 ***PLEASE NOTE: A Blu-ray 3D disc is only compatible with 3D Blu-ray players.*** Tagline: Never tell him the odds. Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in Solo: A Star Wars Story, an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga's most unlikely heroes. Storyline: With the emerging demand of hyperfuel and other resources, Han Solo finds himself in the middle of a heist alongside other criminals, where they meet the likes of Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian in an adventurous situation exposing the criminal underworld. Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman, September 16, 2018 Solo: A Star Wars Story was besieged by production problems, notably the firing of Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who had previously co-helmed the terrific The LEGO Movie and who reportedly came to odds with Lucasfilm over this film's direction and tone. The Internet is filled with the story and reaction to it, so there's no need to rehash the specifics here. Solo was ultimately turned over to Ron Howard (Apollo 13, The Da Vinci Code) who not only managed to salvage the movie but craft a cool and thrilling jaunt through some fringe corners of the Star Wars universe while exploring some -- certainly not all -- of the title character's lore, lore previously established in other Star Wars films, some created herein, and a couple of strings that come as very welcome surprises. Fun, fresh, and a nice blend of the expected and the unexpected, Solo is a success that deserved better at the box office and definitely deserves, and needs, a sequel. Han (Alden Ehrenreich) has grown up on the mean streets of Corellia, a grim planet ruled by the likes of Lady Proxima (Linda Hunt) who take advantage of the aimless and the destitute, trading safety and shelter in exchange for the rewards of criminal undertakings. Han and his girlfriend Qi'ra (Emilia Clarke) dream of making their escape and seeing the galaxy together, but those dreams are shattered when the two are separated moments from escape and Qi'ra is left behind. Han dedicates his life to finding a way to return to Corellia and reuniting with Qi'ra, a journey that takes him into the ranks of the Empire and eventually into a criminal outfit run by Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson) who is eying a major score he'll have to share with the ruthless Dryden Vos (Paul Bettany), one of the leaders of a nasty crime syndicate known as Crimson Dawn. But the plan goes awry, leaving the crew no choice but to undertake a risky mission to the spice mines of Kessel to secure a supply of highly valuable, though unrefined and dangerous, coaxium they hope will appease Vos. The danger with a film like Solo, or any of the planned or discussed universe films focusing on densely pre-established characters from the Star Wars universe who have several movies of backstory ranging from offhand comments to major arc-building and sustaining development, is the temptation to simply line out a checklist from scene to scene to make sure "everything" is hit in some form or fashion, to watch the character routinely go down the line from one set piece or character meeting or life event to the next. For Han Solo, that means meeting Chewbacca, winning the Falcon from Lando, making the Kessel Run, getting mixed up with Jabba the Hut, and making sure he's plopped down at the Mos Eisley cantina when the credits roll. Solo does that -- or maybe better said some of those things -- to an extent, but not to a level of rote fan service that would betray any creative license to build the character from the ground-up, even if the vast majority of viewers know where he's going and by-and-large how he got there. Howard and Writers Jonathan and Lawrence Kasdan mostly take the more difficult road, constructing the character around a few necessary beats but finding the humanity in him through new adventures that intersect with a few of those choice pre-established moments. Solo, then, feels intimately familiar yet resoundingly new. The new story builds the foundation for the character who will one day turn the Falcon around and aid Luke in destroying the Death Star. That's perhaps the most critical component, that essential character fashioning that sets up the complex hero who evolves from smuggler and scoundrel to key cog in the Rebel Alliance. Of course none of that is directly conveyed in Solo but it is certainly implied within the context of the character's evolution and particularly his actions in the third act. Alden Ehrenreich captures the character's heartbeat with commendable enthusiasm and stability. He more or less looks and sounds the part and that he pulls it off is no small feat considering the enormous shoes he fills, not so much literally but certainly figuratively, finding that swagger and cadence and understanding those more minute character beats that play into the idea that Solo will one day make that choice to aid the Rebellion, to rise above his own greed and fight for something larger than himself. Donald Glover does much the same for Lando. Both men work the angles their characters give them, which requires a careful balance between the lighter beats that carry the personalities and the more intensive arcs that define them at the core. There are a few takeaways from Solo: A Star Wars Story. First, it's a rousing, good-time film. Second, it's very well done from top to bottom, and that the film was plagued by production problems and switched out directors midstream isn't at all apparent in the end product. Third, there's got to be a sequel. The film doesn't go the Rogue One route, ending right where one would expect. There's ample room to continue with Han's story before meeting Luke and Obi-Wan in that Tattooine Cantina, and the film's surprise revelation and character twist beg for more exploration in either a direct Solo sequel or another universe film. Maybe Disney is over-saturating the market a bit, or maybe the release date proximity to The Last Jedi (not to mention the sharp divide responses to that movie) dampened enthusiasm, but whatever the reason for Solo's poor performance the product on the screen isn't it. Disney's Blu-ray release of Solo: A Star Wars Story is solid, though a bit unspectacular. Video is sometimes troublesome, never striking, but seemingly fairly faithful to Howard's and Cinematographer Bradford Young's bleak visuals (Young recently shot another dreary film, Arrival). Audio is strong once the volume is adjusted upward and the release is crammed with extra content. Highly recommended. [CSW] -3.3- This was a fine popcorn sci/fi actioner movie, yet while it's in the Star Wars universe, it has a different feel. The new actor, Alden Ehrenreich, isn't Harrison Ford, but he makes the Han Solo character his own. He is under contract for two more Solo films, so we may be seeing more of him; contingent on how well this one does at the box office. Emilia Clarke is Solo's lady friend (Game of Thrones "Khaleesi"). Chewbacca was very familiar, despite being a different actor. Without spoiling anything, I think they chose a new actor because of all the action Chewbacca sees in this film! Lots of nods and hints from the original trilogy, this movie should be entertaining for old fans, but even new, who wouldn't get the references, but they'd probably pass by without them noticing. The supporting case is top notch: Woody Harrelson, Paul Bettany, and Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, brings a lot of the mannerisms of Billy Dee Williams. The action is fast and furious and the CGI effects are stunning. This is a good movie that opens itself up to sequels of its own: It's just good enough that you want more! [V3.5-A4.5] MPEG-4 AVC - D-Box really enhanced this movie. Cast Notes: Alden Ehrenreich (Han Solo), Joonas Suotamo (Chewbacca), Woody Harrelson (Beckett), Emilia Clarke (Qi'ra), Donald Glover (Lando Calrissian), Thandie Newton (Val), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (L3-37), Paul Bettany (Dryden Vos), Jon Favreau (Rio Durant [voice]), Erin Kellyman (Enfys Nest), Linda Hunt (Lady Proxima [voice]), Ian Kenny (Rebolt), John Tui (Korso), Anna Francolini (Imperial Emigration Officer), Andrew Woodall (Imperial Recruitment Officer). IMDb Rating (05/27/19): 7.0/10 from 223,921 users
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