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In the realm of sci-fi movies, the primary goal is to immerse audiences in intricate and unfamiliar worlds, offering narratives that challenge the mind and evoke astonishment. However, the intricacy of crafting main storylines can sometimes lead to the unintentional neglect of minor plots. This can result in perplexing and superfluous subplots that contribute little to the overall impact of the film. Whether it’s characters making perplexing choices or convoluted world-building, these side narratives, despite good intentions, often serve to leave viewers bewildered and dissatisfied.
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10 Sci-Fi Movie Side Plots That Made Absolutely No Sense
Peter Parker’s Parents – The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
The Spider-Man movies featuring Andrew Garfield had several issues, and one major flaw was the subplot involving Peter Parker’s parents. In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the film opens with the death of Peter’s parents, who were involved in research on crossed-species genetics. This research led to the creation of the genetically modified spiders that later bit Peter and caused Dr. Connors to transform into the Lizard. Richard, Peter’s father, is assassinated when trying to delete this research, and it’s revealed that the spiders were made with Richard’s blood, explaining why Peter had no negative side effects from the bites.
While the reboot aimed to bring a fresh perspective after Sam Raimi’s trilogy, the subplot of Peter’s parents felt unnecessary. Although it ties into the conflict between Peter and Harry Osborn, this conflict could have been developed without delving into Peter’s family background. The time spent on the parents’ subplot in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 did not deliver the payoff seen in the first film and seemed to detract from the reasons fans love Spider-Man. Stan Lee’s idea that anyone could be under the Spider-Man mask is undermined, as Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker is portrayed as inheriting the role due to his father, contradicting the essence of Spider-Man’s character. If this subplot was genuinely important, it could have been better suited for a later sequel, rather than being crammed into an already complex storyline.
The Love Triangle – The Hunger Games (2012)
In numerous Hollywood adaptations, romantic storylines are often exaggerated to maintain fan interest, a strategy that worked well in franchises like Twilight but proved less fitting for The Hunger Games. While the books depict Katniss developing feelings for Peeta and some sparks with Gale, the movies prominently feature a love triangle that wasn’t as emphasized in the source material. Even in the initial film, the love triangle is established early on, despite minimal screen time between Katniss and Gale. The portrayal of Gale watching Katniss and Peeta’s showmance with a mix of betrayal and jealousy is a cinematic addition not as pronounced in the original book, which focused more on survival. The film even omits the character Madge to prioritize the love triangle subplot. Additionally, the marketing of the film incorporated the actors’ real-life relationships to garner more attention, detracting from the critical subplots and underlying themes of one of the most significant YA dystopian stories, The Hunger Games.
Stryker Kidnaps the X-Men – X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
X-Men: Apocalypse faced the challenge of introducing numerous new characters while the audience was still adjusting to the existing ones. Amidst the various subplots, the film took a questionable turn when the characters were abducted by Stryker after an explosion at the X-Mansion caused by Alex. Stryker then inexplicably appeared, taking Moira, Hank, Raven, and Peter for questioning. In a seemingly pandering move, the movie convoluted the timeline by having Jean, Scott, and Kurt release Wolverine to save the day.
While it’s generally enjoyable to see Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, in this instance, the scene aimed to explain Wolverine’s hazy memory after escaping Stryker’s lab. However, with the film already packed with various plotlines, this detail may have been overlooked by the audience. The detour, supposedly to buy time for the antagonist En Sabah Nuh to cause chaos, did not significantly contribute to the plot. Instead, the Stryker subplot felt like a nod to the older X-Men movies without adding substantial value to the overall narrative.
Dillon Lying to Dutch – Predator (1987)
In the opening of Predator, Vietnam veteran Dutch leads a rescue team on a mission supposedly to save a foreign cabinet minister. However, it’s later revealed that the mission is a set-up to eliminate a rebel group in a South American country supported by the U.S. CIA officer Dillon, who deceived Dutch about the true nature of the mission, was aware of the deception. Despite a confrontation, they proceed with the mission and encounter the Predator. The subplot, criticized as unnecessary, is seen as adding little to the film, as the revelation could have been omitted, and the story could have focused solely on a rescue mission encountering the Predator. The surprise element adds minimal value amid the overshadowing action sequences.
