attention of a certain Hutt who may be enticed to have Solo start smuggling for him... I'm also going to guess that the Imperial Officer is there to guard the cargo along with several Stormtroopers. However, the character I'm about to mention is also seen fighting Beckett on-top of the train in the teaser, so it won't just be Imperials in their way.
9. Potential Antagonist(s)- Once again, I know almost nothing about who these people are, but I'd like to think they're some crime syndicate in pursuit of Solo or something along those lines... Regardless, they appear to be the central antagonists as the unidentified character in the center can be seen in multiple locations throughout the teasers. 

Backstory
1. The film will incorporate Han's Legends Background- As I mentioned earlier, Solo seems to be keeping some elements from Han's previous background in Legends intact, such as him joining the Empire. He mentions that he was kicked out of the flight academy for "having a mind of [his] own," but we'll have to wait and see if that is due to his inherent recklessness or because he freed Chewbacca.
2. We'll see how Han obtains the Falcon- The Millennium Falcon will play a huge part in the film for obvious reasons. I'm guessing that we're going to witness Han winning the Falcon from Lando in a game of Sabacc. 
For those wondering, Sabacc is a card game in the Star Wars galaxy often played by gamblers. The image above shows Lando playing with an interesting two-headed alien.
We can see Lando piloting the Falcon here, so we know it will be in his possession for some portion of the runtime.
3. The Infamous Kessel Run- Ahh, yes! Remember when Han Solo claimed that the Falcon made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs? Well, it looks like we'll finally find out if Han's boasting was well-founded or an over-exaggeration. Things to note are that there's a tentacle monster in the nebula and the Falcon looks a bit more complete towards the front center with an additional metal piece. Whether that piece is a modification made by Lando or the ship's original design remains to be seen, but I feel it could go either way. 
On that note, Lando clearly kept the Falcon much more tidy that Han and Chewie have. This observation's already lead to an overabundance of jokes, but I felt it was still worth including a comparison to emphasize how filthy it's become. 
4. Golden Dice- Remember those golden dice from The Last Jedi?...
Well, here they are hanging at the front of this speeder!  
They didn't just come completely from nowhere though because they were hung up in the Millennium Falcon in A New Hope. I suspect they'll be the dice Han uses to win the Falcon in his game of Sabacc against Lando because they're clearly of some importance to the smuggler, or else he wouldn't hang them up in the Falcon.

Locations
1. Corellia- I'm just guessing here, but it seems to me that this speeder chase will take place on Corellia. Why? Because it's Han's home planet and where many Star Wars ships are manufactured (Millennium Falcon and Imperial Starships). The industrial environment around seems to add credence to my theory.
2. Kessel- I'm thinking this will be Kessel because, as I stated earlier, this sequence looks to be the Kessel Run.
3. Beach planet?- Well, it's not Scarif... This looks like a brand new planet with possible spiritual significance to the Jedi Order due to the engraved pillars. I doubt we'll actually see any Jedi because Han makes it very clear he believes the Force is a bunch of mumbo jumbo at the time of A New Hope, but it might be similar to Jedha from Rogue One.
4. Mountainous, snow planet- This seems to be the setting of the big heist because the Conveyex is only shown in a snowy environment, but for those suspecting it's Hoth, I feel like it will be a new, previously unexplored planet. We'll probably have more info on it, along with the rest of these locations, in the next month or two.
5. Mimban- I'm not really sure if this planet has been shown in the trailer or not, but the above photo was included in the EW breakdown and is the only confirmed look at Mimban. Mimban is described as a swamp world with an overcast atmosphere full of thunderstorms. Now, it's very possible that this is the same planet as one of the others I've already mentioned because this is the only confirmed image of it. This planet was primarily showcased in Legends material and was originally introduced in the very first Star Wars novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye, but the planet was made canon by a casual mention in an episode of The Clone Wars and this will be our first actual look at it in canon. 
6. Where Han wins the Falcon- I'm past planets now and am purely speculating on scenery. This scenery matches up with the shots of Lando looking smug while playing Sabacc, so I suspect this will be where Han wins the Falcon. 
7. High class cantina- Sort of like Canto Bight, this setting seems to be a high end cantina for the wealthy. However, this looks more like a traditional club than a casino. Oh, and there's some Twi'lek's dancing so that's kind of cool.
Here's a picture of Oola, Jabba's Twi'lek dancer from Return Of The Jedi, for those unfamiliar with the species.
General Thoughts: These teasers managed to get me much more excited about the film. Previously, I was much more skeptical due to the behind the scenes drama, but Lucasfilm has won me over as of now. I'm really digging the visual look of the film and Bradford Young's cinematography unsurprisingly looks incredible so far! There's plenty shown in these teasers that look like nothing I'd ever seen before in a Star Wars film, so I'm all for that!! I'm ready for May 25th. 

EW Articles referenced:
-Harrison Ford was a covert adviser

-As always, May the Force be with you!
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