A Star Wars Fan At Last! My SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY Review

Even though STAR WARS has been around since before my first birthday, I didn’t know anything about it until after I turned 20. It was my first time visiting the USA and I hadn’t seen my brother in almost two years. He got a scholarship to attend college in South Carolina, so I set up a road trip from Brighton, Michigan to go see him.

A group of friends went to see Austin Powers and when we left the movie theater, they were all talking about all the Star Wars references and I had no idea what they were talking about. My brother is such a huge Star Wars fan so he had been trying to get me up to speed and understand just how epic Star Wars would be. Even though I trust my brother and he’s a true movie expert, I didn’t board the Star Wars train until the franchise was aligned with Walt Disney Motion Pictures.

When I watched the Star Wars Saga movies, my husband was delighted. I was the last person in the home to join the fandom. I don’t know how he felt about the fact that I instantly fell in love with Han Solo. LOL

Maybe I didn’t have enough scoundrels in my life, maybe it was Han Solo’s confidence, wisdom, and loyalty to the Alliance… maybe it was the way he flew the Millennium Falcon and his ability to do the kessel run in 14… I mean, 12 parsecs.

When I learned that I would be going to the world premiere of SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY and interviewing the cast and Director Ron Howard, I was thrilled. The thought of a young Han Solo movie was exciting, although I’ve heard most Star Wars fans were skeptical.

I find their lack of faith disturbing… Wait, wrong side of The Force.

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY is a fun adventure filled with exciting action and great surprises for new and loyal fans alike. I think it’s the perfect way to introduce your children to Star Wars because it can stand alone as it is and it’s more lighthearted and humorous.

If you’ve watched all the Star Wars films like I have, you’ll definitely love it more, because you will get the references and you will know the outcome and who Han Solo becomes, as well as his journey. You’ll want to see it over and over again.

And what I loved most about SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY is that it’s brilliant as a prequel. It really feels like you stepped back in time with the look and feel of the days when the world was introduced to the saga. You see a young Chewbacca and learn how he became Han Solo’s copilot, and how Han Solo ended up flying the Millennium Falcon in the first place.

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY is different than Rogue One in that it brings back and gives depth and a back story to characters we’ve learned to love and root for.

The story line was out of this world and the cast was stellar. The film stars Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke (you know her from Game of Thrones), Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Paul Bettany and directed by Ron Howard. I’ll be sharing my interviews with them every weekday until SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY opens on May 25th, so stay tuned.

Donald Glover plays notorious gambler Lando Calrissian and his performance is flawless, bringing the charm of Billy Dee Williams and impeccable sense of style. Thandie Newton plays one of the many new characters that are added to the STAR WARS franchise in this installment.

And like with any Star Wars movie, you’ll appreciate the complexity of the fine line between villain and hero, which I feel is the essence of Han Solo, and why Leia, you and I love to love him.

And what everyone wants to know is whether Alden Ehrenreich disappoints in his role as Han Solo. Just like Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker and we loved Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Alden is not Harrison Ford, but he is both believable and remarkable as Han Solo. He definitely paid tribute to Harrison Ford’s legacy while making Han Solo his own – and Harrison Ford approves.

Harrison Ford supported the young Han Solo film from the start and after seeing the film, assured Alden Ehrenreich that the film would be a hit! When he came into the room for our interview, Ehrenreich confessed he was in a daze because Harrison Ford had just paid him a surprise visit!

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY is already a favorite in the galaxy. I chatted with Mark Hamill during the premiere after party and he told me he loved the film and everyone coming out of the theater was pleased with this intergalactic story and all the twists and turns that had kept us on the edge of our seats.

There are many messages and themes we can learn from in the SOLO movie, but what makes it truly compelling to me is learning what events shaped him to be the smuggling scoundrel he was when we first met him at the Mos Eisley Cantina.

They say Alden Ehrenreich has big shoes to fill and some would go to the extent to expect him to mimic Harrison Ford, but it would like asking myself to be the exact person I was 10 years ago – ignoring what I’ve learned, the pain I’ve been through, and the joy I’ve experienced.

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY fills a gap we didn’t know existed and takes us on a cosmic journey where we explore new lands, new characters, and new lessons and laugh out loud while doing it.

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY gets five stars from me… all from a galaxy far far away. I’m so thrilled to be in the fandom! The men in my life are sure happy about that!

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY opens in theaters everywhere on May 25th! Your worshipfulness can follow the latest updates by visiting the official SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY site, following STAR WARS on Instagram, following STAR WARS on Twitter,  and liking STAR WARS on Facebook. And follow the conversation along with #HanSolo and #HanSoloEvent.

Elayna is a single mom of 4, award-winning Storyteller, Story Strategist, and Student of Pain. She’s a bestselling author, internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, and 4x TEDx speaker. Founder of the Positive MOM® and creator of the S.T.O.R.Y. System: a blueprint to craft and share powerful stories that will transform your results, so you can have the wealth, opportunities, and freedom you deserve. Connect with Elayna Fernández at thepositivemom.com/keynote-speaker and follow @thepositivemom. To receive a gift from Elayna, click HERE.

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