Dialogue Dive: Aquaman- The Best Worst Fantasy Movie

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Come check out why Aquaman was such a poorly written movie and what you can learn from it!

[@savagebooks7482]

Hey guys! I just wanted to let you all know this video did not at all come out like I hoped for. I needed to chop up a the main scenes because DC and KZbin were blocking the video from being seen at all. I can't even gain any revenue from this video because of a claim on a 12 second clip, but what are you gunna do? Anyway, I am satisfied with the finished product, but I wanted to ensure everyone that I will continue to strive to put out higher quality content with every post. Thank you all so much for watching and, again, my apologies for the video!

[@HxH2011DRA]

Np dog, we just gotta abolish the mess that is the trademark cartel copyright system

[@xell6834]

I continued to say to myself when i first saw it that Aquaman should have split the situation between the development of Aquman king of Atlantis and Black Manta's revenge into two movies so they could work with one and develop it.

[@Jesusprayerwarriorbw]

I've what did with the line " It's like how An New Zealander & Australian have in common ", cuz Dudes from NZ & she an Aussie. U go dude

[@justanothervoice2538]

@@xell6834 I wouldn’t change a thing because Manta was the only aspect of the story that gave me any investment in anything I was watching. I could have fallen asleep for how hollow, emotionless and predictable everything was, but I was thoroughly invested in Black Manta. Easily the best villain of a DC movie at the time since General Zod.

[@sling4425]

"Puts the B in subtle" is the best expression/joke I've heard in a while.

[@justanothervoice2538]

Just about to say the exact same thing

[@littlelordfuckleroy3822]

I think the movie that does the "exposition dump" pretty well is the intro to Black Panther. It's a cool visual telling of Wakanda's history which becomes even more meaningful when you realize that it's Killmonger's dad telling him the story. It makes sense in universe and serves to educate the audience as well!

[@jacindaellison3363]

Dang! I thought it T'Challa's dad who was telling the story. 🤣

[@ericbright1742]

That is the best way to do an exposition dump: someone teaching it to someone who doesn't know. That's why characters like Dr. Watson and other audience surrogates exist.

[@RedRoseSeptember22]

@@jacindaellison3363 I thought so too lol.

[@Rvc546]

@@ericbright1742 and also it's backed up with flashback providing context.

[@majeedmamah7457]

Another fantastic exposition dump is in winter soldier when Zola is explaining everything but were left feeling tense because we know something is about to happen to Cap and Nat

[@Skye_Writer]

"Jason Momoa's weapons-grade charisma" needs to be a trending phrase, because that is a perfect description. Already, I like the way you write. Going to watch the rest of the vid now.

[@ericbright1742]

To be fair, I have gone to the store to buy some milk, and gotten in a conversation with my friend about who was the first one to actually try that with a cow. Another time, I've gotten into a discussion about the merits of getting raw milk fresh from the farm, unpasteurized, unhomogenized. Then again, I regularly get into long-winded, tangential conversations with friends that would make a Wiki-Walk look tame in comparison.

[@Pro_Butcher_Amateur_Human]

I had a 40 minute discussion with a colleague just yesterday about the first people fo eat fish roe, milk a cow, and leave a ham for 6 months to make proscuttio. This is common for me. I think it's because most people's minds are like a filing cabinet, and mine is like an unsorted sock drawer. I never know quite what I'm gonna pull out when I reach in and grab a topic of conversation.

[@ericbright1742]

@@Pro_Butcher_Amateur_Human Any food recipe that involves the phrase "leave for six months" probably involved something along these lines being spoken: "Whoops! Hmm... this still looks good, I wonder if..."

[@Ignasimp]

It was a conversation that tried to answer a question you genuinely had. But I guess you didn't start with: cows are mammals that eat grass and have 4 stomachs and make milk for their calf. The exposition in the film was bad because they weren't adding shit to the other person's knowledge on the issue. He already knew. It's not like he asked a genuine question and both discussed it to try to get to an answer.

[@dig8634]

Milk is easy to explain. You know your mother produced milk when you were a baby, you can see cows feed their young, you lack food one day, and boom, milk. Not that difficult an explanation. Not some weird psyho going around sucking on animal tits for fun XD A lot of other foods are harder to explain, but I assume it mostly comes down to "I am hungry and willing to try anything to survive" more than people just putting weird shit in their mouths. Or the occasional accident of course. Accidentally leave food out in the cold one winter, find out it doesn't rot as quickly, boom freezers. On the raw milk fresh from the farm bit, our middle school actually used to have a week per class every year where the kids spent their days on a local farm doing manual labour and learning about both historical farming and dietary health, but they had to stop doing that because the farm got in trouble over not pasteurizing (I think, different language and I didn't really pay attention XD) the milk with the health department. Farm owners argued that it didn't matter since it was only consumed locally and on a short time scale, but since the farm was officially working with the school and feeding children, not just for private consumption, it didn't matter, they had to follow official guidlines and safety standards.

