Hop on board the Millenium Falcon and travel to a galaxy far, far away to follow a young Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) as he navigates his way through a dangerous underworld of crime and adventure.
As an avid Star Wars fanatic who holds the character of Han Solo near and dear to her heart, I will admit that I have had reservations about this movie. Most of it due to its messy production process and the mixed emotions about the recasting of a pop culture icon (and my first movie crush).
So here’s the truth: Solo is fine. It isn’t AMAZING, but it also isn’t a trainwreck.
Solo is fast-paced and action-packed, with similar themes to that of a western. Unfortunately, it is hard to be 100% invested in a narrative where you are aware of the main characters’ fate before the film even starts.
Yes, many questions regarding Han and Chewbacca’s past are answered, and will undoubtedly put a smile on your face. However, many events that unfold simply feel predictable – even when they are supposed to be surprising.
I will share that I was a huge fan of the surprise character return (which should come as no surprise to anyone who knows my Star Wars opinions) and am curious to see how that plays out in future films.
Part of my reservations going into this film centered around Alden Ehrenreich. However, I am pleased to say that he was much better than I expected. Although Ehrenreich adopted some of Han’s swagger and mannerisms, some of those efforts fell flat. In the end, he did Han his way, and it grew on you.
Unless you’ve been living under a pop culture rock for the last few months, it should come as no surprise to you that Donald Glover is perfect as the charming Lando. Another notable performance was my favorite character, Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s sassy and severely independent droid, L3-37.
Overall, this film met my expectations. I was not blown away, but I did not expect to be. If you go in with this mentality and are just looking for fun, you too will enjoy Solo.
Final Thoughts: Solo is a fun, fast-paced film that’s great for the summer but not as strong and satisfying as previous Star Wars films.
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