The Mitchell Family Drama – Jurassic World (2015)
In the Jurassic Park franchise, family drama is a recurring theme, but the portrayal of the impending divorce between Zach and Gray’s parents in Jurassic World seemed out of place. Despite the clear indication of family issues, especially with Gray’s emotional reaction to his parents’ divorce plans, this plot point is never addressed further. The brief moment of Zach realizing the importance of being there for his brother is quickly overshadowed by their usual teasing dynamic. This departure from the deeper exploration of family dynamics seen in Spielberg’s Jurassic Park films makes the emotional moments in Jurassic World feel like distractions rather than meaningful contributions to the storyline. While Spielberg used themes of divorce and parenting to underscore the destructive nature of humans, Jurassic World falls short in conveying these emotional aspects, leaving the audience with unresolved and seemingly pointless moments amidst the action and dinosaur spectacle.
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Spock and Uhura’s Romance – Star Trek (2009)
When J.J. Abrams rebooted the Star Trek franchise in 2009, it was evident that the approach would differ from the familiar. While attempting to maintain the essence of certain characters, such as Spock’s emotional restraint, creative choices introduced a perplexing romance with Uhura. Despite the initial portrayal of Spock’s inner conflict, the direction of their relationship, especially the post-Vulcan destruction kiss, seems to contradict fundamental aspects of the characters. Initially, the scene highlights Spock’s struggle between Vulcan stoicism and human emotions, but it ultimately leads to him reverting to emotional suppression. This decision creates issues in their relationship, rendering the romance seemingly gratuitous and imposed by the production company, rather than integral to the film’s narrative. In essence, the story could have unfolded similarly without this romantic subplot.
Mechagodzilla – Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
Godzilla vs. Kong was anticipated as a pivotal moment for the MonsterVerse, shifting focus from human-centric stories to an epic clash between the Titans. However, the film diverted into a seemingly unrelated subplot involving Madison, Bernie, and Josh investigating Godzilla’s behavior and stumbling upon Mechagodzilla. Many found Mechagodzilla’s introduction underwhelming, with the resolution involving Josh’s antics feeling out of place. The inclusion of Mechagodzilla seemed like a ploy to give more screen time to Madison, played by Millie Bobby Brown, rather than delivering the anticipated Titan showdown. This choice failed to address the MonsterVerse’s previous shortcomings, maintaining a disproportionate emphasis on human characters instead of letting the Titans take center stage.
The “Romeo and Juliet” Law – Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
In Transformers: Age of Extinction, a disturbing subplot involves the main character, Cade Yeager, discovering that his 17-year-old daughter, Tessa, is in a secret relationship with 20-year-old Shane. When Cade learns about this, he threatens Shane with statutory rape charges. Shane then bizarrely produces the Texas “Romeo and Juliet” law to justify their relationship. The inclusion of this subplot is criticized for its inappropriate nature, especially as actress Nicola Peltz, who plays Tessa, was older than her character during filming. The unnecessary age-gap element adds a creepy and unsettling layer to the story, raising questions about its relevance to the main plot.
Finn’s Force sensitivity – Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
From the early promotions of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, there were hints suggesting Finn’s potential Force sensitivity, notably with scenes featuring him wielding a lightsaber. However, this aspect wasn’t the central theme of the film, and clues about his Force sensitivity were subtly integrated into his character development across the sequel trilogy. Examples include overcoming Stormtrooper conditioning, being sensed by Kylo Ren, and his adept use of a lightsaber.
Despite these hints, the films didn’t delve deeply into Finn’s Force sensitivity, opting to focus more on his journey from Stormtrooper to hero. The connection between Finn and Rey, a characteristic often associated with Force-sensitive individuals, was present but not thoroughly explored. J.J. Abrams later revealed that Finn was indeed Force sensitive and that the plan was for him to disclose this to Rey. The revelation, however, came across as a missed opportunity to properly develop this subplot, leaving fans disappointed with the lack of exploration.
Weyland Actually Being Alive – Prometheus (2012)
In Prometheus, the primary narrative revolves around characters Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway embarking on a philosophical quest to understand the origin of humanity and confront their mortality. They discover evidence suggesting that extraterrestrial beings called Engineers are the creators of humanity. Convinced that the Engineers have invited them, Shaw and Holloway lead a crew to their distant planet. However, the Engineers turn out to be hostile, unleashing biological weapons that threaten the crew.
A peculiar subplot involves Peter Weyland, the CEO of Weyland Corp, secretly being alive on the ship. Weyland believes the Engineers can grant him eternal life, but his encounter with an Engineer results in his swift demise. While this subplot introduces complications, it could have been better integrated into the overall narrative. For instance, David, an android with ambiguous motives, could have played a more central role, seeking out the Engineers independently. This approach might have contributed to a more coherent and thematically aligned plot, especially considering David’s character arc in the sequel, Alien: Covenant.
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