There are really two ways the deal with this sort of prequel movie, explore untold aspects of the backstory to deepen our understanding of a character or perform ‘fan service’ giving answers to some of the character’s known aspects. Taking the first route runs the danger of running your narrative aground in a manner that is inconsistent with what has already been established as well as telling a story that no one wanted while the latter runs the risk has being all sizzle and no steak, an exercise in call-backs and in-joke references that have little appeal beyond a core fan-base.

So which route did Solo: A Star Wars Storytake? Both. And achieved middling success on both fronts leaving us with a film that is competently crafted but largely empty of any real theme, story, or substance.

Solotells the back-story of Han Solo, rogue, smuggler, and surprising hero of the Battle of Yavin. It does not seek to subvert the know aspects of Han’s character, as the surprising good Pink Fivedoes when it tackles the Battle of Yavin, nor does it reveal anything that we did not already understand about Han. Solotakes time to show us key moments we already knew about from Han’s history, getting the Falcon, meeting Chewie, and the film also shows us things we hadn’t know about his early life and early loves, but it doesn’t do this in a manner that tells a compelling character arc but rather attempts to dazzle the audience with thrilling action and daring exploits. The action is well staged, the heists and capers interesting and fit well into the Star Wars universe delivering a film that modestly fun, watchable, but falls short of having a real story.

As I have said in another post I draw a distinction between plot and story. Plot is the physical task and objectives for a character, can Bond stop Drax from nerve gassing the entire world is a plot. Story is the change in the character, Bond learning to love and giving up the service is a story that ends up being tied to a plot.

Solois nearly all plot and what story there is is underserviced. I think the producers and LucasFilm were caught in a bind and lacked the courage to tell what I think would have been the essential story that could have formed to core of the film. When we meet Han Solo in Star Warshe is a self-centered cynic, a man who breaks the law for his own enrichment, and who sticks his neck out for no one. He undergoes a transformation by the Battle of Yavin when he returns, adding just enough to flip the battle and save the day, putting himself on the path that leads to heroism. Han can’t end Soloas that heroic figure and enter Star Warsas that cynic. To me the story should be one where he starts as an idealist, gets that beaten out of him and ends as a cynic leaving him set up for redemption in Star Wars. Soloattempts to split that difference and as such ends up with empty action that is fun to watch but lacking in meaning and emotional punch.

The cast is uniformly with stand-put performances from Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian and a scene stealing turn by Pheobe Waller-Bridge as Lando’s droid L3.  My final judgment is that Solo: A Star Wars Story is a middle grade movie, not a bad one but not a really good one either. Given the large-scale action it is fun to watch in a theater but it will in all likelihood not join my growing physical media collection.