Review: Solo: A Star Wars Story

Image courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures.

Veering away from the increasingly serious new "Star Wars" trilogy and the fatalistically rousing "Rogue One," Ron Howard's "Solo: A Star Wars Story" is a good, old fashioned space western, and is pretty fun. Despite word from the set that Alden Ehrenreich was having trouble filling the shoes of the iconic role, the actor does a noteworthy job of capturing the swagger of Han Solo, but also the essence of his knowing that while a good guy at heart, a little deviousness doesn't hurt.

As the picture opens, Han is in over his head in woes. He and a girlfriend, Qi'ra (Emila Clarke), are on the run from some baddies who they've crossed. But during their escape, Han makes a getaway, while Qi'ra is caught. As the years pass and Han finds himself a soldier in the Imperial Army - don't ask, it's too difficult to recap with brevity - he vows to go back and rescue Qi'ra, whom we later find isn't exactly in need of saving.

Yes, the picture involves the obvious moments - Han meeting Chewbacca, then Lando Calrissian and, finally, coming face to face with the Millennium Falcon. But what makes the picture fun is that, for starters, Han and Chewie make for solid leads in a buddy action comedy, Lando is played with pizzazz by Donald Glover and the reenactment of the famed Kessel Run in the Falcon is a chase sequence that actually manages to excite.

"Solo" is faster and breezier than other "Star Wars" movies of late - and that's no knock to those films - and some levity goes a long way here. Howard's film actually feels more similar to the original "Star Wars" films - at least, the first one - because of its willingness to embrace its goofy side and just be a space opera with some amusing banter between its cast of characters. Plus, it's always a plus to have Woody Harrelson - as Han's mentor, Beckett - on board.

Another highlight of the film is the team of Lando - who's all smoothness, until you beat him at a game of cards - and his droid co-pilot L3-37 (voiced wonderfully by Phoebe Waller-Bridge), a fusspot who eventually goes all vive la revolucion! Their moments together are among the film's finest, and there's a genuine moment of emotion therein involving humans and their droid counterparts.

All in all, "Solo" is a little more lightweight than recent "Star Wars" entries, but it's a good time nonetheless. This summer's tentpole roster has, so far, been all about expanding existing cinematic worlds - most of them owned by Marvel Comics - but "Solo" is the first one in which I actually had a good time. It's not perfect, but it's an enjoyable summer movie that is bolstered by a solid cast that does a nice job of filling the shoes of the iconic actors who previously portrayed them.