3 reasons why you shouldn't miss 'Solo: A Star Wars Story'

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3 reasons why you shouldnt miss Solo: A Star Wars Story

Alden Ehrenreich as a charming young Han Solo is just one of them.

By Enid Parker

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Published: Thu 24 May 2018, 8:26 AM

Last updated: Thu 24 May 2018, 10:42 AM

What do you do when you run into a couple of iconic Star Wars characters just before catching the premiere show of Solo: A Star Wars Story?
You take pictures with them, of course. Like any hardcore fans, we went snap happy at Reel Cinemas, The Dubai Mall, on Monday, with Stormtroopers, Clones and Boba Fett. A friend was cheekily asked if his Star Wars T-shirt actually spelled 'Star Trek', then theme music filled the air, Darth Vader strolled around - an ominous presence - (we were intimidated enough not to attempt a selfie), and you could safely say we were deeply immersed in Star Wars mode quite a while before the film began.
Solo: A Star Wars Story charts Han Solo's adventures way before he encountered the Skywalkers and kicks off with a young Han working for a local mob boss on his home planet Corellia. He dreams of becoming a pilot and getting his own ship - and a series of high-octane adventures and misadventures later, he has worked with a band of outlaws, encountered and befriended his loyal sidekick Chewbacca and is undertaking a smuggling mission that involves a high level of danger and a considerable sum of money.
Failure here definitely means a bad end, but nothing seems to faze Han, in the true spirit of the character created by George Lucas over 40 years ago, and this never say die, devil may care, rakish attitude is what truly holds this thrilling, funny and nostalgia-evoking film together.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is a constantly engaging and thoroughly entertaining ride into the past of an iconic Star Wars character - Han Solo - and you can glimpse shades of Harrison Ford's charisma in the young Han - played by Alden Ehrenreich - who is one of the best things about the film.
Here are our top three reasons why Solo: A Star Wars Story is definitely worth your time:
A charming galactic scoundrel: Upon viewing the trailer for Solo, we had our doubts as to whether Alden Ehrenreich would be able to fill in the original Han Solo's (Harrison Ford) rather humongous Star Wars shoes - but despite a shaky start, the Hail, Caesar! actor grows on you with his not-unlike-Ford charm, and towards the end of the film you're kind of glad that neither Dave Franco, Miles Teller, or Ansel Elgort (among many other famous faces who auditioned) made the final cut to play Han Solo, because you can't really picture anyone but Ehrenreich in the role.
A flamboyant gambler-pilot: Community and Atlanta star Donald Glover ticks all the right boxes as a young Lando Calrissian - famous in Star Wars lore as a smooth-talking schemer turned fighter. Lando shares some memorable scenes with fellow chancer Han (especially the one where the fate of the Milennium Falcon is in limbo thanks to a gambling face-off between the two).

Deep engagement: Solo: A Star Wars Story hurtles from one thrilling adventure to another, and be it an explosion-riddled shootout or an epic battle with a giant squid-like creature, you can't help but be hooked to the screen. Even the dramatic scenes stand out: Whether it's Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson) gruffly handing out advice to Han or Qi'ra (Emilia Clarke) filling up the screen with her luminous eyes alone, there's never a dull moment in the film. enid@khaleejtimes.com


Solo: A Star Wars Story
Cast: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover
Director: Ron Howard




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