A final movie rant: Don't strangle it

[scottwoods]

Here is a trend in movies that I hate I feel like talking about to cap off the weekend: I hate when movies strangle themselves.

"Strangling" is when a movie introduces elements that it forcibly resolves to its detriment.  Example: every thing that was introduced in, oh I don't know, Avatar, had to find its way back into the movie later in some way

Comments

[thesaucemonster]

Having read the source material before watching Watchmen, I know how Rorshach's mask works. Not very important to include in the film, but it's source makes adds another fantastic history and nuance to the character.

[momoyeahmomo]

I was just about to make the same comment!

[scottwoods]

Come on, guys: you know that I know it's explained in the book.
We're talking about taking movies at face value here.

[johnnylexicon]

Dark City? Really? Because when you introduced me to the concept of "strangling" early in this post, Dark City was the first example I could think of. Maybe they don't explain everything until the last act, but boy, do they ever overexplain it when they need to underexplain it.

I suppose, when done well, "strangling" is just a form of "Chekhov's gun." I think the key is that if you're going to use all the parts of the buffalo, don't introduce that many parts. It's elegant when it's thought-out and simple. But yeah, it turns into nonsense pretty easily. That whole "the crucifix pendant from Act 1 stops a bullet in Act 5, which has significance" stuff is insufferable.

[theryk]

"- How Rorshach's mask works in Watchmen "

In the book this is explained.

[scottwoods]

Come on, guys: you know that I know it's explained in the book.
We're talking about taking movies at face value here.

[theryk]

Heh heh... "face" value.

[irishcoyote]

Dude, you should sue Cameron for the distress that caused you to spew several hundred words that should have gone to haikus.

[scottwoods]

LOL. SO right.

[wonderdave]

I know it's not a Movie but it's something I feel did exactly what you're talking about. When Marvel comics decided to give a back story of Wolverine's existence and childhood totally unnecessary.