Review: Solo: A Star Wars Story Is A Fun Ride

It goes without saying that Solo: A Star Wars Story had a rough time in production. The original directors were fired to be replaced by Ron Howard and the direction of the film was changed many times.

All of the negativity affected people's opinion of the film even before it came out. Not to mention the divisive reception for Star Wars: The Last Jedi also soured some people's taste for the Star Wars brand going forward.

I have to admit, I was skeptical of the film's quality too as the first trailer did not do any favors for Alden Ehrenreich who plays the young Han Solo.

Thankfully, the trailers are not indicative of the film's quality because Solo: A Star Wars Story is actually a fun and harmless entry to the Star Wars franchise.

Some people hated Star Wars: The Last Jedi because they didn't like the risks it took to certain characters of the franchise.

Well Solo: A Star Wars Story is different because the characters you know and love are the same, only this time they're played by different actors.

I thought Alden Ehrenreich actually did a decent job of portraying Han Solo in this new movie. He had the same cocky attitude and smuggler-like charm that made Harrison Ford's character so popular with fans over the years.

However, the best addition of the cast is Donald Glover's performance as Lando Carlrissian. Glover not only looks the part, but he also managed to even mimic Billy Dee Williams' voice very accurately too.

The supporting cast is also great as Emilia Clarke and Woody Harrelson add layers to their characters and have a lot of screen time.

That said, I'm disappointed that some of the other supporting actors in this film aren't in the movie for that long which is a bit of a shame.

As for the story, it's a simple heist movie but there are some references to past stories that Star Wars fans will love.

We learn here how Han Solo and Chewbacca first meet and we also see the first time they get to fly inside of the Millennium Falcon too.

There are also Easter Eggs and nods to the prequels that some fans will recognize too. I won't spoil it for you, but you need to look out for a really BIG cameo near the end of the film!

While the story is simple, I was glad that this movie wasn't shy when it came to showcasing a lot of action.

This is not a boring film by any means because it has a very fast pace since the characters are always pursuing their targets or running away.

I also love the fact that this film uses many of John Williams' epic Star Wars score throughout it.

Sure Williams did not score the entire film, but composer John Powell pays homage to the original trilogy a lot with the music.

The only major thing I did not like about the film is probably the set design.

Sadly, the movie is literally dark as the sun is never out and the planets they visit are all worn down and ugly looking.

It's a far cry from the beautiful locations we got to see in The Force Awakens and Rogue One.

Overall though, Solo: A Star Wars Story is a safe and fun movie that fans and non-fans of the franchise will love to watch.

I'm pretty sure more people will like this movie over the divisive Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Verdict: 4.0./5.0 stars

Wanna read more on this? Check these out: Disney Will Be Slowing Down The Rate Of Star Wars Movie Releases (more); Star Wars: The Last Jedi Is The Best Selling Blu-ray In 2018 Thus Far (more); Alan Tudyk No Longer Attending 2018 Auckland Armageddon Expo (more); Rian Johnson Is Still Working On A New Star Wars Trilogy (more).

And here are some more related articles: The Last Jedi Actress Kelly Marie Tran Speaks Out On Online Harassment (more); First Trailer For Star Wars Resistance Cartoon Shoots Out Of The Galaxy (more); Carrie Fisher's Role In Star Wars: Episode IX Might Be Bigger Than Expected (more).

A few more: Finn Has A New Hairstyle In Star Wars: Episode IX (more); Star Wars: Episode IX Cast Has Been Confirmed; Mark Hamill And Carrie Fisher Return (more).