-By Nick Morrow Welcome to another edition of Tomorrow Reviews where I will look over various movies, shows, games, and anime and break them down. Today the topic will be based on the first Phase 5 MCU film, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. *This will be a spoiler-free review* ______________________________________________________ Don’t count on the Little Guy Trilogies have a special place within the heart of the cinema community. For decades now, epic stories have culminated within the third act of stories that have captured the hearts of fans for years. With the MCU going on for fifteen years now, several of its major characters from Iron-Man, Captain America, Thor, the Guardians of the Galaxy Cast, the Avengers, and Spider-Man have all received a trilogy under their belts. Kicking off Phase 5 within the dubbed Multiverse Saga, Ant-Man and The Wasp Quantumania is the latest franchise to join the Marvel trilogy ranks. Known for being one of the silliest MCU franchises alongside Guardians of the Galaxy, the latest iteration of the pint-sized Avenger tries to grow out of its more comedic, light-hearted shell and turn into a proper MCU blockbuster but with mixed results. Story: Brilliant but Lazy While each of the previous Ant-Man films focused on more low-stakes, scenarios centered around Hank Pym and his technology, the latest entry takes the biggest leap forward in the franchise by putting the Ant family front in center against the next Thanos-level villain, Kang the Conqueror. On paper, the plot for the movie sizzles with excitement as the newest member of the Ant family, Kassie Lang (now a teenager thanks to the fallout of Infinity War and Endgame), inadvertently creates a device that allows her family to get trapped down in the infamous quantum realm. Once there, they discover that the entire realm has fallen under the control of Kang, a madman hellbent on escaping his imprisonment in that microscopic realm to start the multiverse war that fans were teased about in both Loki and Doctor Strange 2. Now caught in the machinations of the evil time traveler, the Ant family is all that stands between Kang and reigniting his multiverse conquest. Everything within that description sounds like it has the makings to be an excellent start to Phase 5, and from beginning to end the story of the film holds up, creating an entertaining ride. But that is one of the biggest issues with the movie. That’s all it is: an entertaining ride. Simply put, Ant-Man 3 has a fun plot, but a weak story. While the two, plot and story, are often seen as one in the same, this movie proves how they can vastly differ. In his journey to reunite with his family and ultimately battle Kang, a series of events happen around Scott, but there’s no meaningful substance to them. He and the other characters in the story move from one plot point of the story to the next because the movie needs them to, but never during that journey does a story centered around Scott, Hope, or Cassie’s growth ever become apparent. Overall, there’s a nagging disconnect in the narrative as two stories seem to be competing for screen time. On one end, the past two Ant-Man films have built up the idea of how special the Quantum Realm is, and finally this movie pays it off with the family forced to traverse it. Yet, their time there is hardly fleshed out, making this entire universe whose existence has shaped the lives of the characters in massive ways seem like a random planet to walk around in during a standard Sci-fi movie. On the other hand, a story revolving around Kang and his plans takes center stage, but the larger his great shadow is, the smaller the presence and agency of the other characters appear. Inherently, that idea is not a bad one since not only is Kang one of the best elements of the movie, but the MCU has a track record of injecting multiple big characters to help flesh out a story more. Between Phase 2 and Phase 3, Marvel realized something that helped establish several box office juggernauts: not every superhero can carry a film by themselves. Films like Captain America” The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Thor: Ragnarök, and all the MCU Spider-Man films showed that the key to unlocking the true potential of the MCU lay in team-ups and interactions between its heroes and characters. While Kang may not have been another hero, he carries just as much gravitas, so it is clear to see the appeal in Marvel’s decision to put Kang as the main antagonist in the final Ant-Man film. If anything, that inclusion seemed to ultimately rob the Ant family of the chance to create a meaningful story with them at the center, leading to a stark realization. Characters: Present but Empty In terms of