So, this might be the first time in This Guy’s life he’s had to say this. But he was not looking forward to the latest Star Wars movie. I mean, I raged at the prequels as much as anyone, but with each new trailer that came out, I kept convincing myself they’d turn it around. Since Disney’s purchase of the Star Wars franchise, I’ve been relatively happy with the direction they’ve taken. The new trilogy is solid enough, with likable new characters. Rogue One was a cool take on an old untold tale in the saga. But when the second “Star Wars Story” was announced to be a Han Solo origin film, This Guy was pretty damn skeptical. On a list of prequel stories Star Wars fans are crazing, Solo had to be at the bottom of the list. But, despite This Guy’s doubts, and a few questionable decisions, Solo ended up being a Star Wars Story worth telling.

Solo takes us back to “a lawless” time, a few short years after Revenge Of The Sith. The Empire is already in place, oppressing star systems across the galaxy. Han (Alden Ehrenreich) is a young thief on Corellia, working for Lady Proxima, with his love Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke). The pair steal a vial of coaxium (hyper-fuel) and try to use it to barter their way off the planet, and their way to a new life together. Qi’ra is caught, and Han finds himself joining the Imperial Army, hoping to become a pilot and find  a way back to his girl. What he does find is a team of smugglers, led by Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson), who can show him the ropes in the seedy parts of space, and maybe help him scrape together what he needs to get his own ship, and get back to Qi’ra.

“People are predictable.”

The elephant in the room needs to be addressed first. Yes, this is a Han Solo movie, and Harrison Ford is nowhere in sight. We have to accept this to be able to move forward. Ehrenreich does an admirable job telling Han’s story without trying too hard, or looking like he’s doing a bad impression. He has the swagger and the charm, and is perfectly likeable throughout. I went into Solo expecting to be annoyed most of the time. I was delighted to be wrong.

Most of the other characters we meet are just as engaging and fun. Harrelson’s Beckett acts as a terrific mentor for Han. Clarke is your usual unobtainable love interest, but she owns it. The highlight of the film is seeing the beginnings of Solo’s friendship with Chewbacca. They meet under. . . less than ideal circumstances, but there’s immediately a great chemistry. It’s very reminiscent of Ford’s own chemistry with his furry co-star in the original trilogy, which was a lot of fun to see.

The cast isn’t foolproof though. The usually scene-stealing Paul Bettany is wasted with a one-note gangster villain, who doesn’t do much but spout off empty threats, and glare intensely. The one ingredient everyone was excited to see was Donald Glover’s turn as Lando. Unfortunately, it leaves much to be desired. Glover comes off as not quite ready for the big time, with a lacklustre performance, that seems to focus too much on cliche and almost parody, rather than development. He’s no Billy Dee. His droid companion doesn’t help matters either, with a strange social justice persona that just never quite fits the story she’s in. I counted no less than 4 robot-sex jokes throughout Solo‘s run-time, which I never thought I’d see in a Star Wars film.

“Thinking of being off with you on some adventure. It always made me smile.”

Solo does boast some decent action scenes that rival any film in the series. We also get a fun sequence about the infamous Kessel Run. A major complaint though must be made about the film’s lighting. Multiple action scenes, including fights and chases, are just. So. Damn. Dark. The film looks foggy and muddy, and lots of good moments are lost in the haze. This Guy made the mistake of seeing it in 3D which was NOT a good idea. If you have the option, see it in standard, on a BIG screen; you’ll probably see something I didn’t.

Overall, Solo is not remotely the dumpster fire I was This Guy expected. It even manages a few genuine surprises. Ehrenreich holds his own, and really made me a fan, bringing one of the most iconic and beloved characters in film history to life one more time in a way we’ve never seen before. He’s not Ford. No one is. But he doesn’t have to be. He has to be Han Solo, and he does a commendable job. He looks right at home in the Falcon, and surprisingly, I’m looking forward to seeing him there again.

This Guy Scores It: 6.5/10