Bad movies that just needed a little more work.

[Doctor Who?]

Yup the new edition fromlast year that you can buy on it's own or in the excelent Ultimate boxset has the writer talking about the movie.

In between fits of extreme sadness he does a pretty good job of going MST3K all over that movie.

[whoopdefndo]

I'd vote for Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy. There was so much about the movie that seemed right in theory, but when put together as a whole just became an exercise in tedium. Fun source material, great cast, incredible visuals, and yet it fell flat 90% of the time.

As far as the SW prequels go, I loathe them so much, not only do I not want my theoretical future children to know they exist, I don't even want them to know about Empire or Jedi. Let them think Episode IV is just this awecome individual film, like parents who lie to their children when reading Charlotte's Web and tell them Charlotte lives.

[Dim of the Yard]

I'd vote for Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy. There was so much about the movie that seemed right in theory, but when put together as a whole just became an exercise in tedium. Fun source material, great cast, incredible visuals, and yet it fell flat 90% of the time.

As far as the SW prequels go, I loathe them so much, not only do I not want my theoretical future children to know they exist, I don't even want them to know about Empire or Jedi. Let them think Episode IV is just this awecome individual film, like parents who lie to their children when reading Charlotte's Web and tell them Charlotte lives.

Aww, I kinda liked Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy.  I think it's a lot of fun.  As somebody who hasn't read the books prior to seeing the movie, it was a good introduction to the series, and even going back after having a little bit of Adams under my belt, it's still enjoyable.

... Wait, Charlotte dies?

Back on topic, when I think of a bad movie that needed more work, I think of Spider-Man 3.  It could have been a lot of fun, but the film was just a mess.  I think it could have benefited from a little bit more focus, a little bit less villainy afoot, and a bit more re-imaging to whisk away those pesky plot holes.  Yes, Mr. Harry Osbourne's Butler, I'm looking at you.

[Phantom of Krankor]

Back on topic, when I think of a bad movie that needed more work, I think of Spider-Man 3.  It could have been a lot of fun, but the film was just a mess.  I think it could have benefited from a little bit more focus, a little bit less villainy afoot, and a bit more re-imaging to whisk away those pesky plot holes.  Yes, Mr. Harry Osbourne's Butler, I'm looking at you.

Spiderman 3 would've faired alot better if it were split up into two movies. Because it was really 2 movies crammed into one.

[Tyrant]

I would have been happier with Spiderman 3 if they had just had more Venom.

[RoninFox]

That really was the primary flaw of Spiderman 3, the one that caused the ripple effect of suck.  Three villains?  You really think you need to cram three villains, any one of which could conceivably carry his own film?  Venom especially need the spotlight.  I could have done without Sandman for awhile and "new goblin" needed a lot more work, and could have been put on the back burner.  I think too many people had only signed on for three movies (Raimi included I believe) and wanted to squeeze as much as they could into a film that just couldn't take any more.

[Dim of the Yard]

Osbourne's character development up to that point had made the whole "Harry = Goblin" thing inevitable, and from what I gathered, Raimi was absolutely gunning for Sandman to be in this film.  Between the two of them, I think they could have made a decent movie.  I agree with the consensus and think that Venom should have been given much more spotlight.  He/It could have carried an entire movie on its own, and the new Goblin/Sandman would be fine in their own little movie.

And hell.  If they split up the movies, we would have avoided the whole "I'm a goblin!" *CLANG* thing.  That's what you call convenient.

[darthvedder81]

The Star Wars prequels. If Lucas had spent more time on the script, or had script doctors, we wouldn't have lines like "I love the water" and "I am haunted by the kiss you should never have given me, hoping it won't become a scar"
plus, there would be this thing called consistency!
GGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I curse you lucas!

For loathing the prequels as much as you do it's interesting you are able to quote very specific lines off the top of your head verbatim.

You have to have seen a film many times in order for that to happen...

[RoninFox]

The Star Wars prequels. If Lucas had spent more time on the script, or had script doctors, we wouldn't have lines like "I love the water" and "I am haunted by the kiss you should never have given me, hoping it won't become a scar"
plus, there would be this thing called consistency!
GGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I curse you lucas!

For loathing the prequels as much as you do it's interesting you are able to quote very specific lines off the top of your head verbatim.

You have to have seen a film many times in order for that to happen...

Or watch them once with Rifftrax.  I'd never remember the "I love the water" or "I hate the sand" debate without thinking of Mike and Kevin's riffs.

[shortstack]

I, too, think that the SW prequels had so much to work from, and then didn't work from it.  How hard is it to write a story about one man's fall from grace due to the effects of war and heartbreak? The original trilogy used such a simple, accessible story archetype, and the prequels easily could've carried that through. George Lucas had the money in spades to put towards getting top-notch writing talent, but apparently he didn't think story was important enough.  I'll end that rant now before I get carried away.

THE MATRIX SEQUELS - while not total garbage (at least not in my opinion) I think they got, well, a little convoluted.  It could've been such a solid sci-fi trilogy, but the Watchowski Bros. got a little bit carried away.  On a side note though, I have great respect for the Animatrix stories, which were awesome.

Death to Smoochie - I know I'm probably alone in doubting the quality of this film, but it fell flat for me.  It was a story that revolved around television people, and yet didn't seem to apply any actual legal ramifications or contract issues that would come up in real life.  And isn't that what the biz sort of revolves around? (not that I would know, I guess) Who's obligated to stay, who's obligated to go? This film could've been awesomely peppered with the internal politics of the world of network TV.  But sadly, it has the TV exec saying lines like 'I made you! I can ruin you!'

[RoninFox]

THE MATRIX SEQUELS - while not total garbage (at least not in my opinion) I think they got, well, a little convoluted.  It could've been such a solid sci-fi trilogy, but the Watchowski Bros. got a little bit carried away.  On a side note though, I have great respect for the Animatrix stories, which were awesome.

I enjoyed the Matrix sequels too, not great but good.  I also enjoyed most of the Animatrix shorts.  I've always despised the animation style that was used in Aeon Flux, so when I saw it again used for the story of the runner it immediately turned me off.  The first one, with the sword fight striptease that was pretty much the scene right before Reloaded started, that was good.  The one with the detective, loved it.  The Samurai battle training program, good stuff.  The two parter history lesson had some interesting stuff, (which also helped highlight the Matrix/Terminator/Third Eye link that cost a lot of people a lot of dough) but I think it got pretty tedious.

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

Lady in the Water. I think that this could have been a graceful fantasy canon if it just came together better, and there wasn't such a level of "I'm a recognized writer-director so I can be as self-indulgent as I damn well please" stuff in it. Ease up a notch or seven on the critic hate. The bit about arrogance was funny. The characters were appealing. Just something about it put together didn't work.  A little too much sense sacrificed for plot convenience. Casting yourself as the guy with the political ideas that save humanity, though, that's just obscene Shame on you Shamalan. SHAME!

For Spider Man 3, I think we could take two villains at a time, just not three. Sandman would be the first one I cut. Personally, if Venom had his own movie, I'd throw in a half-hour or so interlude where the symbiote takes over Mary Jane. Let's give the gal something to do besides put up with Peter's extreme dorkyness and dangle from great heights.