superhero movies, Ant-Man and The Wasp Quantumania is without a doubt one of the worst films the MCU has pumped out, but I mean that strictly in terms of the idea of what a superhero movie is supposed to encompass. It is a good, entertaining film, but a poorly made superhero film due to one reason. Poor character development. Typically, a superhero movie is one that focuses on the actions, growth, and development of a hero. Here though, none of that seems apparent. From the start of the movie to its conclusion, there is no growth or agency for Ant-Man or the Wasp. They are static characters caught up within the maelstrom of the plot. Sure, they have heroic cool moments and exhibit that classic marvel humor, but there was an inherent emptiness behind their characters. It's clear to see that there was an idea in place as the movie opens with Scott riding the high of saving the world in Endgame, but he’s seemingly not involved in any superhero activity. Between that complacency, the threat of Kang, and the pressure from his daughter telling him to do more with himself, the foundation of a strong character arc was present but ultimately fumbled. Sadly, the original trio of Ant-Man, The Wasp, and Hank Pym are the least interesting characters, taking a backseat to Kang himself. If anything, the movie served as more of an opportunity to showcase the threat level of the next big villain than allowing Ant-Man to have a worthwhile journey as a character. Jonathan Majors captured every scene he was in as Kang, truly allowing for the audience to see the devesting threat he possesses for the MCU going forward. Like Thanos before him, there’s a charm in his madness and quest for domination that makes him an appealing character. It was nice to finally have the ominous line from He Who Remains about how evil his other variants were paid off in such a spectacular fashion. Still, the only gripe would be that his potential seems wasted a bit since an Avengers-level villain like himself was regulated to an Ant-Man movie where the depth and serious nature of his character get washed away in the comedic, ridiculous elements of the franchise. Verdict (7/10) Overall, this movie is one that despite being enjoyable to watch, failed to understand what it wanted to be. With its identity lost between being the first cinematic introduction into Kang and finishing off the Ant-Man trilogy, Quantumania’s potential gets lost trying to force its place into the still fractured MCU Multiverse Saga. -By Nick Morrow Welcome to another edition of Tomorrow Reviews where I will look over various movies, shows, games, and anime and break them down. Today the topic will be based on the latest MCU movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever *This will be a spoiler-free review* ___________________________________________ Long Live the King Saying that Wakanda Forever had an unprecedented task to follow up the massive success of its predecessor is an understatement. Not only was Black Panther a financial blockbuster, but it also carried with it the weight of having the biggest cultural impact of any MCU movie. Granted, the most pressing task of all for Wakanda Forever was navigating the waters after the tragic passing of its lead, Chadwick Boseman, playing T’challa. While the MCU has the ability to use the multiverse to replace or recast the character, Ryan Coogler dives into the pain felt by Boseman’s loss. Despite the obstacles facing the movie from so many angles, Wakanda Forever stands as an emotionally cathartic film dedicated to the tragic loss of a great character and, more importantly, a great man. The Weight of Loss Right off from the beginning of the film, one thing is clear. One of the core themes the characters will deal with is loss and the insecurity and pain that come with it. Wakanda Forever seeks to be more than just another Marvel movie as it acts as a sincere tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman. With the film immediately opening up by addressing the death of King T’Challa, the rest of the cast is thrust into one of the hardest aspects of loss: grieving while the world keeps on moving. Both Shuri and Queen Ramonda give spectacular, poignant performances as two characters that are forced to tackle the loss of a brother, son, and king while still ensuring the stability of their great country. Shadowed by the aftereffects of T’Challa’s death on both a personal level and a political one, those two characters are redefined by the tragic circumstances around them as new enemies look to appear around them on all sides. His death acts as a veil that has draped over both characters as they each seek to handle his passing differently, setting up a point of contention between the