'Ender's Game' - Script Review

Post based on the script "Ender's Game" by D.B. Weiss, 2005.

The Verdict: The well-written script features flat characters mulling through a boring, aim-less movie, that seems to be war-mongering cold-war propaganda!

What's it about?

Sometime in the future, a young boy is recruited by the Space Force to lead the fight against insectoid aggressor.

Plot Summary:

On the first page young Ender has to take a test and seems to fail it. Back at home with his sister, psycho-brother and widowed mother he is suprised by the leader of the Internation Force, Rackham, himself, saying Ender had the highest score ever in this test and he is accepted into Battle School. Due to his high score he is singled out and has to join the unit of Madrid, who tries his best to make Ender's life miserable. Meanwhile, Ender's sister Valentine joins a secret project, proping and testing the larvae of a Formic Queen (it is never explained why they have it). Ender strives at Battle School, soon he wins every game and gets to lead his own unit. Soon Rackham reveals that Ender has to lead the army against the Formics. It is one of his sub-commanders that finds out, that Earth doesn't have to defend itself against an attack of the Formics, but rather Earth started an pre-emptive strike against their homeworld. But he is ordered not to tell that to Ender - and so he doesn't! Ender sacrificies most of the Earth fleet but manages to kill every Formic, except the Formic Queen lying in Valentine's laboratory. On the last page Ender lauches off into space to find a suitable new homeworld for the Formic Queen.

Observations:

No Aim: A huge complaint is visible in the logline: Ender desperately wants to join the Space Force and does so on page 13. After that he plays just along. He trains and fights when other people tell him to train and fight. He kills a whole species when he is told to kill a whole species. But he has no motivation, no goal for the remainder of the script, leaving the viewer bored and uninvolved.

No Character Arc: Ender - or any other character - makes a change for the better in this script. After the shocking revelation of their genocide, Ender and his commanders do not change or reow. The script doesn't seem to be interested in the dramatic conflict the story poses for the protagonists. On the last page Ender starts a space mission to search for a new world for the Queen. But that Ender is the same Ender from the first page. Not for a single moment anyone of them has to struggle with the heavy burden of genocide.
No Obstacles: The point of a story is to see a hero overcoming the obstacles to reach his goal. As said before, the script of Ender's Game features no goal for the hero. Likewike the obstacles are nearly non-present. I re-read it: He doesn't lose one game he plays. Everything he does, he does perfectly. Yes, it takes him 2 pages to learn the art of the Zero-Gravity Battle, but after that no one stops him. Throughout the script Karpov is described as a genius, as the idol of almost anyone. Even he just resign after he lost one Battle Simulation against Ender.
Only the bullying is ever-present. It starts on the second page, when Ender is beaten by his older brother and in Battle School Madrid continues to harass Ender. But this has nothing to do with Ender's genius. It it not on the same plane and as such it is no obstacle Ender has to overcome as he is already genius.

Pointless B-Stories: In theory, the B-Story, starting at the beginning of the second act, should come together with the main plot before the finale and provide the protagonists with the means to overcome any obstacle laid in his way. The first and most prominent B-Story involving Valentine and her discovery of the Formics Queen serves no purpose at all in the story. It feels like a cheap ploy to redeem the characters in the end, after everything they did. Which leads me to:

War Propaganda: To be honest, I have no insight into the ethical discussion of Ender's Game. So reading the script, I despised the ethics, I loathed the presented morals. The world view is so degenerated, so corrupt, that an genocide is easily justified and not one character struggles with the events for very long.

The script is not concerned with questions of blind obedience or of military tyranny. Ender is their puppet and seems to like it that way.

The way in which a deadly war is equalized with a game is sickening! It removes any moral doubt over the actions by placing the intention to "win the game" above everything. The loss of 100,000s of people has no weight in this script, their sacrifice means nothing as it was necessary to win.

