Capsule Review (Minimal Spoilers):
Solo: A Star Wars Story is an expansion of the Star Wars Universe, telling the tale of how Han Solo got his start. It’s a long story that establishes him as a smuggler and a scoundrel, and in quite an entertaining way.
It’s a tale of twists and turns, with a bunch of ties to the Star Wars you know and love. It’s a bit unpredictable in spots, and somewhat predictable in others.
This film is well worth your time if you are a fan of Star Wars, and does NOT “ruin” your childhood, as some people claim for episodes The Force Awakens (VII) and The Last Jedi (VIII). You will be entertained. Note that there is some violence.
Recommended. Runtime is 2 Hours 15 minutes.
Standard Review (with minor plot spoilers):
Han Solo ( Alden Ehrenreich) has a rough start to his life. He is forced into a life of child/slave labor, but has bigger dreams, dreams that involve escaping, going to a place where the Empire doesn’t exist. With the help of a friend, Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke), he gets away, but the plans go bad right from the start. She is captured, and he vows to return for her. His only way out is to sign up for service in the Empire. Cut to a few years later, things haven’t worked out for Han, but things are about to change.
While it was being shot, the producers of the film had issues with the approach that the original directors (Phil Lord and Chris Miller) were taking, and had them removed. At the present time, reports indicate “Creative Differences”, but the rumors hint they were taking a risk on the story. Time will tell, but we shouldn’t judge the film by what they may or may not have done.
In the end, Ron Howard was selected, who’s done a few decent movies of his own. He’s created a caper movie that works on its own, even if it didn’t take place in the Star Wars universe. Han’s trying to score enough money to get a ship, so he can return home and get the girl, BUT, as with many things, it’s never that simple. Some of the things we know about Han and Chewbacca are squeezed into the story, but they seem more natural than simply happening because they’re supposed to.
The story gets convoluted, but not overly so. There are many good characters that come and go in this story, both sentient and artificial. There is a bunch of humor, and more than a few nods to tropes we know from all the films that came before this one.
I rather enjoyed my time with the movie, and I sincerely doubt people will complain about how they’ve ruined Star Wars yet again. I do recommend it. Enjoy!