Rating: 3 / 5 stars
What’s it about?
Solo : A Star Wars story is directed by Ron Howard and stars Alden Ehrenreich, Donal Glover, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Thandie Newton and Paul Bettany among others.
The film is an origin story that follows a young Han Solo as he travels the galaxy to become the lovable scoundrel that we know and love. How he meets Chewie and gets possession of the Millennium Falcon, while making a name for himself as a smuggler is what the film is about.
What’s Good?
The action sequences at the end of the first act and second act are thrilling and worth the price of the ticket alone. The humor in the film is also good as it is used sparingly and not overdone as witnessed in most films nowadays. The film proves to be a good origin story as it focuses on Han’s initial years when he still had a certain innocence and vulnerability to him. But the real USP of the film is Han and Chewie’s bromance. Chewie’s introduction scene is excellent and all their scenes together is cackling with chemistry that we are familiar with. All in all a decent watch!
What’s Not?
While a couple of action sequences is thrilling, the rest of the film feels a little paint by numbers to be honest. Most of the film is predictable and this is one of the reasons why the viewer never fully invests in the proceedings of the film. Also, for some parts of the film, the pacing seems to be off. The third act comes across as a little problematic as they suddenly try to set up a sequel , which does not work as intended. Another concern is that none of the deaths in the film seem to have any impact on the main characters. This sticks out as a sore thumb and makes the story feel amateurish. Lastly, all the scenes in the film featuring the SJW droid L3-37 range from being awkward to absolutely cringe worthy.
Performances
Alden Erenreich as Han Solo is surprisingly good in the film. With a huge responsibility to play the role that was immortalized by Harrison Ford, he proves to be adept in shouldering this responsibility by infusing vulnerability and charisma into the role and making it his own. Woody Harrelson gives a generic performance as the smuggler Tobias Beckett. Donald Glover’s performance as Lando seems somewhat stiff and restrained and does not get an opportunity to let loose. Emila Clarke tries her best but does not bring the same toughness that she brings to her character in Game of Thrones. Paul Bettany and Thandie Newton are wasted and do not have much to do in the film. Rest of the cast is decent in their respective roles.
Final Word
A decent origin story of one of the most iconic characters in cinematic history, this film is a one time watch.
FILM STALKER 