As we learn during the initial title cards of the movie, Solo takes place during a lawless time. Ruthless crime lords rule the territories and enlist homeless youngsters to steal and salvage valuable elements for them. This is where we first meet a young Han, an outlaw with dreams of becoming a pilot and escaping his miserable life with his love interest, Qi-Ra (played by Game of Thrones' Emilia Clarke). We don't get to dig too much into this part of Han's life before he's escaping to join the empire. From there, the story quickly jumps three years to Han's involvement (and abandonment) of the Empire. Han doesn't want to play by anyone's rules, including the Empire, which gets him throw to "The Monster." But this monster turns out to be everyone's favorite intergalactic fuzzball, Chewbacca. There is a really cute and fun scene of their first encounter, and this is where the film shines. Ron Howard said he only took this job because he felt it was a love story between Solo and Chewbacca... Best buds until the end. Solo does a great job at showcasing how this bond was formed and blossomed.
From this moment, Han joins up with a band of thieves (played by the always reliable Woody Harrelson and Westworld's Thandie Newton), and the film essentially boils down to a series of robbery jobs. Each sequence is pretty entertaining summer popcorn blockbuster fun. We meet Lando Calrissian (in a scene-stealing performance by Donald Glover), and his robot liberation obsessed droid, L3. Each of these characters bring life into this film, where it was lacking. We learn how Han comes into ownership of the Millenium Falcon. The film culminates in the infamous Kessel run that was first talked about in Episode IV. I found myself full engaged throughout each action sequence, but the movie sputters a little bit to a close. After having a few hours to think about it, I can fully see the film's flaws. However, in the moment, I was fully entertained. Solo is not the best Star Wars story in the world, but it's a capable summer popcorn flick that will have you smiling. And, really, that's all we could hope for.
I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of Alden Ehrenreich in the titular role. He does a really good Harrison Ford impersonation, but lacks some of Ford's natural charisma. I fully expected that he would weigh down the movie, but he does a decent job. I was disappointed in a few of the characters, most notably Clarke's Qi-Ra. Her motivations are never quite clear, and the film seems to set her up for something bigger in a potential sequel. I felt like they could have done more with her character, especially if they never visit this world again. Another wasted character is Thandi Newton's character. She shines, but in a limited role. I think she could have contributed more to this film
I'm giving this Star Wars Story 2.75 stars out of 4. It was an enjoyable popcorn flick, but not much more. Glover steals the show as Lando, and I hope the rumors of his stand alone film come to fruition. This film is a more traditional Star Wars film, so if you hated the Last Jedi, you'll probably like this film's return to form. I can't speak highly of the job Ron Howard did putting this thing together. Sure, there are parts that don't quite make sense, but in the end, there is a story that flows nicely throughout this one.
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