two that drive each of their character arcs. Shuri in particular truly shines in her new role as the central protagonist. There is a shadow constantly haunting her character with T’Challa’s passing that molds her anew. Acting as just the quippy, genius little sister in the last movie, she now carries the grief of an entire nation on her shoulders. Her journey is very much a lens into diving into the heart of grief and doing one’s best to come out on the other side still willing to move forward despite the losses. The only issue in her entire arc lies with her transition into being the next Black Panther. Marvel typically has never floundered with training sequences or in-universe explanations, detailing why a character is powerful. Shuri’s case though seems to be the exception as she goes from a science genius to one of the most powerful fighters with very little training Imperius Rex Saying that the MCU has an overall villain problem would be an understatement. While there have certainly been standouts like Thanos, The Winter Soldiers, Killmonger, Loki, and Hela, there have been a plethora of other disappointments like Whiplash, Taskmaster, Ronan, and Gor as I discussed in my Thor Love and Thunder Review. Still, the Black Panther franchise seems to understand how to mold an excellent, morally grey villain. First was Killmonger but once more they struck gold with the introduction of Namor. Namor was not only the best villain of Phase 4, but he has been the best since Thanos. While many movies create a villain and make him or her intimidating or dangerous due to the plot, Namor’s presence immediately screams danger for the characters in the movie. Reeling from the loss of the Black Panther, their sworn protector, Namor and his forces showcase their superiority and dominance on multiple occasions, raising the stakes for all the characters. In a movie steeped so heavily in loss already, the writers were not afraid to use Namor to go deeper into that realm as he poses a real threat to the heroes and their loved ones. The beauty of Namor and his character go beyond his intimidating status as a villain. Through his introduction, multiple parts of the MCU are opened up. Talokan, the MCU version of Atlantis, Namor’s status as a mutant, and the increasing friction between countries as the desire for vibranium rises all come from his presence in the story. Furthermore, he does what every great villain should do in acting as a mirrored foil to the protagonist. Though they come from different backgrounds, he forces Shuri to discover new, darker aspects of herself that hold stakes for the movie and the MCU as a whole. More Namor, Less Riri Story-wise, the plot of Wakanda Forever certainly seems forced. While the main conflict seems brilliant at first with the world’s search for vibranium stirring Talokan, the weird focus on one newly introduced character, Riri Williams throws everything off balance. The fates of multiple countries and the stability of the world hang in the balance due to her presence suddenly being treated as the most important thing on the planet, which feels like a shallow and forced inclusion just to promote her upcoming Disney+ series. Her character’s pivotal involvement in the plot further hurt the movie simply because it leans back into the MCU’s bad habit of trying to connect too many things to Iron Man, even after his passing. Thankfully, Namor’s presence and the conflict he brings drive the story forward in a grand way that’s able to overcome the weakness around the Riri Williams inclusion. His dominating presence and the consequences of his gripe with Wakanda add a level of intrigue and suspense that many MCU movies overall lack. Secondary Shadows One of Wakanda Forever’s predecessor’s most charming aspect was how vibrant and fleshed out each of the side characters were as each one reflected different aspects of Wakanda’s culture, ideology, or background. So much about Wakanda still needed to be discovered through the lens and lives of different characters, yet this move failed to give them much agency. While Shuri and her mother’s grief over T’Challa helped drive the movie forward, little time was given to see how the other characters were dealing with that same issue aside from being visible said or mentioning a few lines about it. Between that and dealing with the aftermath of their country going through a civil war last movie, plenty of opportunities were around for characters like Okoye, M’Baku, or Ross, but no such attention is given. Despite being there in many scenes and even part of big plot points, their presence seems like a shadow of what it once was. Okoye in particular suffers the most from this treatment as she is given an amazing set-up for a