[@alexforce9]

There is a diffrence between a dialog (Think Tarantino) and a infodump. I realy hope your long convos about random stuff are not like two characters who have the same info and just repeat it to one another lol.

[@c_weir753]

When I first watched the movie I thought this. It is an awful movie but also so good because of its goofiness. Also the effects were great

[@JustinoElArtista]

So many surprise explosions to the face, though....

[@katherinealvarez9216]

Yeah, I just really enjoyed watching it and having fun.

[@yeahmhmmrightokaymhmmyeahsure]

Naw it was just bad imo

[@an8strengthkobold360]

This.

[@armstrongjosh]

I feel like the only person who genuinely dislikes Aquaman. The titular character is well cast, and the movie looks nice. But I don't see how people can mock Batman Forever one minute and praise Aquaman the next - they're on the same level of camp, imho.

[@hollandscottthomas]

oh gods, the de-aging effects are awful

[@BioGoji-zm5ph]

As a counterpoint to this, and a rather weak counterpoint I must admit, there is a brief sequence where Atlanna gives exposition by way of telling Arthur the various legends of Atlantis as bedtime stories, allowing her to give information that will be necessary and important later on in a way that seems very organic as well. It's very brief, but it's there.

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

How is that weak? It's a valid point to bring up on the movie's writing

[@Duiker36]

I think it's important to understand that just because one scene is bad doesn't make a movie bad, and just because one scene is good doesn't make a movie good. Don't feel obliged to defend a fairly mediocre movie like Aquaman, but also it's a great thing to point out where stuff is done well: by contrasting poor writing with good writing, it makes it easier to see what's missing in the poor writing and other people can do better.

[@ImusakHctividar]

Exposition can always be tricky, especially since it's so often demonized in writing. I have two rules I try to stick to that I think help: 1) Respect your audience's intelligence. 2) Keep everything on a need-to-know basis. Specifically, if the information isn't important or relevant at the time, it's probably not a good time to include it then. Lore can sometimes be a set-up for things later, though. It's all in the approach.

[@chowrites6179]

Something I enjoy doing as a writer is studying editors and their craft because if you can learn to properly cut out the mistakes an editor would have fix then you can write a better story more easily. It's kind of like baseball, you can't just only practice your swing, you have to get out and play catcher too if you wanna be a good baseball player.

[@jacindaellison3363]

I like your strategy. 👍

[@OwlEye2010]

Not gonna lie, I came into this expecting something harsher that would ruin my enjoyment this movie, but thankfully it wasn't. :) Aquaman's such a fun movie! My Dad and I saw an early screening of it a week before it came out and we had a blast!

[@G360LIVE]

Please don't allow anyone's criticism to ruin your enjoyment of something. It's possible to enjoy a movie while recognizing how bad it is. For example, one of my favorite movies to watch is Resident Evil, and that's a horrible film. I can recognize how bad it is, and what's bad about it and why, but I still enjoy it. Same with Ghostbusters 2016. Yeah, the comedy is poorly executed, but I still laugh sometimes, and I enjoy watching the movie. Finally, as much as I criticize the Disney Star Wars movies and television shows, I don't ever want anyone to stop enjoying Disney Star Wars based on my criticisms. The point of critique isn't to make someone not like something anymore; it's simply to study the thing as objectively as possible and learn from it, good or bad.

[@alberttaco3668]

@@G360LIVE How can you prove that an organic dialogue is superior to an exposition dump? Good or Bad, is always subjective (Nietsche has a very good text about that). All you can state objectively is that "this is an exposition dump", and that "is an organic dialogue". Saying that one is better than the other is purely subjective. I love exposition dump actually, I found them very enjoyable, and they don't hurt my aquaman judgement in the slightest. That does not make Exposition Dump bad, that does not make them great. They just are (I can spot them easily, as exposed in the video). And if you find them objectively bad for whatever dogma you preach, I will just say "An open mind is like a fortress with its gates unbound and unguarded".

[@G360LIVE]

@@alberttaco3668 "Good or Bad, is always subjective." At some point we have to realize that something is good or something is bad. Arguing subjectivity in good or bad is simply trying to rationalize the bad. If you're humble enough to admit when something is bad, whether you find personal enjoyment in it or not, then you don't have to rationalize it, and you become closer to objectivity. If you come from a bias of, "I love exposition dump," then of course your starting point is your bias, and you're going to defend exposition dump no matter what anyone says. Your mind is already closed. The one preaching the dogma is you.

