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The original Star Wars films boasted an undeniably lovable cast of characters. But while Luke and Leia had their own strengths, it was Harrison Ford’s Han Solo whose sarcasm and arrogance helped to give the films their playfulness and sense of humor. And now the beloved character gets his own adventure in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Solo follows a young Han (played by Alden Ehrenreich) as he bargains and thieves his way through the criminal underworld of his home planet with his girlfriend, Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke), determined to break free and follow his dreams of becoming a pilot. When he escapes and Qi’ra is left behind, he promises himself that he’ll come back and buy her freedom. But when he teams up with a band of thieves on a dangerous mission, he ends up putting his life—and Qi’ra’s—at risk.
Han Solo has always been a lovable troublemaker—a scoundrel with a heart of gold. And Solo takes everyone’s favorite intergalactic outlaw and gives him a fittingly action-packed and fun-filled spin-off. Han is the guy who pushes the limits, who faces danger with a smug grin, and who tosses around sly one-liners—and that personality sets the tone for this film. It’s loaded with heists and chases and spaceship acrobatics, but it’s always playful, too.
Harrison Ford’s shoes aren’t easy ones to fill, but Ehrenreich takes the iconic character and gives him all of the spunk, the confidence, and the swagger that Ford did. Not only does he look like a young Han Solo; he perfectly embodies the character. He’s clever and cocky, but he shows plenty of depth, too.
But it’s not just about Han; the rest of the cast is impressive, too—from Woody Harrelson as the equally roguish leader of the thieves to Donald Glover as the delightfully flamboyant Lando Calrissian. Though Emilia Clarke doesn’t get a whole lot to work with through much of the film, she finally gets a chance to shine in the end. And, together, this cast of charmingly complex characters will leave you eager to join them on another adventure.
Granted, a Han Solo spin-off may not have been entirely necessary, but Solo is definitely entertaining. It’s an enjoyable blast from the past—and longtime Star Wars fans will love spending time with Han, Chewbacca, and Lando again. These characters are so much fun, in fact, that they could very well make you wish that the new Star Wars films offered more of the camaraderie and charisma of the franchise’s original cast.
Blu-ray Review:
The release of every Star Wars film carries a whole lot of history and back story. But the Han Solo origin story comes with even more. So the special features on the Blu-ray release of Solo attempt to bridge the old and the new.
Many of the extras, like Kasdan on Kasdan and Remaking the Millennium Falcon, celebrate the franchise’s past while looking ahead to the future. Others, meanwhile—like Escape from Corellia, The Train Heist, and Into the Maelstrom—focus more on the designs and effects and the filmmaking process of some of the film’s more memorable scenes.
Or, if you’d like an inside look at what it’s like to be a part of the Star Wars franchise, there’s also a roundtable with the cast, led by director Ron Howard. Here, the cast members talk about their characters, their relationships, and what it’s like to be a part of one of the most popular movie franchises of all time. It’s a fun feature that offers an interesting perspective on the Star Wars phenomenon.
Granted, the special features here don’t get too in-depth. True die-hard fans might be disappointed by the lack of intense historical studies—since there’s definitely a focus on the making of this film. But, with its look at the franchise, its characters, and its current-day updates, the special features menu is worth checking out.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
