Over the weekend I watched “Jumper”, starring the young Anakin Skywalker and that chap from “Billy Elliott” – sadly not a film about warm woolly garments as the title suggested, but about people who can “jump” from place to place seemingly at will.
An enjoyable piece of nonsense, or was there some deeper references to religious persecution? It was a shame that this aspect of the film wasn’t investigated in some detail, but on the whole (and with brain firmly switched off to the cavernous plot holes) this was ok. Young Skywalker was out-acted to the power of 10 by the Tap-dancing one, whereas Samuel Jackson seemed to have decided that changing his hair colour was all the characterisation he needed to do…and there was no doubt that the ending had been deliberately left open for “Jumper 2 – The Cardigan” in a few years time.
Much as I’ve enjoyed watching the Spiderman trilogy, the X-Men trilogy, Shrek trilogy, the Alien Quadrilogy and the various other Sequels and Prequels I do object to Hollywood taking the “money for old rope” route so many times. Every couple of months we see a re-imagining of an old formula or a totally unnecessary re-make and the truth is that this is for very sound financial reasons. Far less people will go to see a new film about some new unknown character uncovering ancient relics as opposed to yet another Indiana Jones film, regardless of how daft the central premise (come on – can anyone explain the ending of part four?)
The market then seems open to cross-over films; we’ve already had Alien vs Predator in two of the kind of films that make you understand why people used to rip up cinemas, there’s talk of Wolverine spin-offs and Superhero combo films – but I’d like to briefly suggest the idea of cross-genre movies with concepts a little more off the wall.
Instead of crossing the Hulk fighting Spiderman or making yet another re-imagining of the Star Trek universe (please leave it alone – whilst it retains the tiniest shred of decency – whoops too late: Enterprise!) why not try combining the classics with something a little more up to date:
Sense And Sensibility meets Rambo – don’t push me Mr Darcy!
Romeo Versus The Terminator – prithee, I shall return!
Dirty Dancing meets Silence Of The Lambs – No one puts baby in a Korma!
OK, I apologise for the last one, but you get my point. It’s been said that there are only six or seven story lines from which all stories begin, along such lines as overcoming some monster, the quest, journey and return and so forth…but even so it should be possible for some more original ideas to come forward…even if they are not such a safe bet.
10 comments:
We are habitual suckers, that's for sure. The well never runs dry . . .
Such a great post. And o, the irony. I rented "Jumper" last week for us to view over the weekend. But I forgot about the Olympics being on TV and the time slipped away from us. We returned the video unwatched (by us) Sun. evening. I do want to see it. I do think your Cardigan idea is truly clever!
tsdaddy - i agree: the reason that these films keep on making the money is because we keep on falling for it.
Lydia - the olympics is good fun, but i suspect the UK will only do reasonably ok. Jumper is fun, but don't go expecting Kierkegard.
How about Star Wars meets Godfather? - "One day, I will ask you to return the favor, but for now, may the Force be with you."
300 meets The English Patient?
The Transporter meets Atonement?
I like Star Wars meets The Godfather - Luke would wake up to find a decaptiated R2-D2 in his bed!
no, no - the last one was the best!! I LOVED the idea of it.
On my holidays, I treated myself to all my favorite films. My friends were baffled by my mix of Buffy, followed by BBC's Sense and Sensibility, -- the next night being La Femme Nikita and then Dirty Dancing.
But to mix them all - now there's an idea!
I rented 300 this weekend, we'll have to see how we can incorporate it into English Patient. (and why did i rent it? because I wanted to see that actor who was in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - which I saw this weekend, and my teenage cousins said - 'he acts in 300 you should see that too')
ah - i love diversity.
I'm not much in to going to a theater to see a movie. The last 2 movies I saw in a theater were Titanic and Hard Rain. That was how many years ago?
Lisa
Romeo vs. the Terminator isn't too absurd...Romeo would end up just as dead as he did with Juliet.
One question: just how hard is it to out-act young skywalker?
Honour - Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants??? What a wonderful title
Lisa - cinemas can be a pain. I saw Hancock recently in the cinema and there were some kids that just wouldn't shut up, but then a comedy is always ten times funnier with an audience
yogaforcynics - i suspect that it may be easier than we think to out act Young Skywalker. Sadly though i was unable to find any planks of wood willing to comment!
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