[@alberttaco3668]

@@G360LIVE At some point you have to stop talking bullshit. If you want to talk about objectivity? Ok. In Japan, good is when the chef cut everything for you so you just have to eat. In In France, the chef can give you a piece of meat that you have to cut with your knife before eating it. Who is objectively wrong? In France, the sauce is use to connect all the items of recipe, while in asia, only kids not educated enough use sauce to connect all the items of the recipe. Asian people (China, Thailand, Vietnam to name a few) look for high contrast between white rice (insipid) and very spicy food, while french chefs look for "harmony". Who is objectively wrong? No one. Because those are different practices tied to different cultures, tied to different systems of values. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_(ethics)#Value_system If you think there is only one way to write a "good" dialogue, watch more movies, and not hollywood only. Last but not least: art is subjective by definition, it only exists through the eyes of the audience, unlike, let's say "the Sun" which exists by itself. Hollywood is a freakin industry that tries to format your perception of their product (and it seems to work). As I said, go read some philosophers. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_(ethics) "Values can be defined as broad preferences concerning appropriate courses of actions or outcomes. As such, values reflect a person's sense of right and wrong or what "ought" to be. "Equal rights for all", "Excellence deserves admiration", and "People should be treated with respect and dignity" are representatives of values. Values tend to influence attitudes and behavior and these types include ethical/moral values, doctrinal/ideological (religious, political) values, social values, and aesthetic values. It is debated whether some values that are not clearly physiologically determined, such as altruism, are intrinsic, and whether some, such as acquisitiveness, should be classified as vices or virtues."

[@alberttaco3668]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesthetics Aesthetics, or esthetics (/ɛsˈθɛtɪks, iːs-, æs-/) is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste, as well as the philosophy of art (itself a subdivision of philosophy and branch of aesthetics). It examines subjective and sensori-emotional values, or sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste. Aesthetics covers both natural and artificial sources of aesthetic experience and judgment. It considers what happens in our minds when we engage with aesthetic objects or environments, such as viewing visual art, listening to music, reading poetry, or exploring nature. The philosophy of art specifically studies how artists imagine, create, and perform works of art, as well as how people use, enjoy, and criticize their art. It deals with how one feels about art in general, why they like some works of art and not others, and how art can affect our moods or even our beliefs. Both aesthetics generally and philosophy of art especially ask questions like "what is art?", "what is a work of art?", and "what makes good art?". Scholars in the field have defined aesthetics as "critical reflection on art, culture and nature". In modern English, the term "aesthetic" can also refer to a set of principles underlying the works of a particular art movement or theory (one speaks, for example, of a Cubist aesthetic).

[@Giovannix51]

This video drastically helps in identifying the necessary expositional dialogue versus the unnecessary. The External Function helps regulate what should be said, while the Internal Function regulates what shouldn’t be said.

[@lonelychameleon3595]

"The Lost Nation was not yet lost"

[@magnuskno]

I disagree with the conclusion that the dialogue between Orm and Nereus does not serve an internal function. While definitely a bit on the info-dumpy and clunky side, Orm is trying to convince Nereus into supporting his claim on being the Oceam Master. He took a multi-pronged approach, with the knock-out punch being the faked attack via submarine (where a definite plothole appears, since it ain't clear who is piloting it), but also by trying to impress and convince Nereus. Making a grand speech about the glorious past of your culture, emphasizing their past unity and the rising threat from the surface dwelling humans is all a legit part of such an approach. Hence, while Orm is reciting plot-relevant information in a long-winded speech, he isn't doing a bad "as you know..." info-dump. He's using diplomacy and subterfuge to achieve his twin goals of dominion over the underwater races and war against the surface humans. Nereus part of the narration was a bit more clunky, however. One could say that he was using a counterargument to Orm's speech, but that's a bit of a stretch. Also, Rick Flag warning the characters of the Suicide Squad, who are doing the mission against their will, who are violent super-criminals outfitted with head-exploding necklaces and who would want to flee as soon as they were able to, that they don't want to get killed by Katana (who is a government agent who would, theoretically, also kill them if they would attack her or try to flee) makes total sense. I don't get why you think it would not. That was the relationship between Rick Flags faction (him, Katana, the other agents) and the Suicide Squad at that point in the story.

[@spinomitegames9000]

I agree with the summary of Aquaman's scene, but Suicide Squad definitely could have been much better.