powerful arc, but the movie never fully delves into it, allowing it to just fizzle out as the plot shifts to Namor. Overall Verdict (8/10) Wakanda Forever deals with more than any other superhero movie has had to experience in the past. Between the loss of Chadwick Boseman and complications with filming during the pandemic, the entire movie was forced to change its plans, and the staff, cast, and everyone involved should be praised for their efforts. The final product stands as one of the most sober yet uplifting affairs the MCU has ever offered as the film tackles themes laced around topics of grief, loss, revenge, protection, and identity. While Shuri and Namor weren’t a rivalry that fans would have expected to see years ago, the film fleshes out their dynamic, making their opposing ideologies and similar viewpoints an engaging interaction to behold. While there were some stumbling points with the forced inclusion of some characters and the lack of presence from others, the entire product weaves the various narrative together to still create a beautiful film. Welcome to another edition of Tomorrow Reviews where I put pen to paper and break down the latest movies, shows, anime, and games. Today the topic will be based on 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder (SPOILER WARNING AHEAD FOR THE MOVIE!!!!) Foreword:
To say I was not a fan of the first two Thor movies would be a massive understatement. I loved his character and the world of Asgard, but there was still something missing. Between the weaker villains, lackluster action, and banal story, Thor never jumped from the shadows of his MCU counterparts. That was until Thor: Ragnorak came around. Just as Captain America got the Russo Brothers to upgrade his movies, Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok breathed fresh life into the franchise and the character, resulting in one of my favorite MCU movies. Overall: Despite the great success and new direction implemented in Ragnarok, Waititi’s second outing helming a Thor film left me feeling largely underwhelmed walking out of theaters. If I had to point to one key flaw, I would highlight the excessive use of comedy in the film. Yes, I’m well aware and even appreciate that not every MCU needs to be Doctor Strange 2: Multiverse of Madness and Spider-Man: No Way Home in terms of seriousness, where the universe is a stake. Coming into the movie, I knew that it was going to be more of a light-hearted romantic comedy than its action-oriented predecessor, and I was looking forward to seeing what Waititi would do with that angle. Honestly, I feel like he nailed all the comedic elements once again by infusing nearly every scene in the movie with laughter. Between the weird love triangle with Thor, his hammer, and his ax, the introduction of his screaming, mythological goats, and Bao, the god of dumplings (the real MVP here), I was dying throughout half of the movie. But, that may have been the problem. It was too funny and silly at times, and the overall story and characters suffered for it. Yes, movies, even superhero movies, can be too funny for their own good. The Foster Experiment: When presented with the movie, the most unique aspect of the story was always going to be Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor. We already have seven films of seeing Thor fight bad guys, but we have never seen him interact with someone that could be his sidekick or who shares the mantle with him. Cap has interacted with not one but two characters that have dawned the Captain America mantle in the comics. Spider-Man teamed up with two other versions of himself. Iron-Man created a second suit of armor for War-Machine. Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, and Hawkeye all have had numerous interactions with characters in their movies that share similar powers to them. The list goes on and on. But, there has never been someone with similar abilities to Thor for him to interact with to deepen and push his character. What did it mean to be Thor? How would she be different than he was as Thor? Did she come to understand him more after having his powers? Does he see her and his powers in a different light? Can he offer her advice on dealing with her new gifts? These are all questions that would normally always go into these situations, but not a single one was addressed. The summary of Thor and Jane's arc of dealing with their shared powers was him simply stating that the look worked for her, and she looked great. This pivotal moment of a human becoming a god was more used as fuel for their romantic subplot, allowing more comedic lines and situations than helping to take the characters to new heights. That one phrase, lack of depth, was what really hindered