“Star Wars” is one of the highest grossing movie franchises of all time so it’s no surprise that Disney and Lucasfilm would eventually create a “Star Wars” stand-alone film for their most popular character. In “Solo: A Star Wars Story” in theaters May 25, fan favorite Han Solo finally gets his full time in the spotlight in a leading role.
Although the beginning is a little convoluted and confusing with several unnecessary scenes, it helps establish a solid background for the character and where the plot will head. All worries of the new actor playing Han Solo will be more or less put to rest by the end of this film as Alden Ehrenreich does a good job portraying a younger version of the character. Throughout the movie, we see bonds formed, questions answered and stories waiting to be told. Fans of Han Solo should see this movie as it shows the young underdog growing up with nothing evolve into the ass-kicking space cowboy we all know and love.
— Chris Jordan, 15, attends DeKalb School of the Arts
Whether you’re an old fan suffering from nostalgia, new fan suffering from complete oblivion, or just a high strung Donald Glover fan, “Solo: A Star Wars Story” is for you. Now, I can’t spill all the beans, or simply any at all. However, I can tell you how interesting the film is.
Solo’s deepened storyline tackles a multitude of things, including poverty, dystopia, technology, comedy and even love. In short, a perfect combination of what makes a film enjoyable, and suitable for all audiences. The film’s father-son screenwriters Jonathan Kasdan and his dad, legendary “Empire Strikes Back,” “Return of the Jedi” and “The Force Awakens” screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan tell the story in romantic, comedic, nostalgic and musical aspects. It is truly just a matter of where you stand, either as a day one fan or a person just now realizing who the heck Han Solo is.
The film can help viewers understand a deeper meaning in the early life of the Han Solo character, or even the complex “Star Wars” franchise itself! It takes a modern approach to what we all feel sometimes in our ever-changing world. No, we are not intergalactic beings, but we do live day to day, trying to find our way in our theoretical ”space.”
“Solo” is an amazing step into the world of “Star Wars.” Nonetheless, it is up to you to determine your point of view. Now the
questions lying in the balance are, “Is this it just another spinoff?,” “Is it worthwhile?,” and “Will The Force be with you this May 25?” We shall see.
— India Rice, 15, attends Westlake High School and loves complex concepts.
At best, “Solo” is an enjoyable film that succeeds in telling a fun story about a young Han Solo, and further bridges the gap between 1977’s “A New Hope” and the infamous prequels. However, “Solo” stalls at points, and because we know which characters appear in the original trilogy, the stakes feel lower. The film does make up for its shortcomings with a great sense of humor that lands most of the time, and great performances from Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian (portrayed in the original trilogy by Billy Dee Williams), and Phoebe Waller-Bridge as droid L3-37. “Solo” has tons of fan service, and has no problem referencing the future events of Han’s life. The somewhat mixed feelings I have for “Solo” brings my rating to a 7/10. It’s a fun summer flick, but don’t expect the next “Empire Strikes Back.”
— Kenneth Franklin, 18, is a senior at Druid Hills High School.