[@FiTzYsAsHoWsToPa]

While I don’t disagree with your analysis of Orm’s tactics to achieve his goal I do think that his long-winded speech was mediocre in its execution and essentially pointless in the end. The fact of the matter is that Nereus knew everything Orm was spouting thus could easily infer what Orm was trying to do without him going into such detail, making his attempt at diplomacy and subterfuge unnecessary. The only reasons why it actually worked out was because of the staged submarine attack on their meeting and the fact that Nereus ultimately wanted to stop the surface people too, as was pointed out by his daughter during Orm and Arthur’s first fight. He basically let Orm play his game to gain justification for agreeing with him without looking like a warmongering leader himself. Instead it makes Nereus look reasonable to back Orm’s call for war on the surface after being ‘attacked’ by the surface.

[@AdrianHernandez-mr300]

But that "...Ocean Master." *Dun DUn DUN

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

I think you don't know what makes two peoples different. The Atlanteans and humans only share language and appearance. That's it. They both have different technologies, culture, religion, internal biology, environment, and traditions. Not to mention the fact that Tom is a lighthouse keeper while Atlanta is a queen. They have vastly different lives and expectations. If that doesn't count as two different worlds, idk what does to you.

[@FiTzYsAsHoWsToPa]

While I get what you mean, I think SavageBooks meant literally being from different worlds. Both Atlanteans and Humans are from the same planet, share enough internal biological similarities to successfully procreate together and can viably coexist on Earth’s surface. The other differences you mentioned (traditions, culture, tech, religion, and environment) which set them apart make Atlanteans seem more like people from a different nation as opposed to people from ‘another world’. And it only points out the difference in social classes between Tom and Atlanna specifically when pointing out she’s a queen and he’s a lighthouse keeper. But Atlanteans aren’t actually aliens, like say Superman is, when compared to humanity. They’re more like an evolutionary divergence from a common origin when speaking biologically. They’re different, but not extraterrestrial level different, which is what I thought he meant.

[@tally9542]

Every time I heard "ocean master" *dun dun dun duuun*, I giggle snorted. It's just so corny and weird lol

[@blindmanai6957]

As a prequel fan of Star Wars, I've grown to understand that something doesn't have to be perfect or even outstanding for me to enjoy it. That being said, I can totally see why Phantom Menace gets shat upon, and it deserves it. Still, I love my space wizards, laser swords, and unapologetic hate for sand, and no one is going to take that away from me. Happily ignorant, sending you best wishes (and get well soon).

[@RoamingAdhocrat]

The Star Wars films are great if you treat them like any other war films - i.e. not particularly accurate and dramatised for effect. For instance, they simplify the story by making damn near every character a pilot capable of navigating hyperspace, when at the time this was a specialised profession. They incorrectly depict Jedi using single-seat fighters for long journeys, and only once accurately show them travelling in a small cruiser.

[@albertocarlosjunior]

I love Aquaman movie because it have an Edgar Rice Burroughs' pulp fantasy-esque vibe, if you compare it with a "medieval high fantasy" this will weaken the real root of the movie.

[@emilymoran9152]

I haven't seen this movie, and when you started to play that scene of Atlanna, I was genuinely shocked when she spoke. The first bit was so "Splash" I was sure she was going to have to learn English before she could say anything. But apparently not.

[@cynicaldesire]

I haven't seen Aquaman, but I do want to defend that exposition style a little. The infodumping from Orm could've been his way of displaying intelligence and capability and why he should be Ocean Master. Is speech shows he knows the history and functionality and he understands the machinations. Nereus's dialogue also functions as an acknowledgment but also a reminder that Orm might not be as smart or capable as he thinks he is without directly saying those things.

[@Anhtique]

Have you thought about diving into the dialogue of The Last of Us? I think there's some real good there and I'd love your input

[@pilbowzortox7730]

This is a great help! I'm currently writing a Fallout D&D campaign and, while it's not fantasy, it shares a lot of the type of world building stuff you talk about in this video. This has definitely put me in a better mindset for introducing the different factions and locations, I probably wouldn't have thought too much about making sure all the info was multi purposed without this video. Thank you, and awesome video as always!

[@iusethisnameformygoogleacc1013]

This video is like reading through the intro paragraph of an essay with a very interesting premise which is well-supported and seemingly well-reasoned...then discovering that what you thought was an excellent introduction is actually a failure of an essay because that's the whole thing. At first I thought this was just because you had to mutilate it for copyright purposes, but your own post seems to indicate this really is pretty close to what it was supposed to be, or at least that you didn't leave the other 45 minutes on the cutting room floor.

[@AntKneeLeafEllipse]

I for one want more hour long content! I love hearing your technical "what makes this work" videos, but also your "I edit a flawed blockbuster" videos, in particular.

