Spoiler-Free Movie Review: Solo: A Star Wars Story
After months of production problems, Solo: A Star Wars Story has released in cinemas. Now, as a huge Star Wars fan, this film was never one I've been excited for. A Han Solo movie without Harrison Ford? Ridiculous. There is no way it can be any good. It did not help that the former directors of the movie, Phil Lord and Chris Miller of The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street fame, were unceremoniously fired without concrete reasoning. Some accounts made it seem positive, but after what happened with Zack Snyder on Justice League, I was worried. Enter Ron Howard. While he is a very accomplished director, I best know him as the narrator on Arrested Development, but hearing about his relationship with George Lucas gave me some hope for the movie. Now, only five months after Star Wars: The Last Jedi (which I loved), Solo is in cinemas. So, what did I think of it?
I have to say, I loved it. I went Thursday night and saw it in IMAX with a nearly full audience. From the very start, it is very clear that this will be a different experience from other Star Wars movies. I'm excited to see it again soon, hopefully in Dolby Atmos. Without spoiling anything, I thought the story was compelling and adds new layers to Han, Chewy, Lando, as well as showing the Star Wars underworld in greater detail than we ever got in the live action films. Alden Ehrenreich really makes the part his own and makes a very believable Han Solo despite not looking very much like Ford, nor does he do an exact impression of him. Donald Glover, on the other hand, is perfect as Lando Calrissian from the style, to the voice, to the attitude. Chewy is Chewy, but he finally has something to do and actually has a purpose in the film beyond Han's buddy. Woody Harrelson as Tobias Beckett was good as he always is and the character works well as mentor figure for Han. Emilia Clarke's Qi'ra was a surprise for me as she was the most interesting new character and did not fit in the typical love interest role as I expected her to. Phoebe Waller-Bridge as L3-37 was another great, sassy droid, but I'm more a fan of the sarcastic K-2SO. Paul Bettany's Dryden Vos (no relation to Quinlan Vos) was a very intimidating crime boss and can definitely be added to the list of great Star Wars villains despite not having a lot of screen-time. Enfys Nest and [REDACTED] were also great and I hope to see them again in a possible sequel.
This movie was surprisingly a crowd-pleaser and should be satisfactory to those who go in with an open mind rather than those who already hate it and fall under the "Boycott Disney"" and "Fire Kathleen Kennedy!" crowds. The movie is filled with Star Wars lore, without feeling forced, and is very rewarding for anyone who follows the supplementary material such as The Clone Wars and Rebels. The cinematography was top-notch with some truly great shots scattered throughout and John Powell's score was good and nostalgic, but didn't have any new memorable pieces like Rogue One's Imperial Suite or The Force Awakens' March of the Resistance. The only major thing I absolutely did not like, though I expected it, is related to the use of the word "Solo" in the movie. If you've seen the movie you know what I mean. Lastly, Solo feels familiar, yet tells a story unlike any other Star Wars films and I'd gladly see it a few more times in theatres.
Final Score: 9/10
