Ron Howard does not let anyone down.
I had wanted to see whether the new Star Wars spin off would be any good and finally went to see it yesterday. Part of me just wanted to see if Emilia Clarke was able to convincingly play anyone other than Daenerys from Game of Thrones. Part of me just cannot stop wanting more Star Wars stories. Having Ron Howard at the helm was a definite plus point.
Seeing how they created a back story for Han Solo, Lando and the rest of the motley crew was interesting, well conceived and definitely held my interest. I especially loved seeing Han come across Chewbacca for the very first time in most unexpected circumstances.
Emilia played a love interest for Solo and was in it right from the start, although there was a period of absence during which her fortunes changed and when they reunited there was a lot of history that we had not known about. Her role was important and useful and she certainly showed a different side to herself, without the dragons holding her back.
Ron Howard carries forward a gripping story. The characters have missions that are breath taking but still in keeping with traditional Star Wars outings. It was good to see that Lawrence Kasdan wrote the script, having written the Bodyguard and a few previous Star Wars stories, including The Empire Strikes Back. His script is fun and anecdotal with a real depth. The fast paced movie really keeps you on your toes as it drags you kicking and screaming along with Han as he dabbles in gambling for a new ship, trying to hijack a train and getting to know his new Wookiee.
If you like Star Wars then you will not be disappointed. This is funny, charismatic and sits well with the previous incarnations. It has a new theme tune which complements the original and it is easy to believe that this young version of Han Solo will grow into one that we all know and love. It is believable that this charming rogue went on to become the man that Harrison made famous. Guest appearances from Thandie Newton and Warwick Davis add flavour to this epic movie.
