Why Modern Movies Suck - The Curse Of Multiverses

Let's not forget the best line ever written in cinematic history: "Somehow Palpatine returned..."

The whole concept of a “multiverse” got played out way sooner than anyone expected, I feel

The three worst ways to end a movie just got a new worst way. They are: 1- Time travel; 2- It was all a dream; 3- They're actually aliens; And entering at number 4- Multiverse!

One of my favourite writing YouTubers always phrases stories like this: “It’s not about what happens, it’s about why it matters.” Amping up the scale to multiversal size doesn’t matter if it doesn’t matter to characters we’ve grown attached to.

This video series should be mandatory viewing for everyone working in the entertainment industry.

This is the problem I have with The Flash series. Started watching it a couple months ago. Everyone always comes back, there's no stakes.

Only thing missing is Lucius discovering the multiverse and reviving Maximus in Gladiator 2.

I think the “cannon event” idea from the spider verse films is a great workaround for having infinite realities while still having stakes. The idea that some events are unchangeable reintroduces tension, even if it’s a kind of retcon of the idea of multiverses itself, solving a problem that shouldn’t have existed in the first place

Been watching some 90s block busters recently and it was so refreshing to just watch a movie that actually ends.. no post credit scene or sequel set up...

I always liked the Lovecraftian idea of "Yes there's other dimensions and realities. You want absolutely nothing to do with them, there are very bad things out there and you'll go mad trying to comprehend it all"

I think you nailed it with the metaphor of a video game you can simply restart from the last save point. These "writers" are the generation that grew up playing restartable games (as opposed to games that cost you quarter after quarter just to beat one level, or board games that you could lose and be eliminated while others played on). Stakes are important for compelling storytelling.

There was a time not long ago when writers were doing the shock and awe by killing off everyone's favorite characters regardless how it would impact the viewers or story line. It was like a Joe versus the volcano scenario of "We'll jump and we'll see". Walking Dead and Game of Thrones and others were doing this to the point where you just tuned in to see what favorite character they killed off in this weeks episode. So now we have the Multiverse or what I call the pet cemetery effect. And we all know how that turned out. What you bury is not what you get back.

I really hate it how pretty much every film we get today is setting up a shared universe or multiverse franchise. I miss the days of originality and excitement for movies.

The Agent Smith explanation of "Antagonist Dilution" was great.Excellent point made.

This is such a rampant, reoccurring problem in so many franchises right now. On-point topic.

That sort of analysis is exactly why you have almost 2 million subscribers - because you honestly deserve a listen. Being a Scot and hilarious likely help, but dang man - you are truly great to listen to. It is almost like taking a Masters Class in Storytelling to listen to your reviews

One reason I still love the original Karate Kid is because of the stakes involved. The world wasn't going to come to an end; it was just a simple regional karate tournament with an enormously tacky trophy. But the audience cares about the ending more than anything because they know that the real battle is taking place within Daniel himself, and that's what they're pulling for.

It really says something when studios take a concept with limitless potential and somehow manage to make it the most bland and uninspired thing ever.

Thanks for the Red Dwarf reference and comparison. That episode was a(nother) example of the great writing on that series. The whole idea explained and explored in one tightly written episode. Thanks for the great explanation. Cheers. P.S. Stoke me a clipper, I’ll be back for Christmas!

I’m willing to interject, at least a little, about “the characters don’t matter because we can just get them from another universe”. I feel like it’s done right when there is still weight to the initial death. The only example I can recall is the Injustice 2 video game. There’s a specific intro between Black Canary and Green Lantern that goes as follows: BC: Go to hell, Jordan GL: Still angry with me? BC: Is my Ollie still dead? In my eyes, it drives the implication that those close to the one lost are suffering an inner conflict due to the fact that the lost ones were “replaced”, but are still dead. I’ve never seen Hollywood think, or even attempt to make us think, to apply it in such a way, and they probably won’t anyway.