Summary
Scattered throughout Hollywood are movies that are just a little disappointing, leading me to believe that they would have been more impactful with a different directormaking some slight changes to the story. In some of these cases, I have a hard time describing exactly what went wrong when it just feels a little bland. The director’s job includes understanding how a multitude of small changes will make a movie better. In the back of my mind is the vague idea that some lackluster movies would have been spectacular if one of thetop Hollywood directors had applied their styleto them.
With somemovie franchises that have gone on for too long,I am astounded that producers keep moving forward with more disappointing sequels instead of taking the time to understand how they mishandled the storyand its major themes in the previous installment. On the other hand, some disappointing original movies have interesting premises and the script just needed some more rewrites before going into production, perhaps with the help of another writer or director. When a director change would have made all the difference, it is usually because themovie wasted a great premise.
8 Movies I Wish Tim Burton Had Directed
Bad movies would have been good and good movies would have been better if they had been directed by Tim Burton and infused with his spooky style.
8Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (2003)
Should Have Been Directed By David Fincher Or Ridley Scott
Several majordirectors passed onTerminator 3after James Cameron turned down the offer to return, including David Fincher, Ang Lee, Ridley Scott, and Steven Spielberg, primarily due to them all being busy with other projects. The job eventually went to the comparatively unknown director Jonathan Mostow;Terminator 3is still his most well-known project. Mostow and the team of writers were given a tricky task with this movie.This was the third time the franchise was going through the motions of a Terminator coming back in time to kill one of the Connors,a scenario that was starting to become redundant.
Terminator 3 takes the easiest narrative option of saying that the future is malleable, undoing the implications of the previous movies.
Terminator 3would have benefited from a director who likely could have spearheaded a more complex frameworkfor the continuation of the time-travel storyline and the question of whether the future can be changed. Fincher directed twisting, clever narratives forSe7enandThe Social Network; Scott’s experience with profoundly simple sci-fi scenarios also would have been valuable.Terminator 3takes the easiest narrative option of saying that the future is malleable, undoing the implications of the previous movies. A director willing to work with the writers to find a more difficult answer would have helped this movie live up to its predecessors.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines sees John Connor living off the grid ten years after averting Judgment Day. The film introduces the T-X, a new robotic assassin, which forces Connor to join forces once again with his former adversary, the Terminator, to combat the looming Skynet threat.
7City Of Ember (2008)
Should Have Been Directed By Alfonso Cuarón
City of Emberis a weird movie where I have an extremely hard time figuring out what about it doesn’t work. The sequence of events makes relative sense, as do the actions of the main characters as they find a way out of their underground city. The premise is rich with potential, andwhile this movie doesn’t find the time to explore the story behind Ember, there may have been plans to do this in a sequel(City of Ember 2was canceled). Additionally, early-career Saoirse Ronan matched with Bill Murray and Toby Jones should have been a hit.
However,City of Emberperhaps failed because it didn’t convey anything profoundthrough the serviceable adventure story. The movie’s only an hour and a half long — there was more time to delve into the world. The studio might have thoughtMonster Housedirector Gil Kenan teamed up withNightmare Before Christmaswriter Caroline Thompson would infuse the story with more spooky aspects. What Alfonso Cuarón did withChildren of MenandHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, imparting a lot more about the setting through symbolism rather than dialogue, might have worked forCity of Ember, making it a compact but still meaningful movie.
6The Wolverine (2013)
Should Have Been Directed By Ang Lee
The Wolverineis just another installment inFox’sX-Menuniversethat puts way too much focus on Wolverine when its better movies showcase other characters. It’s not the worst movie of this franchise, but it does go down some predictable paths and still hinges on the one-sided romance between Logan and Jean.What’s baffling is that James Mangold went on to directLogan,a far superior movie. Mangold also wroteLogan, which functions as a standalone. Therefore, maybe a disconnect between the director and writers and the demands of setting up the nextX-Menmovie are to blame.