my enjoyment of the film. There were just too many great ideas that didn’t reach their potential due to that lack of depth. Missed Opportunities Even the journey to Omnipotence City, a huge location that could have added more depth into the worlds of Moon Knight, Black Panther, The Eternals, and the MCU in general was largely treated as a joke. Yes, it was a funny joke, hilarious even, but instead of getting more background on the Necrosword, the nature of the universe, or perhaps a devastating attack by Gorr to show how dangerous he was, we got Zeus doing lightning tricks. Yes, I know it did its job in pushing the plot along and showing how terrible and cowardly the gods could be, but that idea felt like an afterthought. For an entire movie built on the notion that the gods needed to die because they were unworthy, Thor never takes any real time to grapple with that notion, which is crazy because Thor’s sense of worthiness is a consistent topic in all his films. The only time he does confront an idea that could make him question his very existence and purpose was treated as a throwaway line to “never meet your heroes.” So, instead of diving deeper into the themes, the movie was based on, we get more jokes, which doesn’t allow it to reach the heights it is capable of. For me, that was one of the biggest misses the movie had. The only one greater was the disservice Gorr’s character as a whole. Missing Gorr Now, I’m a huge Christian Bale fan, but I felt like his talent and compelling character were wasted due to both being overshadowed by the surplus amount of comedy in the film. Gorr was meant to be this chilling character, a being consumed by death and darkness. His comic counterpart has such a big impact on Thor, that it makes him unworthy to even lift his hammer for a time. Yet, we only see that side of him in flashes. Every since the Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, all superhero movies were hit with one of the golden rules of storytelling they all need to follow. A superhero story can only be as good as its villain. There is a reason that some of the most highly rated Marvel films all have something in common: compelling villains that mirror the hero. The Winter Soldier has Bucky and Cap dynamic. Civil War has the Captain American and Iron Man contrast Black Panther has T’Challa and Killmonger relationship The Eternals has the Icarus betrayal against his family. Spider-Man: No Way Home has the Green Goblin rivalry. Superhero movies thrive on this idea. When the hero looks at the villain, they need to see parts of themselves there, or the villain's existence has to challenge their beliefs in a fundamental way. For Thor, Gorr was just a crazy guy with a sword. They had no connection and nothing to link them to each other outside of one wanting to kill the other. That’s what made Loki and Hela work so much better as villains for him. Their personal connections and differing ideology helped challenge and push him to grow. Now, don’t get me wrong. Despite excess comedy and the underutilization of Gorr, I still really enjoyed the movie…until the very end. All is not fair in Love and Thunder I hate to say it, but for me, Thor: Love and Thunder had the worst ending of all the MCU films. For a movie dealing with rekindled love, love triangles between weapons, and the extinction of deities across the universe, Thor adopting a child as the grand ending to this movie doesn’t seem right. The end felt rushed and thrown in there to generate a superficial, happy ending that the entire two-hour run time never built up to. Now, I get it. Thor's journey has been one characterized by loss. He lost his family, his home, his hammer, and the love of his life. The idea that Thor finally gets to start a new family to help him finally recover from that loss is a beautiful idea. It just wasn’t well executed. There is no real build-up to Thor wanting a family since his whole focus is just on Jane and his lost hammer. No matter how sweet the ending is, I feel like it that there wasn’t enough cohesive writing to help establish that big point that effectively changes his character in a way that no other movie has done. Final Verdict Thor: Love and Thunder was an entertaining film that had me laughing the entire movie, but the lack of true development of the characters and story suffered for that comedic ride. Pros:
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Grade: C+ (Entertaining, but very flawed) Welcome to another edition of Writing Insights where I will look over various stories from movies, shows, games, and anime to discuss the ways writers can improve their work. Today the topic will be based on the 2022 film The Batman. (SPOILER WARNING AHEAD FOR THE MOVIE!!!!)