The Project:
In 2003 Wolfgang Petersen (Troy, Das Boot) was interested in adapting Enders' Game, bringing in screenwriters David Benioff (25th Hour, Troy) and D.B. Weiss (Game of Thrones). After he left, Orson Scott Card adapted his own novel and brought in Gavin Hood (Tsotsi, X-Men Wolverine), but nothing came of it.
At the beginning of 2011 it was reported that Orci & Kurtzman (of Lost & Star Trek fame) had started prepping this project. Shortly after Summit Entertainment picked up the Ender's Game movie. (References: Wiki)

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'Killing on Carnival Row' - Script Review

Summary: 
A gaze into highly innovative world, propelled forward by a well-known detective story.

What's it about:
In an alternative world, where fairies live in ghettos oppressed by humans, a police detective has to find a serial killer, when his faerie girlfriend is the latest victim in this killing spree.

Plot Summary:
On the first page the first faerie dies and while her corpse floats down the river, we are introduced to Inspector Rycroft Philostrate. In a very noir Voice-Over he gives the viewer/reader an overview over The Burgue. He tells us about the faerie opression and the high tension between everybody living in the city. We get to know the Mayor and his wife, who fights very openly for more faerie rights. On page 6 Philostrate takes on this case and interviews the only eyewitness: a selkie - a half-human / half-seal creature. Afterwards he pays a visit to his secret faerie girlfriend, who has to work at a faerie brothel. By page 16 we already have two dead faeries and a Haruspex is called to the crime scene. These can not only see the future, but also the past and help the efforts of the police force. Philostrate goes to the Museum of Natural History to get the help of the faerie expert, Professor Alcandre.
Now all the players are in the game and the plot starts turning...

On page 30 the new victim of the serial killer, called Unseelie Jack, is revealed to be Philostrate's secret girlfriend. Not able to cope, he walks into a bar and gets wasted. Still high, Philostrate rescues a young faerie, Vignette, from an attack by Unseelie Jack. Meanwhile the Haruspex finds evidence, that points to Philostrate as Unseelie Jack. Vignette, cared for by the inspector, has to flee with him, when the police approaches. Together they hide in the underground of the faerie district, but Philostrate wants to catch the killer of his girlfriend. The fourth victim is found at the Museum of Natural History. When Philostrate goes to the crime scene, he is spotted by tzhe police and has to flee, only to be saved by Vignette. On page 71 they kiss the first time, but Philostrate backs off, the memory of his dead girlfriend still haunts him.
We are coming closer and closer to the end...

On page 78 a whole ballroom of important politicians is killed by an attack of the faeries. But it is revealed, that the Mayor is responsible for this horrible attack. He uses this event as justification to round up every non-human and put them in prison. On page 89 it is revealed that the Haruspex is Unseelie Jack, but before Philostrate can kill her, she escapes with Vignette. He follows them and we find out, that the Haruspex is a creation by Professor Alcandre: he was payed by the mayor to terrorize the faerie disctrict. Vignette kills the professor, but the Haruspex can escape. The two follow her to the prison and Philostrate kills the Haruspex in an aerial fight. The Mayor is shot by the Police Chef and everything returns to normal. After these horrible events the faeries get suffrage and equal rights in the Burgue. Philostrate and Vignette fly away on a Zeppelin to see the world, and he is finally strong enough to admit loving a faerie in public.

The Project

The script was written in 2005 by Travis Beachem and sold to New Line just a few month later. It attracted the talents of Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth & Hellboy) and Hugh Jackman (X-Men, Wolverine, The Prestige), but got stuck in development hell.
It is Beachem's first sold script and hailed as one of the best spec scripts floating around Hollywood. Beachem went on to do assignment work (The last draft of Clash of the Titans).

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'Priest' (2011) - Atmosphere

Today InSight: Movies takes a little break from reviewing scripts and brings you something different. In this short article I want to open up the discussion about 'Atmosphere' in movies.

'Priest' (2011) is a perfect example to illustrate this topic: I found the story and characterization really underwhelming, but nonetheless I was captivated by the movie. Why is that?

The production design and sets of 'Priest' were really impressive for the moderate budget, depicting the futuristic timeline in which the movie played. Shots of the urban landscape contrasted with the wide and barren desert. The capable actors (especially Paul Bettany & Maggie Q) were able to refrain from corny over-acting, which grounded the whole film in reality (as far as this is possible in this genre). 

To sum it up: the whole movie had atmosphere! But what is atmosphere?

