Solo: A Star Wars Story Review

Good evening! Solo: A Star Wars Story seems to be the only movie that sparked my attention in May. The film is getting mixed reviews from critics and it’s making less money than other Star Wars installments. Some people are wondering if we need a movie about Han Solo. I’ll give you my thoughts about the film, including the best and least impressive qualities.
 
Let me give you a brief plot synopsis. Han Solo grew up in a rough and violent environment without any positive role models. Eventually, the young rogue escaped from his old life and joined the Empire. Han’s uncooperative and rebellious personality doesn’t work very well under the Empire’s control. Pretty soon, he meets other rogues along the way and engages in a wild adventure. The film is an intergalactic heist that could prove quite profitable for young Han Solo.
 
Overall, I enjoyed this movie a lot. It’s everything I would expect from a prequel about Han Solo. It’s a great action film with thieves, smugglers, pirates, mercenaries, and more. The pacing is really good and the story is a ton of fun. The film shapes Han’s personality and shows the viewer why he has so many trust issues. This movie also has a lot of treats that will seem familiar to hardcore Star Wars fans. The story generally fits within the Star Wars canon and seems like an homage to the original trilogy. It’s not particularly complex and I consider that part a good thing. We’re looking at an entertaining space heist and I’m glad it’s not convoluted with too many details. In a way, it’s kind of like Pirates of the Caribbean and Hook in space.
 
Prior to the film’s release, a lot of Star Wars fans were worried about Alden Ehrenreich’s portrayal of Han Solo. Star Wars fans should be perfectly happy because Ehrenreich knocks it out of the park. He seems like a youthful and classic version of Han Solo. Ehrenreich is smooth, cocky, and a little bit quirky. He illustrates Han’s infamous swagger, arrogance, and adventurous spirit. However, he’s not an imitation of Harrison Ford. Thank goodness! Ehrenreich gives his own performance and it works really well. The writing helps the lead character too. Han’s dialogue and actions seem completely appropriate for the role. I couldn’t feel more pleased with Han’s characterization. Furthermore, Han and Chewbacca are an adorable tag team. The story explores the beginning of their partnership. They have a great rapport with each other and it’s quite amusing sometimes. I guess they’re friends and foils at the same time. Star Wars fans should be happy with their partnership.
 
The other characters didn’t impress me very much, but Donald Glover was also pretty good as Lando Calrissian. It seems like he took a lot of influences from Billy Dee Wallace and the results were totally classic Lando. He’s a stylish and charming scoundrel. Glover and Ehrenreich have pretty good chemistry too. Lando is basically a supporting character in this movie, but he’s very much a faithful portrayal.
 
Are you looking for a fun summer movie? This is the right choice for you. It has incredible entertainment value. Solo is a fast paced adventure without being dizzying or frantic. It has terrific action scenes and I can’t remember a dull moment in the entire film. I actually think Ron Howard was very creative about the movie’s structure. It’s both simplistic and substantial at the same time. I don’t like boring films, so this was a refreshing experience for me.      
 
What are Solo’s negative aspects? Surprisingly, this movie doesn’t have the best visual effects, particularly for Star Wars. It’s certainly not terrible, but The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi have much better special effects. I’m pretty sure most of the creatures were a combination of practical effects and CGI. It seems a bit dated and I have a feeling straight CGI would have been a better choice. Or maybe the film has CGI creatures that are emulating practical effects. I’m honestly not sure.
 
I felt annoyed with one character. L3-37 is Lando’s droid and copilot. She’s obnoxious and preachy. L3 makes several poor decisions in the film and she’s really uncooperative. I realize she’s a droid’s rights activist, but L3 is over the top, rude, and bossy. What is the point of having a droid who won’t help with anything? She serves a purpose in the film, but I won’t talk about it because you’ll feel offended with spoilers. Aside from L3, the other characters were generally okay.
 
My next piece of criticism is very minor, but it’s worth mentioning that you’ll need to be familiar with the other Star Wars movies. Watch the original Star Wars trilogy before seeing Solo. I’m sure most viewers won’t see Solo without having knowledge about the other Star Wars films, but people can be surprising. Anyone who’s a newbie to Star Wars will be completely lost. It’s basically the same problem I noticed with Avengers: Infinity War. The audience needs to be familiar with the basic premise and characters in the Star Wars franchise. It’s completely fair in my opinion, but you should be warned anyway.
 
So, I recommend Solo to anyone who enjoys space operas and Star Wars in general. It would be a great summer film for the entire family. I think a lot of kids would find it entertaining. This film will also make action movie fans happy. Solo is very accessible for the mainstream public. 
 
That’s the end of my review. Maybe we can have a discussion in the comment section. I hope you guys will have a chance to see at least one movie in theaters during the summer. Enjoy the rest of your week and watch out for next week’s post.