I swear, the more I talk about this movie with friends, the more I find more and more ways to completely fall in love with it! It still isn’t as legendary as the Dark Knight, but it’s my second favorite. Ok, gushing session over. Ok, now that is out of the way, let’s get started. During my last entry to my review series for The Batman, I went over the beautiful manner in which its signature line of “I’m Vengeance” portrays one of the themes: One cannot let Vengeance define themselves. Today, I want to take a look at one of my favorite aspects of the movie, the weather and setting, and how it too allows the theme that very same theme to resonate within the movie. Setting and theme have always been ideas that have been intertwined with each other, and The Batman is not the first movie to allow its setting to help exude its themes nor will it be the last. What truly blows my mind though is how expertly it weaves such a simple stylistic choice within the narrative of the movie. That choice lies within how often the sun is shown throughout the film, which is a grand total of one time. The one time the sun does appear occurs at the end amidst both the literal and symbolic renewal of Gotham and Batman as the water washes away the past corruption, allowing for light to emerge. It is at that moment we see a different side of Batman. No longer is a man operating from the shadows to enact justice masked within the cowl of vengeance, but now he stands a beacon of hope that allows the people of Gotham to see him. Which was the exact opposite of how he was portrayed most of the movie. Now, Gotham has always been a city tied to the darkness as Batman is a hero that operates primarily at night, so seeing most of the movie take place during that time should hardly be a surprise. Yet, the idea of the darkness is taken to the next level here. Night is not just a state within the day, night is the state in which Batman completely merges himself within. He was one with the darkness in every facet, casting this shadow of fear for the criminals in Gotham. Even the citizens of Gotham fear him (as seen in that subway scene) since they see him just as a dark angel of vengeance instead of a protector. Never before had a Batman allowed himself to truly become one with the night both metaphorically and physically. Some of the best scenes are those small ones where he slowly emerges or fades away back into the darkness of a corner, giving off this mystical quality. Granted, there will always be darkness for both Gotham and Batman, but the presence of the sun lights a path toward balance. One where we can assume he will move toward his Bruce Wayne persona. That’s why the setting at the end has so much power tied before it. That choice to have the sun shine down on the city after the renewal occurred captures how Batman and the city have let go of its darkness in order to move forward in a new direction. Welcome to another edition of Writing Insights where I will look over various stories from movies, shows, games, and anime to discuss the ways writers can improve their work. Today the topic will be based on the 2022 film The Batman.
(SPOILER WARNING AHEAD FOR THE MOVIE!!!!) First off, allow me to gush a bit and state how much I love this movie! I’ve always loved Batman movies, and this would be my favorite since the Dark Knight (and I’m a huge Christopher Nolan fan). Now that is out of the way, let’s get started. One of the key components towards the making of any good story revolves around how well the story develops its theme, the main message. Such development should be a combination of subtle and overt components through the weaving of dialogue, character, setting, and more into the theme. Today, I want to take a look at how The Batman handles the first among that list, its dialogue, quite exquisitely, or rather how it handles it through one simple, yet powerful line. “I’m vengeance.” Just two words are used to capture the whole essence of who Bruce Wayne is under the cowl at this point in his crusade against crime. He is not a hero. He is simply a sharpened instrument of vengeance, lashing out against the criminal underworld in Gotham. That reality sets up one of the central themes around how ideas like “Vengeance cannot define us” or “Vengeance can’t heal us” (more so the city of Gotham in this case). That journey, that evolution or renewal from being simply an agent of vengeance to becoming a hope and light for Gotham is expertly set up with the utterance of that one line. That line is his starting point. Furthermore, it is used to define him not just to the audience but to all of Gotham. Note, that Catwoman, never once calls him Batman (outside the playful mention of the bat and cat combo at the end). She, along with everyone else, constantly refers to him as vengeance, which he never corrects her on. For Batman, he truly has become the embodiment of vengeance. Yet, it’s not enough. He says as much himself at the beginning. The start of the movie offers its own subtle riddle about how despite him being active for a little while now, crime has only gone up. So, he has changed the environment, but he has not made a difference in wiping out crime, and he has no idea how to rectify that. That’s where the true beauty of the “I’m Vengeance” line comes into play. At the end when he hears one of Riddler’s men utter the same “I’m Vengeance” line after being unmasked, it’s game-changing for Batman. Though he says nothing in response, we can see the subtle look of realization and disgust on his face. That’s when he realizes that he too, like the Riddler inspired these men. He was the beacon of vengeance to allow other citizens of Gotham that had deep scars caused by injustice to lash out. In essence, those men, the Riddler included, weren’t too different from Batman. They were all Vengeance. Like him, they saw corruption and evil in the city, and they wanted to use violence to weed it out. Unlike him though, they had no restraint. Hearing his own dialogue uttered back to him changed Batman. It showed him the flaw in his approach. He now knew he couldn’t be vengeance to change things. He had to become hope, a light for others to follow through the darkness. Two words set up that dark descent for him, and two words helped guide him on a journey of self-reflection and change. He understood for himself the themes of how vengeance can’t define him or heal his wounds. Such is the power of simple, yet profound uses of dialogue. If handled correctly, it has the power to define and energize an entire story. Welcome to another edition of Writing Insights where I will look over various stories from movies, shows, games, and anime to discuss the ways writers can improve their work. Today the topic will be based on the 2021 film Dune. Ok, so a few points to start with. I’ve never seen the original 1984 Dune film, nor have I finished reading the books. My focus will be entirely on the recent film. Now, that’s out of the way, let’s get cooking.