It is the feeling of being drawn into the movie; when rich visuals and design create a world in front of the viewer's eyes. Atmosphere means a coherent world that might be different from ours, either in time or place. Actors can create atmosphere (and easily destroy it). Perhaps it is the essence of movie making. As you can see, I can't point out a single factor in creating something like atmosphere. It is the synergy of many people doing what they love and this shows on the screen. This explains why some films have it - and some don't. You can not calculate something like movie atmosphere.


'Priest' is by far not a great movie, but the atmosphere created in this dystopian movie makes up for the lack of plot and thus creates an enjoyable film.


What atmospheres in a movie suprised you? How, in your opinion, can atmosphere be created?



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'Sub-Mariner' Script Review

Based on the script by David Self (Jan 2004)


Summary:

A visually-stunning Superhero movie, that delivers a great deal of action, but fails to connect on an emotional level. The unsurprising story is filled with cookie-cutter characters and flat dialogue.

What's it about?

The rebellious orphan Narmor struggles to proctect the City of Atlantis from the evil duke Kraang, who captured a submarine and plans to take over the throne of Atlantis, after he finds out that he turns into the a superhuman/amphibian-hybrid when he dives deep enough

Plot Summary:

In the first scene Japanese fishermen find a baby in one of their nets and decide to leave at the doorsteps of the american base. The baby grows up, not loved by his surrogate father and failing in every aspect of life. In an rebellious act, Namor leaves the base aboard an airplane headed to save a sunken submarine. Leader of the rescue team is Jane, a strong-headed, but sensible woman. The fall in love, of course. 

On the first deep-sea deployment, Jane's equipment goes haywire and Namor goes after her to save her. When his suit implodes and Namor is exposed to the sea, he transforms into superhuman/fish. But before he can save Jane, both are captured by Duke Kraang and brought to Atlantis . The superpowered Namor can escape with Jane, but back on the ship nobody believes their story. The generals, who have seen what Namor turned into, want to dissect him, so Namor has to escapes again, this time going back to Atlantis. There he is enslaved, but nonetheless gets the chance to save the Emperor of Atlantis, Thakkoris. 

We find out that Kraang plans a war on humankind and wants to betray the Emperor. He secretly built a massive army in a huge vulcanic underground city and starts and attack on the City of Atlantis. Kraang is supported by the sonar of the submarine he captured, which proves to be deadly for all kind of fish and amphibians. All the while Namor discovers that he is the grandson of Thakkoris and now that Atlantis is his real home, he fights Kraang and saves the city.

The Project:

Marvel's Namor is one of the first superheroes, debuting in 1939. In 2006 Universal Pictures signed Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines director Jonathan Mostow to rewrite and direct Marvel Studios' Sub-Mariner (Superherohype.com). In 2008 Jason Statham was in talks to take the role of Namor (Beyondhollywood.com). In 2011 he makes a little cameo in Captain America: The First Avenger, but yet has to star in his own movie.

Remarks:

- The Love Story: Jane and Nix confess their affection for one another very early in the script - and it never plays any role at all! He does nothing to get back to her and seems to have forgotten her completely by the time he turns out to be the heir of Atlantis.Both lovers come from different worlds and can never be together, but that doesn't mean, that there can't be any lovestory. The recent Thor mastered the star-crossed lovers approach and it gave the whole movie more gravitas.

- The Visuals: the rich and amazing environment in this script are truly fantastic. The deep undersea world depicted in this script would have had a huge appeal to any movie lover. But the movie would have a huge price tag. For example, in the big finale an army of Shark Legions fight against Squid Riders, all the while huge maelstroms on the water surface suck down the human armada - only 200+ mil could bring this world to the silver screen.

Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! - Movie Category:Comic Super Hero

(1) a power the hero is imbued with - Nix transforms into Namor underwater: Check!

(2) a "Nemesis", an equally powerful bad guy - Kraang: Check!

(3) a "curse" or Achilles heel - out of water Nix is normal human: Check!

(4) The mascot or sidekick - No!

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'Wonder Woman' - Script Review

Based on the script by Laeta Kalogridis (August 2004)

Summary:

The script tries it's hardest, but ultimately fails. The final goal is only revealed after 85 pages of the script and before that the script wanders through the story without any aim.

