Listen, Solo: A Star Wars Story got a bad rap. It’s a great movie.
Fight me.
In the months leading up to the film’s release, doomsdayers were shrieking about Alden Ehrenreich’s performance before they even saw it. Backseat filmmakers took the film’s creative shuffles and reshoots as a sign that the film was going to be awful. And shortsighted “fans” didn’t let them see a place in the Star Wars universe for Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, or Thandie Newton.
They were all wrong.
Heck, even I was one of those who doubted whether we really needed a “young Han Solo” movie. Was it really necessary when there are so many more compelling stories to tell?
Turns out: it’s an emphatic yes!
The only thing everyone was right about from the beginning was Donald Glover as Lando. That was brilliant casting from the get-go, and he didn’t disappoint.
If you haven’t seen the movie yet (and there are a lot of you who haven’t), it’s finally out on both digital and Blu-ray. So you have no excuse. If only for Glover. But trust me; it’s far more than just him.
You know how I know Ehrenreich was/is perfect for the franchise? He doesn’t deny what he loves, even if it goes against the grain of popular opinion. “Star Wars has always meant a lot to me,” he explains. “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved everything about it. I had all the toys. I had a Phantom Menace poster on my wall, which had Anakin Skywalker with the shadow of Darth Vader. It’s an unbelievably good poster.”
Yes. Yes it is. And if you’re going to deny that that teaser poster is anything but fan-freaking-tastic, I don’t want to know you. Say what you will about the film itself, that poster was – and still is – amazeballs.
The Blu-ray comes with a bevy of special features, including over an hour of deleted scenes, chats with the creative team, and a bunch of making-of featurettes.
So now’s the time. Grab your Chewie doll, curl up in your Star Wars PJs, pour your favorite drink or two in a Solo cup (just to round out the experience), and prepare to make the Kessel Run with the Star Wars film you didn’t think you needed – but absolutely do.