As far as a different director who could have improvedThe Wolverine, Lee would have been a strong choice. Lee is, of course, known for the milestone moviesCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,Life of Pi, andBrokeback Mountain, which broke ground in storytelling, visuals, and choreography. His superhero experience is directingHulk, an overall average movie. However,The Wolverinecould have been Lee’s chance to improve upon his previous superhero workand further develop the finished product.The Wolverineis a one-off adventure, demanding that the standalone story be thematically important on its own, but it is too dependent upon clichés.
The Wolverine
The Wolverine: This film follows Logan, portrayed by Hugh Jackman, as he undertakes a transformative journey in Japan. Confronted by his most formidable adversaries, Wolverine is pushed to his physical, emotional, and mortal limits while navigating challenges that alter his life and identity forever.
5The Purge (2013)
Should Have Been Directed By Bong Joon-ho
The Purgefavors action and gore over substantial social discourse; each of the sequels touches upon the wealth gap in some way, but none fully commit to it. The first movie stays with the perspective of an upper-class family all the way through, not spending too much time on the other characters. There isn’t much reflection on the fact that the unfortunate chain of events that befell this family is the reality for much of the population every year. However,The Purgeis a concept with the potential to be a deep horror movieif it fine-tuned its execution.
Bong Joon-ho is a master at creating semi-realistic scenarios that viscerally depict class divides with undertones of horror. The Oscar-winning director’sParasite, likeThe Purge, shows characters who are not action heroes embroiled in a conflict that begins as opportunism but turns bloody.On the other hand, his gritty dystopia thrillerSnowpiercerillustrates how a system tells itself it is dependent upon the wealth gap. I do not doubt that Bong could have added dialogue or characters toThe Purgethat would have given the movie a stronger purpose, rather than just being the start of a weird horror franchise.
The Purge
The film that began the franchise of the same name, The Purge is a dystopian horror-thriller that takes place over the span of one harrowing night. In an alternate future, a law has been passed to make all crimes legal for one night per year. The Purge follows a wealthy family (Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Adelaide Kane) when they are beset by a gang of criminals with violent intentions. With no police to keep them safe, the Sandin family must fight to protect themselves from the criminal element that threatens their lives.
4Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)
Should Have Been Directed By Rian Johnson
Ineffective arcs for the legacy characters and repetitive plots are among the problems with the sequel trilogy. However, the overall spirit of the franchise endures and even thrives with these things. The biggest issue that can’t be ignored is the conflicting visions of different directors. What aggravates me is that eachcreator who got a turn withStar Warswas more committed to their specific idea for the story than delivering a satisfying continuationof the beloved franchise to the fans. Ultimately, J.J. Abrams should have directed all three movies, or Rian Johnson should have directed the last installment.
I personally am an advocate forStar Wars: The Last Jedi, so I would vote for the director who would complete the story this movie sets up to happen. However,Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalkercould have also been picked up by another experienced action director who focused on delivering a serviceable conclusionwithout throwing in a bunch of crazy plot twists.Rise of Skywalkerhas some good character moments and interesting action, while its biggest weaknesses are Rey’s parentage retcon, the Palpatine twist, and underusing Finn’s character. Without these things, it might have been a fun, action-packed conclusion.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker concludes the Skywalker saga with Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron leading the Resistance against the First Order. As the final battle unfolds, they draw upon the wisdom and strength of previous generations to confront their adversaries. Released in 2019, the film concludes the sequel trilogy.
10 Movie Franchises That Wasted Their Best Endings
While some movie franchises come to a perfect climax, others should have ended sooner but opted to continue, tarnishing their legacy forever.
3Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)
Should Have Been Directed By Emerald Fennell
Gunpowder Milkshakehad so much potential — the cast is fantastic, the aesthetics are interesting, and the action is absolutely wild. However, the movie fails to fully explore what it sets up to be the main themes, has some glaring plot holes, and underuses the supporting characters. The last is particularly frustrating when the trio of"librarians"are played by Angela Bassett, Michelle Yeoh, and Carla Gugino. This movie wants to be a well-crafted feminist action adventure, and while some of the smaller narrative elements build towards this, the most important instances of dialogue fall short.