What's it about?

The demi-godess Diana has to stop her vicious father Ares from obtaining an ancient artifact, that could plunge the whole world into an eternal war.

Plot Summary:

In an aerial dogfight american jet-pilot Steven Trevor opens a portal to the mythical island of the Amazons. He is found by Diana, who then has to fight the 4 champions of the island, in order to save Steven from execution. Together they return to our world, because Diana is really curious about the other side. In our world Diana slowly starts to gain superpowers and has to use them to save Steven from being kidnapped by Ares. From now on Diana wears a nomal dress and after a futile bar brawl, Diana explains that Ares needs Steven to open the portal for him, in order to steal the artifact hidden on Diana's island. So instead of hiding Steven, he and Diana decide to go into the base of Ares, where the antagonist - unsuprisingly - overwhelms Diana and kidnaps Steven. So, after Steven opened the portal for him, Ares attacks the island. It is a fight high-tech armory and tanks against spears and bows, but in the end the Amazons win (yeah, really!) and Ares is confined for all eternity. Diana and Steven finally kiss. The End.

The Project:

First Joel Silver wanted to adapt the DC Comic in 2001. Four years later, Joss Whedon was brought in to write and direct the feature film, but left the project again in 2007. In 2010 Warner Bros. stated that the film is still underway, with a release slated for 2013. David S. Goyer is rumored to write and direct the new film.

Remarks:

As I said in the opening paragraph, the script seems to be without any specific goal. That the threat of Ares is revealed two-thirds through the film makes everything seem without purpose. So the script concentrates on making jokes about Wonder Woman running around in her iconic costume. After meeting Steven the demi-godess Diana is turned into a little schoolgirl making big eyes at Steven and getting fits of jealousy whenever another girl is around. I don't think that making you central character act so stupid is very wise - and to be honst, I find this kind of sexist. Diana is a strong and independent woman - she is the daughter of a god! - but totally loses herself over a man? The love story should be handled differently.

Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! - Movie Category: ?

To, be honest, I am really not sure. The script turns Steven Trevor into the main protagonist and Wonder Woman is only the superpowered love-interest. Hm, perhaps you can help me out?

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'Green Lantern' - Script Review

Based on the script by Robert Smigel (June 2006)



Summary:

It's a comedy! - and it's funny, witty! The script doesn't take it or the comics too serious and just plays with the idea of normal dude getting superpowers. But like most comedies it fails to connect emotionally, mostly because of the slacker protagonist.

What's it about:

A slacker gets the power of the Green Ring and uses this to get the women and impress the crowds. But in the end, he has to rise up and defend Earth, just not against the enemy you expected.

Plot Summary:

When Abin Sur crashes on Earth, his Green Lantern Ring chooses Jud Plato to be the worthy successor. Jud, early 30s, is working a crappy job and living in a crappy apartment with his cat. After the realisation of his enormous powers, Jud tries the whole 'Superhero'-thing, with the help of his comic-adept sidekick Seth, but mostly tries to find ways to impress Corinne (like pushing a window washer just to save him subsquently). The Green Lantern Corps finds Jud's attidue lacking and takes him in for training. Kilowog trains the young human to be a real Green Lantern, while the Tsch-Tchkii (an alien ant race) make progress on Earth. But the real villain is revealed to be Sinestro, another Green Lantern, who wants to subdue Earth to his perfect world order. Finally, with the help of the Green Lantern Corps, Jud can defeat Sinestro and stop the Tsch-Tchkii threat.

Project:

"Back in 2006, Warner Bros was considering casting Jack Black as the lead in a “Green Lantern” film, which was planned as a comedy written by Robert Smigel ('SNL'). The idea was eventually scrapped and Ryan Reynolds was brought on for a more serious take. The comedic version would have had Black playing a slovenly, big box furniture store employee named Jud Plato, instead of test pilot Hal Jordan." (Source: mypdfscripts.com) According to Jack Black, the box office failure of Catwoman lead to the cancellation of this project (Source: snakerati.com).

Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! - Movie Category: Comic Superhero

(1) a power the hero is imbued with - Green Ring: Check!