[@nirast2561]

Great video, mate. About the 'chopped footage' thing, one option is to redirect the viewers to a clip on KZbin. It's not perfect, but it's an alternative. Now, what's the name of the movie with The Rock, the jar of milk and the alien saucer?

[@logan_nowicki]

I'd rather him make an "artist's rendering" of the scene

[@boydmyren3327]

Still love this movie. But that was an interesting analysis

[@Becvar80]

I agree wholeheartedly that a movie can be bad and still be entertaining as hell. Case in point - the entire Expendables franchise. You don't watch The Expendables, any of them, for masterful storytelling. You watch them to see your favorite action actors of the last 30 years blowing shit up.

[@DrEllert]

Copyright Law, such a great help for YT creators! I found this video extremely useful since I'm a fantasy writer myself. With you permission, may I use this as a tool to teach others on info-dumps? Which also means I might need to translate it (closed captions) so people may get it.

[@savagebooks7482]

Go for it!

[@football4life85]

I just found your channel and I’m binging all of them. This is phenomenal insight!! I’m not a writer but I LOVE stories. Book, movies, anything. So thank you for giving a depth to this stuff that I didn’t see at first glance!!

[@jordanayling9841]

SavageBooks mistakingly thinks that his audience would not be overjoyed at seeing an 1+ hour long upload

[@brandonhoward3672]

I love Aquaman. "Big dumb fun" is the best way to describe it.

[@krishacz]

that footage from the Eragon movie gave me horrible ptsd

[@613aristocrat]

Just looking at that Atlanna scene, it seems more of a reaction to extreme stress that she is waking up from, and then the her civilized side comes to the fore once she is calmed. It didn't seem bad to me. Also, part of politics is stating exactly what is happening even though everyone knows. So not too horrible, but I see your point by that exposition.

[@mathewkloepfer664]

The key thing with your second point is that the dialogue should then be focused as a reminder to the characters rather than an introduction.

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

@@mathewkloepfer664 but it WAS a reminder tho. Especially the thing Orm said about Xebel always being by Atlantis' side. He was reminding Nareus on the thing that Atlantis lost, their relations as nations, and also introducing him to his wish to use those previously reminded things to take those things back

[@mathewkloepfer664]

@@thomastakesatollforthedark2231 No doubt! I wasn't trying to take down the argument, but expand upon it.

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

@@mathewkloepfer664 oh. I apologise, deary. I misunderstood. But now, two points are made in it's defence so our position is strengthened.

[@AliceQuinnRose]

I think a good cross-reference might be the scene in the first Thor movie where Owdin tells his two children about the history of their kingdom while walking around the museum. That's a dad who is purposely imparting new information about these boys' possible future as the airs to the throne. Or I guess in the lion king when Mufassa gives Simba that big speech. Maybe a bunch of kids could be being entertained with the legend of the Ocean master. Then the young prince is pulled out of it to attend a privet lesson on statecraft. Develop a bit of good personal history with a mentor character while also giving us a contextualized info dump.

[@DawnSentinel]

I don't understand the dialogue weight argument with Atlanta. She's a monarch, in hostile territory (the surface), she's injured, and she doesn't know who the help Tom is. who would be talking in that scenario? she's been potentially captured by the enemy and she's on the run, the natural thing to do is down up at be hostile/wary, which is exactly what she does, not talking, shying away from him, destroying the tv as a perceived threat.

[@pfeilspitze]

6:24 "Luckily for us, this scene really puts the B in subtle."

[@JustStop19]

Awesome, you now have a patreon! Definitely gonna support you, thanks for all the hints and tips you're given!

[@jeve2963]

Well, the dialogeue of Orm and Nerus actually kind of realistic. Remember that's two kings' negotiation?We all know how the world leaders talk in similar scenerios, just repeating bullshit everyone already knows.

[@Isaacreeper]

15:57 I love how he breaks the sound barrier under water but the moment he breaks the surface he makes a tiny splash and is slowed down a lot.

[@carpetlayenful]

Queen of Atlantis could be described as being apprehensive. In case of Orin's scene there are people that talk in that manner. The purpose is to show they have abundance of knowledge. Which is used bolster themselves and belittle the other

[@rmglover3191]

I was so thoroughly absorbed in your analysis that the time just flew by and I was *annoyed* when it was over; feeling short-changed. excellent execution here, my good man.

[@armstrongjosh]

I know everyone dislikes the Katana line in Suicide Squad, but I still don't see the issue with it. It's a group of villains who already know they're likely to die on this mission. I think Flag is just saying, if you're going to do anything crazy, if you're going to risk death, you don't wanna do it through her.

