When bad writting gets worse
This topic isn't really one that I can limit simply by only looking at the world of comics. (although, if I did, I would still be able to find at least a thousand examples) Bad writing is everywhere, the Internet is full of it and it can be seen in every form of media, form TV shows and films to newspapers. Having said that, It seems to me that bad writing, whether its seen in character development or overall storyline, is starting to appear in places were it really shouldn't. With that in mind, I thought I would use this post to list, in no particular order, some of those I feel are the most guilty.
1# Avatar
I have a complicated relationship with this film. Like everyone else who saw it in 3D for the first time, I was stunned by the artistry of the computer generated world of Pandora and spent the following two days getting misty eyed whenever I recalled any particularly beautiful scene. However, once I stopped to think, I realised how shallow and unoriginal the script was. The story of Avatar(for the benefit of the three people who haven't seen it.) is exactly the same as that of Fern Gully or Disney's Pocahontas or Dances With Wolves or any of the others films in that vein. Now, if the script had attempted to lift itself above its basic outline, this would have been perfectly acceptable, but it doesn't and, in many ways, is even more simplistic than its predecessors.
As a writer, it's unsettling to see the same storyline pedaled over and over, particularly when that story is packaged inside one of the biggest media frenzies since 1999's The Phantom Menace. All over the Internet, people are still, even 5 months after its release, falling over themselves to praise a film which is essentially remade once a generation. What's worse is that this is a film by James Cameron, a man who is fully capable of writing a script which is as entertaining as it is intelligent.(see Terminator 1 and 2)
Overall, the success of Avatar simply makes me sad and leaves me wondering how many other, more original scripts, were overlooked so that it could get the green light.
2# Every Squaresoft/Square-Enix game since 1997
Ever since the huge success of Final Fantasy VII, the good people at Square have been, more or less, sticking to the same formula: A young man( usually between the ages of 14 and 18) is dragged away from his quite life of angst and blushing at girls in order to save the world with the help of a rag-tag group of friends. Once again, I have to stress that this would be fine if it wasn't simply reused for every single Final Fantasy since VII!
What's more, the characters are so formulaic(and in some cases racist) that I am simply tired of it!
3# Comic books in general
As I've said before, I love comic books(hence the blog) but that doesn't mean they can't be utterly terrible from time to time. I've read some truly things. Whether it's Marvel's constant rehashing of the Phoenix and clone sagas, or DC's refusal to finally kill off Bruce Wayne, the major comic houses are becoming increasingly incapable of any kind of innovation, meaning that the whole industry is becoming rather stagnant.
Well, that's it, rant over
Until next time
Panelhopper
1# Avatar
I have a complicated relationship with this film. Like everyone else who saw it in 3D for the first time, I was stunned by the artistry of the computer generated world of Pandora and spent the following two days getting misty eyed whenever I recalled any particularly beautiful scene. However, once I stopped to think, I realised how shallow and unoriginal the script was. The story of Avatar(for the benefit of the three people who haven't seen it.) is exactly the same as that of Fern Gully or Disney's Pocahontas or Dances With Wolves or any of the others films in that vein. Now, if the script had attempted to lift itself above its basic outline, this would have been perfectly acceptable, but it doesn't and, in many ways, is even more simplistic than its predecessors.
As a writer, it's unsettling to see the same storyline pedaled over and over, particularly when that story is packaged inside one of the biggest media frenzies since 1999's The Phantom Menace. All over the Internet, people are still, even 5 months after its release, falling over themselves to praise a film which is essentially remade once a generation. What's worse is that this is a film by James Cameron, a man who is fully capable of writing a script which is as entertaining as it is intelligent.(see Terminator 1 and 2)
Overall, the success of Avatar simply makes me sad and leaves me wondering how many other, more original scripts, were overlooked so that it could get the green light.
2# Every Squaresoft/Square-Enix game since 1997
Ever since the huge success of Final Fantasy VII, the good people at Square have been, more or less, sticking to the same formula: A young man( usually between the ages of 14 and 18) is dragged away from his quite life of angst and blushing at girls in order to save the world with the help of a rag-tag group of friends. Once again, I have to stress that this would be fine if it wasn't simply reused for every single Final Fantasy since VII!
What's more, the characters are so formulaic(and in some cases racist) that I am simply tired of it!
3# Comic books in general
As I've said before, I love comic books(hence the blog) but that doesn't mean they can't be utterly terrible from time to time. I've read some truly things. Whether it's Marvel's constant rehashing of the Phoenix and clone sagas, or DC's refusal to finally kill off Bruce Wayne, the major comic houses are becoming increasingly incapable of any kind of innovation, meaning that the whole industry is becoming rather stagnant.
Well, that's it, rant over
Until next time
Panelhopper
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