Solo: A Star Wars Story Review

The second Star Wars anthology film delivers us a back story to one of the most iconic characters from the franchise, Han Solo. It follows his humble start from nothing as he finds allies and works with them on a grand heist. There are twists and turns along the way, with even a good surprise hidden in there. It's a different type of Star Wars film, it's very self contained and has simple plot goals while being gritty. Not only do we get a really wild take on the smuggler, Chewbacca is also very different this time around.

I was surprised by the film for sure, the core group was fine and it was an enjoyable time. It wasn't anything too complex in terms of what was happening, yet a joy ride all the same. It helped to expand the universe and did so in a way that wasn't influenced directly by the force. There were some great locations throughout the journey and they really focused on providing a more intimate style here instead of the vast vistas the other Star Wars entries carry.

The movie was well shot presenting that gritty style well while being darker than other episodes. It kept a good balance of humor and serious moments. The twists weren't too surprising, but there are some moments that fans should enjoy. There wasn't as many recycled references so that was refreshing as well. I didn't mind the characters here and felt that Alden Ehrenreich's Solo was solid, matched the character well.

Lando (Donald Glover) was fine, though not quite what I had in mind. I think they wrote the character a little bit too light here, came across as playful. The rest of the cast was decent, I surprisingly thought Qi'ra (Emilia Clarke) was an interesting character. The group works well together and there are many exciting moments where you see a larger ensemble in action as they are a crew.

The Conclusion

Solo: A Star Wars Story is a solid addition to the franchise, it tells an interesting back story while not recycling many of the tiring references from the other films. It keeps things dark enough, but balances the humor elements at a good amount. It was a fun experience, the heisting was interesting and it was nice to see a different side of the universe.

I'd definitely like to see more of what they're aiming to setup with these spin-off anthology films. With this movie I didn't really feel the effect of the 3D, maybe it was the odd angle I was sitting at seat wise yet it seemed as though it wasn't apparent at all. I heard similar mentions from those around me, so I can't suggest that effect with this one. That aside, the acting was good capturing the iconic characters perfectly fine and I'd like to see this ensemble on some additional adventures.

Solo: A Star Wars Story Review at Theater with 3D Viewing
Screening Provided by Walt Disney Studios

Rating Overall: 7.1