For every story, no matter the genre, characters and the conflicts that surround them should be the driving force of the story. That idea is one of the foundational parts of any good story. One can’t have a truly compelling story without character struggle and conflict to move the story forward (unless it’s a unique type of story). After recently watching Dune, I felt like I enjoyed the settings, the world-building, and the insane budget that went into making the film, but I felt that the conflict and character development was lacking. Sure, I understood the conflict of how one noble house was being set up to fail by a tyrannical, insecure emperor. Sure, I understood how another house wanted to destroy House Atreides because they were gifted access to a mineral-rich planet, and they wanted it back. Sure, I understood how Paul Atreides, the main character, was experiencing visions since he is the prophesied chosen one. Yet, despite understanding all of that, I never felt invested in him or the world around him. It was pretty to look at, but that was all. Like the desert world most of the story focused on, the rest felt empty, dry, and barren. Why? For me, I’d say it was because of the failed execution of character and conflict. Conflict drives a story. It ropes the audience in. Every story will have some sort of conflict in it, but the best ones use the characters’ responses to said conflict to flesh out the narrative and breathe life and depth into it. Dune failed to do that. So many details and information were thrown at the audience, but we never saw how those details affected Paul since so much was going on in the background behind the scenes. Those reactions were supposed to connect the audience to the conflict and make us care. That point is crucial. Hidden conflicts can’t affect the character until it is too late. How did Paul feel about the danger facing his family? How was he coping with the sudden move and the visions plaguing him? How do those events influence his decisions or mindset? As the audience, we see none of that. Paul, like us, just feels like he’s along for the ride until everything hits the fan, and his life is forever changed an hour and a half into the movie. I call that the Magic Carpet Ride Pitfall, where the character just rides along with the plot without any kind of meaningful reactions or development. Remember, characters and conflicts are partners in a marriage. One can’t expect the best from one without the other. How one acts or develops should affect the other. If the plot shifts, the character should shift or change. If the character grows, then the conflict should have been a factor. Events need to be seen, analyzed, and dissected through a character’s eyes to give them proper weight and gravitas. Think of the infamous Red Wedding from Game of Thrones. While the plotting leading up to it was done in the shadows, the audience saw that the actions and mistakes of Rob Stark led to it. He rebelled against the king. He called other lords to his side. He won battles to gain notoriety. He, a self-proclaimed king now, broke his word to another lord. As a result, the lord retaliated against him. Note the difference. All the actions that helped developed the plot and conflict gave Robb Stark agency. His actions and thoughts were married to the conflict and drove it forward. In contrast, Paul never did anything. He just sat back and waited till the plot caught up to him, and without having that central focus, the story as a whole suffered for it. As writers, we have to remember to focus the story on how the character reacts and deals with the world. It may sound simple, but that idea is often lost as an emphasis on world-building, agenda-setting, pandering, and other focal points take center stage in bigger productions. It’s through the struggles characters go through that win an audience over and give the story life. We must always remember that. |
Book ListThe Order: Shadows of the Apostles Archives
July 2022
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