Solo: A Star Wars Story - 2.5/5

Disney milking the Star Wars franchise is no surprise and this seems to be quite forced and unnecessary. Donald Glover as Lando was the best bit, and to be honest, I was more interested in his story than Han Solo. If we were to go through this film from start to finish: the first 30 minutes of the film was chaotic and confusing. I struggled to follow the storyline and kept wondering where things were headed. After the 30 minute mark, things were looking better. We meet Chewie, and we meet the villain of the film, played by a scar-faced Paul Bettany. There are fight scenes, and you cannot question the casting choice of Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo. When I first saw a photo of him as Solo, I thought it looked like an Instagram fail, however my opinion completely changed. As Solo, Ehrenreich is remarkably charismatic, and while he looks nothing like Harrison Ford, he encapsulates the charm of Solo amazingly well. Back to the story - we meet Woody Harrelson and Thandie Newton and see Emilia Clark again. There's more fight scenes, betrayal and some badly placed references to the original franchise. The movie peaks with the introduction of the amazing Donald Glover as Lando - did I mention he was the best bit? Seriously - if it wasn't for him, the movie would have just...sucked! The movie wraps up and I cannot help but think that is wasn't bad after all. But I did not need to know how Han Solo got his name or how he met Chewbacca or Lando. The mystery behind it was fine. I guess if you are a massive Star Wars fan, you will find some solace in this film and find a way to like it. If you are not, just wait for it on DVD.