Solo: A Star Wars Story - 10 Early Reactions You Need To See

6. Ron Howard's Direction Is Rock Solid

When Ron Howard was announced to be replacing Phil Lord and Chris Miller as director, there was a lot of ambivalence about a director as "safe" as Howard tackling a Star Wars movie.

After all, his movies typically follow a very conventional style, and though he clearly knows how to put a film together, he's not exactly brimming with cutting-edge filmmaking panache.

However, Howard's work on Solo has been solidly praised as consistent with the other movies in the franchise, and far from the anemic journeyman gig you might be expecting.

In broader terms, several critics also mentioned that they couldn't notice the seams between the scenes directed by Howard - reportedly 70% of the movie - and Lord and Miller. Considering how Justice League came grossly unstuck in this area with its two-director production, it's a relief that Solo feels like one contiguous entity.