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geekgemsspooksandtoons · 1 year

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My review of John Logan’s Bioshock movie script

Heavy spoilers concerning the first Bioshock game, and the script that I’m finally going to review. This took a while to make. It’s long.

I’m going to be honest with you all. I wanted to reread the entire thing. But as I read it, I started to rush through Steinman’s part and to Rudy’s introduction. I have read this script possibly countless times or just a lot. I know what happens, and I have read little details. There’s really no need to waste time reading more of it. But its best to just speak about it. This will be spoiler heavy about the script. If you’ve played the games, that’s okay. But again, just a heads up as I will have a keep reading option.

John Logan was the one in charge of writing the script for Gore Verbinski’s Bioshock movie back in the day. It was expected to be released in 2010, but due to complications such as the budget and the hard R rating, and the “Great recession” whatever happened and Universal not wanting to put out a big budget R rated film that would flop because Watchmen had flopped. There was a change in director, Gore was merely producing, and while the film was 8 weeks from shooting. It was Ken Levine who cancelled the project.

There are pieces of concept art and storyboards online to see. And Gore Verbinski has said there is all kinds of crazy stuff in pre-production. Such as literal screen tests (I REALLY want to see those) and whatever else. And I would like to mention considering those concept arts and storyboards (I wished there was more of them hopefully) that pretty much confirms to me that this script is ACTUALLY REAL. I hope, but that’s me overthinking it. Because the concept art showcases details that highly reference what happens in the script, even the one leaked storyboard.

I’ll get to talking about the script soon. Despite I’m not in the fandom as much. I love Bioshock. Particularly the first two games, and this franchise I guess helped me through 2020. I have drawn and written stuff for it. While I may not be as active as I used to be. And my opinions have changed over time. The Bioshock franchise is still one of my all-time favorite video game series.

A movie has always interested me. And when reading this about a year ago or so, I felt like I had closure after I had read this script I kept reading about. And while I had an EXTREME reaction at first to it...I want to make a detailed review of it. My own personal thoughts about it...and why it wouldn’t have worked as a film.

I’m going to review it as best as I can. Because while I have read articles talking about it. I don’t think I’ve seen a review talking about how it works and...whatever else. I’m going to say some things that may bother fans. This is all my opinion.

This is my review of the script as a fan of Bioshock, as a gamer, and as a person who loves/likes movies.

1. To be honest, I think Gore Verbinski is an excellent choice. I liked his Pirates of the Carribean work. And his visual style would’ve been so fitting for this series. I can understand why they hired him, and I think it was technically a passion project for him (I could be wrong though because he was saddened he couldn’t finish it. He had a vision, and he went to Ken Levine for advice. Despite how I feel about that...

The scene for the introduction of the Flying Dutchman in Dead Man’s Chest...I don’t want to sound weird. That is just perfect, and I can only imagine or well, that tone or just that work...Gore can do that horror/thriller aspect. Both in tone and visually.

Again, Gore is a director I like. But...the script John Logan wrote...and John Logan doesn’t seem like a bad writer. He seems to have written fantastic work.

I do think I was kind of harsh saying John didn’t understand the source material he was given. He was hired to literally write a script of story that...took a video game to tell it in a longer fashion...but it’s just some of the choices he made. And...fuck it. He does his best and you have to commend him for doing that. Yet...that’s also one of the reasons why I don’t like this script. Or why I seem to be on Filmento’s side that...you can’t repeat the first game. You can’t do the twist, and whatever else advice Filmento says. Whatever opinions you have about him...I think he’s right.

2. The script is 112 pages long. And as I’ve learned from Marcus Nispel, the director of the 2003 remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the 2009 Friday the 13th reboot. In his documentary of the deleted scenes for the 2003 remake of TCM. He said every page equals one minute. While I question if that’s true for every film, I’m no filmmaker. But if I take into consideration with Bioshock’s script...

The film would’ve been maybe 112 minutes long. And they were going to use the WYK twist in this movie that would’ve been an hour and fifty-two minutes...that is rushed. And the script shows that. But this isn’t just about that. It’s about...the structure and plotting of the story.

3. The script again, would’ve used the famous, “Would you kindly” twist from the game. Where the reveal where Jack was being controlled the entire time and Ryan reveals that. And Atlas had been using Jack that entire time. Along with the other twist that Fontaine is actually Atlas.

What makes that twist so impactful, however you feel about it. It works so much because you are in a video game. And you have an entire game worth of hours of playtime, finding clues, seeing the hints about it. And it fits the game’s main themes about choice, especially with the ending. Where your actions determine the kind of person Jack will become if you harvest a single Little Sister, or none at all.

Even if the game has been talked to death, especially about this certain moment. It was a big deal and still is. But here’s the issue of trying to incorporate this twist into a movie...

IT DOESN’T FIT.

Listen, I get twists like this have happened before in films and shows before. But what made the WYK twist so powerful was the fact the player played the game. And they realized their main goal was technically and their agency was taken advantage of.