(2) a "Nemesis", an equally powerful bad guy - Sinestro: Check!

(3) a "curse" or Achilles heel - Jud's own laziness and ignorance: Check!

(4) The mascot or sidekick -  the Comic worshipper Seth. Check!

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'Dr. Strange' - Script Review

Based on the script by Alex Cox (1990)

Summary:

The script from 1990 is sometimes camp, mostly fun and a refreshingly different take on the superhero genre. But to be really sucessful the plot of the script is too uneven and the characters too flat. 

What's it about?

Enigmatic Dr. Strange, his old mentor Kardell and his sidekicks Wong & Tanya have three days to find out where the Demon-Overlord Dormammu, with the help of his henchman Mordo, will open the gate to the Dark Dimension and take over the world.

Plot Summary:
The film's plot starts by Mordo paying a visit to the old man Kardell. Mordo says that his boss, Dormammu wants to take over the world and the only thing standing in his way are he, Kardell, and Dr. Strange. After this nice banter, Mordo goes on and tries to kill Kardell, but he can escape.

Through a ritual, Kardell and his former pupil Dr. Strange find out, that they have only three days left until the gate will be opened. To gather more information Dr. Strange goes on a astral journey, leaving his body vulnerable behind. His astral body spies on Mordo, but is discovered and involved in a heavy fight over the roofs of the city. Tanya sees this fight and pays a visit to Dr. Strange the next morning. She tells him about her prophetic dreams, which involves Kardell being killed. Instantly Dr. Strange tries to save his old mentor, but fails. To escape Mordo and his henchman Dr. Strange and Tanya go on the run, followed by the enemy. Dr. Strange can fight them of, but Tanya can't take it anymore and wants out. She stays at a motel, while Dr. Strange takes an astral journey to find out more about Mordo's goals. This is exactly what Mordo waited for and he kidnaps Tanya and Dr. Strange's body, which he beats up pretty bad.
The three days are over now and the portal starts to open over the Easter Islands. In a final move to stop the upcoming apocalypse, Dr. Strange summons every former master, including Merlin and Kardell. Together they can stop Dormammu from coming into our world, but he pulls Tanya down with him. Dr. Strange rushes into the closing portal to save her. Inside the Dark Dimension, an indescribable place without space and time. There, Dr. Strange has to fight Mordo to the death for the pleasure of Dormammu. Dr. Strange wins and takes Tanya out of the Dark Dimension. But she is so changed by this experience, that she ascends to a higher step of evolution, but promises to see him "very soon". 

Observations:

- The Logline and script name could evoke the expactation that this script is about Dr. Strange, but Alex Cox chose a different route. Dr. Strange has gained his powers long before the script starts and he doesn't evolve throughout the movie: Dr. Strange is not the main protagonist! Tanya, who discovers her powers and learns to live with them in this film, is the main protagonist. The problem is, she plays not a big role in the script, which makes the dynamics unbalanced.
- The script is the closest I have ever read to comic pulp. People in capes shooting 'energy blasts' from their hands, astral journeys and demons from the Dark Dimension? To be honest this would be a refreshing and interesting take on the superhero genre, after all the self-consious, afflicted and serious superheroes of the last decade. Additionally, the movie has heavy reference to the green movement of 1990s. Don't expect to see that in a new version!
- The project was shelved and revived numerous times. Dozen of production companies and writes took turns on the Marvel property. Dimension, Miramax and Paramount Pictures all held the rights to make a script at one time or another. People associated with the project were: Wes Craven, David S. Goyer and Guillermo del Toro, just to name a few. Now Marvel owns the property and hired 'Conan the Barbarian' scribes Thomas Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer to pen the newest take on Dr. Strange.

Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! - Movie Category: Superhero

(1) a power the hero is imbued with - Omni-potent cosmic powers? Check!

(2) a "Nemesis", an equally powerful bad guy -Evil Demon Overlord from the Dark Dimension? Check!

(3) a "curse" or Achilles heel - Elegantly solved by the use of astral journey, which leave the body of Dr. Strange vulnerable: Check!

(4) The mascot or sidekick -Wong is the comedic sidekick, although he "takes a vacation" in the middle of the script and is replaced with Tanya. Check!


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- Tristan

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