Your favourite rogue outlaw is back with the Wookie that wooed us all.

Contains spoilers – you have been warned young Jedi.

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY is the second instalment in the anthology series A Star Wars Story. The movie centres around Han Solo – the rogue outlaw who’s partner in crime is everyone’s favourite Wookie, Chewbacca. The movie stars Alden Ehrenreich as Solo, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian and Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca, the well-known characters from George Lucas’ introduction of the first few Star Wars films. It also stars Emilia Clark as Qi’ra, Woody Harrelson as Tobias Beckett and Paul Bettany as the villain, Dryden Vos, as new introductions into the Star Wars movie series.

It is clear throughout the movie that the stand out performance was delivered by Donald Glover who, as mentioned earlier, played the charming and slippery smuggler, Lando Calrissian. Considering the pressure that it takes to play a younger version of a character that is so well known and loved by so many fans, Glover fit the role like a glove. He played Calrissian with such ease and agility that it was easy to say that the person on the screen was 100 per cent Lando Calrissian.

It is clear that there is a lot more at stake when it comes to playing Han Solo especially since Harrison Ford has portrayed him four times in the Star Wars franchise. Han Solo is also a major character in the franchise whereas Gorge Lucas brought in Calrissian in Empire Strikes Back as a supporting character from Solo’s past who is only really explored in this film.

Initially it is strange to see Ehrenreich on screen playing Han Solo who so many of us already envision as Harrison Ford. However, this does not mean that his performance is not worth acknowledging. Throughout the course of the movie Ehrenreich’s version of Solo starts to grow on you and you learn to appreciate the little things that the actor does in order to mimic Ford’s masterful version of Solo.

Once one stops comparing the two versions of the character and views them separately, it is clear that Ehrenreich is a worthy adversary for Glover’s Calrissian. In his own way, he shows the naivety of Solo before he was betrayed by the people around him. In contrast, Ford’s version is tough and guarded. Thus, it is actually necessary to view the two Solo’s as separate entities considering that one is evolving into another.

Chewbacca as usual captures the audience with his Shyriiwook and bravery. Dryden is your typical villain who treats people like things and Paul Bettany brings out a “casting couch” aura in his character.

Clark’s portrayal of Qi’ra does not leave viewers at ease. There is no doubt that she brings her own charm and mystery alluding to the characters dark past, but there is something unsettling about her. Perhaps that was the point of the character – to leave viewers unsettled.

It is clear that there is not a lot of chemistry between Ehrenreich and Clark and that shows in their characters. Thus, when Qi’ra leaves Han and Chewie on Savareen after Dryden is killed, there is no remorse. This could also be because Star Wars fans know that he is going to end up with Leia.

Woody Harrelson seems to be playing an evil version of himself and Thandie Newton’s Val is a stand out that deserved more screen time. Jon Favreau lent his voice to the lovable monkey, Rio Durant, who had so much more potential.

Naturally, these characters had to be killed off, betray Han or betray Han then get killed off in order for the story to tie into A New Hope. This leaves the dynamic duo: Han and Chewie on the Millennium Falcon flying off to Tatooine.

A notable mention is L3-37: the robot activist who fights for equal rights for droids and tries to set them free. She has one of the best navigating systems in the galaxy and her data is eventually transferred into the Millennium Falcon once she is damaged beyond repair. She is in love with Lando but plays it off as if he is in love with her and provided comedic relief with her dialogue.

Written by: Shaleen Surendra