NOTE: In the interest of preserving the theatrical experience for viewers, this review is as spoiler-free as possible. It touches on themes and includes overall impressions, but it does not contain any specific details about the plot aside from what has been shown in trailers.
Coming just five months after the release of The Last Jedi, Solo: A Star Wars Story takes fans back in time to learn the origins of the galaxy’s favorite smuggler—Han Solo. As the second entry in the Star Wars Story series of standalone films, Solo is a self-contained adventure completely separate from the numbered installments of the Skywalker saga. It fills in backstory for characters and events we know and love, and allows the franchise to explore new stories in different corners of the galaxy.
Unfortunately, the film doesn’t launch without some trepidation. Fans love Han Solo, but is exploring his backstory necessary? And at 75, Harrison Ford was obviously too old to don the famous Corellian bloodstripes, so newcomer Alden Ehrenreich was brought in to fill the iconic role. Could he pull it off? Worse, original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were removed from the project amidst creative differences just a few weeks before principal photography was scheduled to end, and veteran Ron Howard was brought in to get the film back on track. Thankfully, none of these supposed issues really matter. Solo is an excellent addition to the Star Wars saga.
Fans of Legends (over three-and-a-half decades of Star Wars books, comics, and games before Disney acquired Lucasfilm) are no doubt familiar with Han’s backstory, and remarkably Solo stays true to nearly all the major beats. The film packs a lot of story into its 2-hour and 15-minute run time, chronicling how Han meets Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) and Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover), the sabacc game where he wins the Millennium Falcon, the famous Kessel Run, and more. Screenwriters Lawrence Kasdan (The Empire Strikes Back) and his son Jon deftly explain how Han became the man he is without seeming like they’re simply checking off boxes on the list of fan expectations. There’s only a single moment which feels a little too heavy-handed and on-the-nose. And the film keeps things fresh enough that longtime fans will still be wondering what will happen next, even if they know the overall arc of the story.
As Han finds himself increasingly entangled in the galaxy’s underworld, he meets several new faces—not all of whom are trustworthy. Emilia Clarke does a great job as Qi’ra, a friend of Han’s (and maybe more), while Woody Harrelson’s Tobias Beckett is the perfect mentor for the budding smuggler. L3-37 (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) is arguably the most unique droid we’ve seen yet in Star Wars, and Dryden Vos (Paul Bettany), Val (Thandie Newton), Rio Durant (Jon Favreau), and Enfys Nest are all great additions to the saga. Even the Falcon has a character arc of sorts. To say too much more would be a spoiler, but the entire cast’s acting is excellent. While Alden Ehrenreich is no Harrison Ford, he brings a fresh take to the character of Han which feels true to how Harrison would have played him nearly half a century ago. Donald Glover, however, easily steals the show as Lando, and the first question fans will be asking themselves is when we’ll be getting Lando: A Star Wars Story.
Solo features a wide variety of locations, many of which we’ve heard mention of previously and imagined for decades. It also features a wide variety of new and interesting creatures. Some of the CG is a little off on one particular character, but for the most part everything looks great. The cinematography is excellent—a few shots in particular are stunning—and it’s nearly impossible to tell that they changed directors midway through production. Composer John Powell does a wonderful job weaving John Williams’ classic themes in with his new material, and John Williams even returned to compose Han’s theme for the soundtrack. If there’s one complaint to be levied against the film, it’s the pacing. It takes a little while for the film to get going, but once it does things run much more smoothly until the film reaches its ultimate conclusion, which feels a bit rushed in its final moments.
Fans of the franchise are sure to be elated by the numerous references to Legends, the other films, and more. Solo is chock-full of nods and references to prior works, but they’re never in your face. Lucasfilm has already teased a few of them like Tag and Bink, but others are sure to have fans with sharp eyes and ears shouting with joy.
Solo: A Star Wars story succeeds in everything it’s trying to do. It’s a fun film that feels true to the original trilogy while giving fans a self-contained story about the life of a fan-favorite character in a new part of the galaxy. Once again, Lucasfilm has proven that they know how to make great entertainment in a galaxy far, far away—so never tell them the odds. Don’t miss Solo: A Star Wars Story when it hits theaters next Friday, May 25 on the 41st anniversary of Star Wars.
For more on Solo: A Star Wars Story, listen to the Ion Cannon Podcast’s spoiler-free review. And stay tuned for their full-spoiler review next weekend after the movie hits theaters on Friday, May 25. Images courtesy of Lucasfilm.
Update: Our full spoiler-filled review is now available!
—William Devereux (Master Devwi)
Author: William Devereux
William Devereux is the Editor-in-Chief of the Star Wars Report and one of the hosts of the Ion Cannon podcast. When he’s not talking about Star Wars, he works at Microsoft as a Product Manager.