[@Boy_of_Steel]

Great video and valid points on the first scene but I think you're forgetting a huge part for the second scene. At the time we don't know the context for why Atlanta is there until later overtime throughout the film, that being she was escaping from King Orvis hence why she was on edge after waking up in the lighthouse. Atlantians aren't use too the customs or what's considered normal to humans much like Ariel in the little mermaid thinking a fork is used for combing hair, or any foreigner visiting a different country or culture and not knowing what's considered normal James Wan did this on purpose, its not out of universe at all given what were shown in the film, we even get it with Mera later on in the movie, and she is no barbarian by any means. Also the beginning is a summarized love story of Arthur's parents, claiming that they presented Atlanta as some barbarian is an overstatement. Atlanta didn't say much because it's not necessary because we are shown all that we need to know at the time. At least that's what James Wan decided to do for this scene I agree with his decision and it works for setting the tone of the film. When you wake up In a strangers home on the other side of the world that you hardly know anything about go ahead and try not to stick out or seem barbaric. That's all I have to say.

[@fallenfriend2860]

Recently found your channel. Love your videos, keep it up!

[@RoamingAdhocrat]

aaah I love that you used "Identifying Wood" by R Bruce Headley as the example of a science book! Where's the caption: "Yes, it definitely is", though?

[@AntKneeLeafEllipse]

"Readers and audience should never feel like they're being told about your world. They should feel like they're experiencing alongside your characters." So much useful stuff! You're making me so much better.

[@axie545]

"Really puts the B in 'subtle'" is so good. Also thanks for the new terminology. I think about internal function to the point that I don't always consider plot function, and nothing makes me drop a book harder than noticing that the writer is deliberately turning on an idiot ball to get the characters to talk about something they have no reason to talk about. In movies I know it's harder to get everyone on the same page about "but listen guys, King Fishsticks would never talk about sensitive court information outside the Webbed Chapel," but novelists have total narrative control. I want to shout at them to remember that their characters are people and have individual motivations! So yeah.

[@dogmiagy]

Luv ur reviews sir! Love from Portugal 🇵🇹♥️👏

[@dwatz9862]

I like aquaman because I think it is a good movie .that's the only reason I need.

[@lu-vu3xk]

I wouldn't mind a 1h+ hour video by Savage Books. Bring it on!

[@andrewa9064]

I don't know why people hate on exposition dumps early in films. Like it's just giving us all the information we need so the movie can focus on the actual conflict and story

[@noahh6186]

Most of the time, people hate how it's done, rather than the exposition dump itself. Like, opening with a text crawl is divisive because on the one hand it provides clear, important context but also uses up time that could be spent hooking the viewer, or having a conversation between two (or more) characters can be divisive because it can very plainly come off as forced for the sake of the audience. I think the intro to LotR: Fellowship of the Ring is a really good example. It starts off with a narration and series of flashbacks explaining the context of the world to the viewer, about the creation of the rings, the different races, Sauron, etc. However, the way it does so uses music, visuals, and narration that all come across as mysterious but not vague. We get to see all this stuff happening, we get an explanation for it, but there's an eerie subtext lying just below the surface that leaves the viewer asking questions. It's an exposition dump, but it's being given to us from an external perspective so it doesn't come off as forced while also showing us in-universe information and events that accompany the information. Compare this to The Hobbit's exposition introduction. Not saying it's bad, just that it's less powerful than Fellowship's intro. It starts off with Bilbo narrating his thoughts as he prepares to write a letter to Frodo detailing said thoughts. It leaves some room for mystery, as he prepares to explain "the whole truth", but the first minute or so is essentially Bilbo saying "the story's gonna start any second now, trust me" or "you want answers, right?". There's no room for the viewer to wonder, you're very clearly *meant* to wonder explicitly what he's omitting so it feels a lot more like you're just stalling until the movie really begins. It's not even that the exposition dump is that bad, just that it's framed in a way that feels shallow and forced because the whole buildup is "I promise we're gonna explain stuff if you keep watching" but under nicer wording.

[@bryguy1502]

Loving the content, keep it up!

[@blondefisk]

Love your videos. Great content.... New Zealanders are very different from Australians :p

[@michaelokpalannaka4058]

14:30 There's another problem here. Had Atlanta talked normally to Tom and then established a relationship, it would've been a great and subtle way to establish a theme of comradery and understanding.

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

She did talk normally tho. She didn't say much at first because she was knocked out by the storm and woke up on the surface in some strange room with a dude that gives her a drink that might be poisonous for all she knew. And when she did speak she answered his question in a pretty normal fashion. Not to mention the postceeding scenes

[@JerichoTheCity]

I love this move, it's so fucking stupid that it's awesome. I don't think I've ever had a movie give me that experience before.

