A young and ambitious Han Solo begins his journey on the industrial planet of Corellia, where he dreams of becoming a pilot, escaping his life of hardship with love interest, Qi'ra. After making a daring escape attempt, Han finds himself thrown into the middle of a heist alongside other criminals, where he meets Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian in an adventurous situation, exposing the criminal underworld. Solo is the second film as part of the 'Star Wars Story' stand-alone movies and was, for me, a surprisingly enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, the film was a flop at the box office due to many not seeing it, which I too was guilty of, having no time to see it, which seems to be the consensus with other fans. Despite its initial failure, the film has become widely loved among the fandom. Solo takes the time to flesh out Han's character and equally show how he became the notorious smuggler we all know and love. This adventure offers the chance for an exploration of unanswered questions, such as how Han met Chewie, Lando and got the Millennium Falcon. Whilst doing so, it delivers upon an original invigorating escapade. We even see some iconic moments that were throwaway lines in the original films, like the 'Kessel Run made in less than 12 parsecs' that plays out in a thrilling sequence. Whilst Ford didn't play Han in this adventure (being far too old for this young role), Alden Ehrenreich is a great compromise. He delivers a performance complimentary to Ford's portrayal although, it isn't quite there yet. I would say this is a good thing since it allows for some growth before he becomes the Han of the originals. On the other hand, it's a shame we didn't get a full movie with that version that is so popular. Joining the recast was Billy Dee Williams' Lando with Donald Glover, who equally steps up to the task, exceeding it and stealing the show. The supporting actors are awesome in their respective roles, delivering unique and memorable performances. From the gunslinging Beckett who teaches Han important lessons on this new way of life, Qi'ra the love interest who has become a skilled fighter under a crime syndicate, L3-37 the droid companion of Lando (who is very hit-and-miss with her jokes) who fights for droid rights and lastly Dryden Vos the villainous public figurehead of Crimson Dawn who sends out our crew on this dangerous mission. I was equally engaged with each one, alongside the many others featured in the adventure, with their intriguing characteristics and stories. There are some truly phenomenal sequences to be marvelled at on this mission, with plenty of fight scenes to delight us, like a rebellious breakout on Kessel, the Imperial attack on Mimban, a space battle in the Maelstrom that displays Han's skills as a pilot and a spectacular showdown in close quarters style in the finale. The Falcon has a different look with a nose-like feature that is an escape pod and a blue and white paint job. It looks so clean and new, which would fade in the later movies and I loved seeing a new side to her. Plus its introduction with that small musical cue was delightful. The setting for this film is a fascinating one as it follows the early years of the Empire's rise, where lawlessness takes root and crime syndicates thrive. It makes for a brilliant period to set the tale with it being dark and gritty, although I feel maybe too much of that carried over to the visuals. It feels too ill-lit with some brown tones and dull colours that don't make it less appealing. It's as if they took the cool idea of marrying the tone of the film with the look only to take it to the extreme. There are many notable attributes to this film, from the many easter eggs and references to the twists and turns with so many morally grey characters leaving us to wonder whose side everyone is on. Overall, Solo may not have been my all-time favourite Star Wars project, but it is an extremely entertaining one. I can understand that many thought it was a story we didn't necessarily need, but since it's here, I can have fun with it. It takes risks and the revolutionary ideas it pushes have become so important in recent Star Wars. It is certainly a fascinating experience and seriously underrated. It should be given a try by fans of the series.
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