Solo: A Star Wars Story

What's onscreen simply isn't magical enough. It might please die-hard fans to know how Han got the last name or how he made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs...But I think even they might be disappointed.

Alden Ehrenreich is a very snappy bit of casting.

A scruffy nerf herder in a "galaxy far, far, away..." Solo: A Star Wars Story, a movie that has no reason to exist, is a fun lovable escapade that gives us a new introduction to the most famous non-Skywalker in the galaxy.

How did we get an origin story where Han Solo is not only NOT the most interesting character in the movie, he's honestly maybe sixth or seventh?

Luckily, just as tempers were starting to flare, Solo: A Star Wars Story has arrived to save the day.

Franchise fatigue is real and it's acutely felt in a galaxy far, far away.

The film is not without heart, though its heart exists in scattered fragments without assimilating into a cohesive whole.

Since the character of Han Solo was already established, the limits of what they could have done weren't huge, but the lack of stakes and consequently the lack of character development reduce this film's influence.

Howard, Ehrenreich, and company craft a fun and compelling romp that carefully walks the line between Star Wars fan service and old-school action/adventure.

Solo: A Star Wars Story doesn't advance the legacy of the franchise or even make Han Solo more beloved; quite the opposite. Han Solo is less interesting by the end.