[@XOISHTAR]

The first scene shown is so clunky because the better fix would have been if the info was told through question and answer with Aquaman and any of his allies when they were trying to convince him to help. Otherwise we should have gotten a short scene that poses the obstacle in the villain’s way while not flat out saying the needed solution... that could create suspense and mystery by making the audience ask “what are they going to do?” The second scene shown really approached the “two different worlds” from the wrong angle from my perspective... as in many iterations Atlantis is considered a highly advanced society that served as the prototype for all that came after. Atlana should have been speaking in variations of languages that would be older versions of modern languages spoken today and when Tom responds with confusion in English she could have reacted with surprise and aloof detachment that he was using such a coarse iteration of a language. This would highlight the difference between their world’s while setting up that she is not some stereotype of a primitive other (a trope that needed to die the second before it’s inception). Because the movie relied heavily on the basic and outdated tropes for certain aspects it allowed for laziness in the creation and exposition of its world and narrative.

[@microphonejacket]

COME OOOOONN!!! THIS MOVIE IS EXTREMELY BEAUTIFUL THOUGH!!! OH MY GOD, THE SCENE WHERE THEY FIGHT THE TRENCH IS JUST GODLIKE AND MAJESTIC!!!

[@incoref]

Great video, very informative and fun!

[@justanothervoice2538]

The only reasons I enjoyed this movie were Jason Mamoa and Black Manta. A lot of people say Manta felt unnecessarily crammed into an already-full story, but I wouldn’t take him out because he’s the only character I could remotely connect with. The movie would have been nothing but noise that I could have fallen asleep through for lack of any investment in the story because of how hollow it is, except I cared about Manta, I was invested in his revenge story because of how well directed and acted his origin was. Easily my favorite villain of a DC movie since General Zod.

[@AryenneMoon]

Really great info. Thanks! Personally, I would have enjoyed an hourish long episode on this.

[@Houndlock643]

Maybe for a Christmas Special, you could compare the interaction of The Grinch and Cindy Lou in both the new animated movie, and the live action movie...

[@italeteller5144]

"really puts the 'B' in 'subtle'" is my new favorite phrase. I unironically loved Aquaman, but I can see it had a lot of issues and dumb moments

[@MrVictorcalling]

After watching this video, I could understand why I didn't like Aquaman movie even though I like watching fantacy movies!! Thank You for such an insightful view!!

[@mementomori771]

Could you cover the blacklist raymend reddington

[@deejaybundst1671]

the "not getting killed by her" line seems like a bit of a joke, and to me it does seem to make sense, considering the air of doom surrounding the conversation 14:48 what about the big sense of class divide?

[@maximeteppe7627]

My thoughts exactly. Making the divide a class divide, or maybe a mundane vs spiritual divide could have helped a great deal.

[@shosty575]

Love ur review! Thnx again

[@The5lacker]

I object to 7:40 , that's not an example of *any* function being fulfilled. In order for it to be an info dump it's gotta be information, and "souls exist and can be trapped, which is worse than regular death for some reason" doesn't count because that's not relevant, or even demonstrably true as far as I know. That could very well be Rick Flag making something up on the spot and Katana just goes with it because it's funny.

[@flibbernodgets7018]

I dearly want a chance to use "really puts the 'b' in subtle" in conversation.

[@e1ementZero]

That white frame is bright and annoying. Have you tried black frames? They are the best frames.

[@matthewnicholls5496]

As an Australian I resent that remark. Onya Nicole!

[@Logstickz]

I believe they were paying Kidman by the word, which would explain some of her sequence.

[@antonchigurh2266]

I like your videos but why there is no. MCU movie videos?

[@BioGoji-zm5ph]

I actually love this movie. It's such a breath of fresh air to watch a superhero movie where both of the hero's parents are still alive by the end of the film. And the music score by Rupert Gregson-Williams is fucking phenomenal. This movie is just plain fun, and that's something a lot of superhero films have been lacking lately. Sure its goofy, but when a film will show grown men riding giant seahorses and treat it as just a part of life for these characters with a straight face, then I have no choice but to admire it for its sincerity. Also, I don't care how awkwardly it's delivered, but "He commands the sea!" is one of my favorite lines in the film. It just makes me smile for some reason.

[@brandon8667]

I literally had this same thought.

[@k.g.7591]

I disagree about the internal function of Rick Flagg telling the squad about not being killed by Katana, as it seemed as though he was being facetious and trying to tell them to avoid Katana in general and to use her weapons ability as an extra scare tactic, though the way he said it makes it seem as though he himself may not believe it.