Emerald Fennell in particular has also worked with some more colorful aesthetics in juxtaposition with grim storylines.
Gunpowder Milkshakewould have benefited from a director with more experience blending action with profound themes. Emerald Fennell in particular has also worked with some more colorful aesthetics in juxtaposition with grim storylines. The recent addition ofSaltburnto her repertoire only proves that she makes the best of every scene, fitting them together in the bizarre puzzle of an overall story.Fennell’s career suggests that she has a better understanding of whatGunpowder Milkshakewas supposed to be about,while the people who did end up working on it had minimal experience and produced a generic action movie.
Gunpowder Milkshake
Gunpowder Milkshake is an action film that sees Karen Gillan as a woman following in her mother’s footsteps as an assassin. Abandoned at twelve years old, Sam has grown into a skilled assassin. However, after a job goes sideways after learning the truth about it, Sam decides to take up the vigilante route to save a kidnapped girl, resulting in an unexpected team-up with her estranged mother.
2Don’t Worry Darling (2022)
Should Have Been Directed By Sofia Coppola Or Greta Gerwig
Don’t Worry Darlingis Olivia Wilde’s project and I don’t want to undermine that — I believe that a lot of the movie’s sharpness is due to her. However, a more experienced co-director might have helped the movie stick the landing. The script needed a little more finessing before it found a way for its major themes to come through. The two biggest directors who come to mind, having worked on fantastical movies concerning the best and worst of womanhood, are Sofia Coppola and Greta Gerwig. Just some more experience with these subgenres would have transformed Wilde’s foundational ideas.
Don’t Worry Darlingwith more ofBarbie’s sophisticated writing orThe Virgin Suicides’disturbing segments would have been much more powerful. The movie as it is has excellent horror elements, but the scenario is so unrealistic that there is no way to connect it to reality. However,I still believe thatDon’t Worry Darlingcould have been an even more harrowing movie with some minor script adjustments,possibly connecting it to real technological advancement. Admittedly, Wilde did very well with her feature-length directorial debut ofBooksmartand had reason to be confident in her ability to make this movie.
Don’t Worry Darling
In Don’t Worry Darling, a young married couple are lucky enough to live in Victory, an experimental town created to house the workers and families of the top-secret Victory Project. Life is perfect, with every resident’s needs met by the company. All they ask in return is an unquestioning commitment to the Victory cause. But soon, cracks in their idyllic life appear, exposing flashes of something much more sinister lurking beneath the attractive façade.
10 Movies With Serious Wasted Potential That Should Be Remade
Many movies had the potential to be amazing but fell short of their target. Remakes of these movies would allow a chance to regain any lost potential.
1The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Should Have Been Directed By Guillermo del Toro
Along with a lot of other people,I’ve said many times before thatThe Hobbitshould have been directed by Guillermo del Toro and made into two movies,as was the original plan.The Hobbitas it was adapted was supposed to be anotherLord of the Ringstrilogy, trying to match the previous movies in terms of spectacle and narrative scale. However,The Hobbitis a relatively short story that isn’t meant to support this format, leading to the finished product being very bloated. Additionally, it is just a generic medievalist fantasy action franchise featuring nothing original.
That is to say,The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journeyis really lacking character.Del Toro’s aptitude for horror and subversive fairy tales would have served the story well, granting it an aesthetic that complimentedLord of the Ringsbut still madeThe Hobbitfresh. Sequences such as the Dwarves arriving at Bag End and Bilbo’s guessing game with Gollum have a fable-like quality that would have been elevated by del Toro’s approach to storytelling. In this case, I know I am not alone in thinking this movie would have been saved by a director change.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
As Bilbo Baggins celebrates his 111th birthday, he recounts the extraordinary journey that changed his life. Guided by the enigmatic wizard Gandalf, Bilbo joins a band of Dwarves on a perilous quest to reclaim their homeland from the fearsome dragon, Smaug. Along the way, they face treacherous foes, unearth long-buried secrets, and discover unexpected courage within themselves. With danger lurking at every turn, Bilbo’s adventure unfolds in a tale of friendship, sacrifice, and the enduring power of hope.
