Film Review: Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

I saw the first Star Wars movie in the local cinema back in 1977. I didn’t want to go, hadn’t really heard anything about it, but I went with a huge group of kids, and everyone seemed excited. I was 9 years old.

It blew my mind.

I knew when watching that movie that the cinema would never be the same, that every movie I watched after Star Wars would be measured against it, and come on, how could anything be better than Star Wars!

The two sequels that followed were great, and the franchise seemed to grow with me. Then suddenly nothing.

Then, years later, a darkness fell, and a freezing chill was felt across the galaxy: Jar Jar Binks was created, and the Star Wars franchise went down the plug hole.

So, it was with a great sense of dread that I watched Solo: A Star Wars story. Yes there had been a good Star Wars spin-off movie (Rogue One), but the main Star Wars movies had never captured the wonder and entertainment value of the first three.

Also, let us not forget that in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Obi Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master and spiritual leader of the resistance, milked an elephant-like creature and drank the milk.

For no reason.

However, Solo is a breath of fresh air.

Great casting, Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo was inspired, as was Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian.

I found the integration of the story into the Star Wars universe almost seamless, and Han’s back story credible. There were some poor choices for special effect characters, mainly I suspect for onward merchandising opportunities, but nonetheless, it was a great movie.

Ironically, it has performed so poorly at the box office that there may never be another Solo movie, which in my view would be a real shame.

I’d watch this Han Solo over Jar Jar any day.

I give this film a well deserved 8.5/10.