[@ImusakHctividar]

Probably the closest you could get to natural for that would be two soldiers or a soldier and someone else talking about what they had heard about Katana, but maybe one of them saying that sounded like bullshit. While simple, this could also serve to establish the understanding regular people have of the setting versus those who are "in the know" about the more supernatural aspects. I haven't seen the movie though, so I'm not sure if that would be useful.

[@k.g.7591]

Visceral Emu I like the way that the movie did it-its one of the few things I like about the movie- because if I needed to corral a bunch of convicts and I had a woman on my team with a sword that steals souls I would say some derivative of "hey, that woman has a sword that steals souls so don't mess around"

[@ImusakHctividar]

@@k.g.7591 That's fair. I guess what they were trying to go with in that case was "If you decide to rebel and get killed, just don't get killed by THAT lady." or something, eh?

[@k.g.7591]

Visceral Emu that was the home I think, yes

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

@@ImusakHctividar they where also mocking that very same line in the movie by showing the villains being not intimidated by her

[@stcsuntzucreed]

While I agree that Atlanna and Tom scene isn't all that great techically, I really love that scene since at least to me it feels fairly heartwarming. And I'd take a movie that is ''fun'' over a brilliantly made movie any day of the week. Kind of like Eragon book series. I understand that it's not good academically, but I found it enjoyable and to me that's all that matters.

[@shakurbutler2638]

I think he should do longer videos.

[@pretendtheresaname9213]

I though it was really mediocre at first, entertaining of course, but mediocre; now you gave words to my thoughts.

[@nightwing245]

This is why "audience eyes" type characters are so popular. It's an easy excuse to info dump on a world and have it make some sort of sense in universe.

[@wangbot47]

>2021 >Not having an exposition discussion about Milk when at the grocery with your friend as soon as you acquire it Dude, you should shop with frens more

[@brookb5890]

Personally, I think the exposition in Treasure Planet is prime. 👌

[@Panteni87]

The better contrast to play on would have been of that between royalty and plebs.

[@mpmpmp2727]

If you want further examples of poor exposition, just take look at Bojack Horseman's very first episode.

[@saskiauludag2921]

menipipol Bojack and bad writing? Damn I have to rewatch episode 1

[@halcyon5zippo]

This is super helpful. Thank you!

[@Auron1Roxas2]

Aquaman is a good movie all around, no worse about it. Amazing how people watch DC movies with their heads up their own asses.

[@BrotherVeli]

I think that the points you make a kind of irrelevant and the success of the movie in itself speaks against the advice you give! Also some things you said, for example Aquaman's mother "being fluent in english", if a person can say their name and title in a certain language does't make them 'fluent'. Anyway - a good video. Liked.

[@siddharthborkataky2221]

"This scene really puts the 'b' in subtle"......I see what you did there

[@bealoverchooselovegivelove]

Their dialogue was so bad. When they were making up for the situation, an explosion would go off. 🤦🏽‍♀️

[@Nessmess001]

If dialogue in a scena didn't help further the plot but did help flesh out characters and relationships, then would the external function be met?

[@mathewkloepfer664]

Speaking literally based on your question, no. The example of this would be his breakdown of the cancer scene in The Room. The dialogue may advance _some_ plot, but it doesn't serve a purpose if it does not serve the main plot or a sub-plot related to the main one. There are certainly nuances to fleshing out characters that would not strictly serve the plot that can be useful still, but it's something you, as a writer, want to moderate more heavily. The actions a character takes in literature will most likely provide more than just descriptions or info dumping about them.

[@kydjester]

this isn't an 'american' movie and its james wan, Could his dialog tactics infer how little he thinks of his audience.. or put another way, he doesn't want any complications at all about dialog (ie. keep the meanings / telling as simple as possible to maintain a uniform experience for a world wide audience.) Everything in this movie was a deliberate choice, Wan is at least that aware, i doubt he will try to evolve this movie in any way.

[@cceres]

Okay clearly you have *never* been to a grocery store with me, I am the worst.

[@kashhusain8154]

Putting the B in subtle. Nice.

[@RedRoseSeptember22]

I love Aquaman :D one of my favorite love stories too. ♥

[@gradis13]

wiii a video about aquaman i love that movie

[@biggeneral1628]

What movie is that at 1:20?

[@BreezeMHill]

Video: "or else this video could be longer than an hour" Me:not complaining at all . Legit, please an hour long. Yes.

[@FB35959]

I blamed Geoff Johns for the Goofiness and the Dialogue Changing

[@shaunthomason3712]

Love the hellboy misdirect 😂❤

[@jasonbleau4646]

The scene discussed in the video feels like one long, drawn out "as you know" cliche