You’re not simply just an avatar for the player. But you are also a person, Ryan’s literal son who was legit bred and experimented on for one goal in life, and that’s to kill Andrew Ryan himself. Jack’s blood is the reason why the bathysphere in the lighthouse even works when they are all shut down. It’s the reason why Jack is able to survive multiple does of ADAM and possibly not become a Splicer. He’s not just a sleeper agent, he’s literally a killing machine. The man is a literal super soldier in a similar vein such as Halo’s Master Chief and Doomguy. Even if Jack was brainwashed, the dude’s a fucking badass. And he’s technically “Immortal” if the vita chambers remain on.

It's what makes Ryan’s “Suicide” haunting as he literally proves a point that you are nothing but a “Slave” at that moment in the story. It’s basically Ryan telling Jack, “Fuck you” to the player and Jack himself. Especially with the last few lines he says as he is beaten to death.

But this works in a video game fashion where you can find this information or whatever else, and it works for gameplay. Yet in this...you’d have to be a fan to understand some of that because some of the changes made in the script...it’s interesting.

Again, the point being the twist works so much is because it’s a video game where the player is supposed to have agency. But when they find out they were helping one of the main villains. It comes as a literal shock. When putting that in a film or a book, it’s not as effective. Especially with the hints and...the script’s obvious ways of showcasing something is going to happen.

Basically, it works so well because again, the twist works for a video game. Because in video games unless you read a manual or discover more details, you don’t question your orders and all that crap. But in a film where you aren’t controlling the characters...it doesn’t work.

It also raises certain questions like moments in the original game. At least with the original game with certain theories and you can understand why Atlas doesn’t say “Would you kindly” consistently. Because there’s “Sane” people around and other crap people talk about. But in the film, it makes me think or maybe I’m just a sick bastard.

In scenes where Atlas is with Jack the first time, and whatever else. Why doesn’t he just tell Jack, “Would you kindly” when handling a gun, and instead of trying to act like a normal person? Or the fact...in fact...this relates to other stuff that bothers me.

The fact instead of being on a radio and he’s in person, he can easily control Jack easier or just...I want to get to the next part. He’s literally having to drag his ass after Jack’s ear gets bitten off and all that shit. When he could easily just order him to keep pushing forward.

4. This is merely something that bothers me, or it's something I feel that’s...kind of almost excluded from the script. I get you can’t explain everything right away. But what made Bioshock such an amazing game is that the city was technically a “Character” in itself. Despite we see the aftermath of the Rapture Civil War. You have audio diaries by characters that tell the story of how it came to be.

I get having to shorten it and...one of the major themes of why Rapture fail was the fact Ryan built the city upon a flawed foundation. The “Objectivism” point of view where he pretty much explains it. People can do whatever they want without consequences. Rapture failed like places on the surface because Ryan didn’t address those concerns, such as unregulated businesses becoming corrupt, immoral experiments, and the discovery of ADAM made it worse. It sped up the process.

You even have characters like Fontaine and Sofia Lamb, even Sinclair and Bill McDonough who realized this shit was getting bad. There are other things that explain this better. But basically, don’t a be a shitty person, there’s no problem with having rules, and the so called “Paradise” was built on a selfish or...flawed ideology. Where the poor were treated like shit, and the rich could do whatever they want. Especially with Capitalism still involved...it’s a major theme of the game.

What bothers me about the script is...Rudy quickly explaining there was a civil war. And at the end with Brigid mentioning Rapture was a “Controlled experiment” and mentioning the true potential of men is “Evil” and Atlas talking about the ultimate realization of the human animal. And I’m sorry, I just dislike this simple mention of Atlas starting a resistance, and Rudy’s movie references and suggesting who to play who in a possible film about Rapture. There is still mentions of Atlas bringing things from the surface.

To be honest, I’m glad the theme of “Choice” is still involved. Because in a film, that can still work like something in Spider-Man 2. Where the whole conflict is Peter Parker having the choose between living a normal life or continue being Spider-Man. It’s a theme that can work if handled right...but not with the WYK twist. And somehow, it can still be intervened with the whole theme of why Rapture fell. Because like in words of Andrew Ryan himself.

“We all make choices. But in the end, our choices make us.”

Because yeah, that can still work. Actions speak when concerning characters. But back to the point...I’ve seen someone on a Bioshock Discord say the message sounds like a “Chosen one/breaking free narrative just screams generic empowerment for that 18-35 male target audience” and the fact...Bioshock has many themes concerning its story.

Such as the fact the game’s ending is dependent of what the player does. Do you want to be better than Ryan and Fontaine by not becoming power hungry and start a normal life with a group of Little Sisters? Or do you become as bad or worse than them, maybe starting a war with the surface and whatever else?

Again, or so, the main themes are there of how extreme ideologies can destroy a city if there aren’t any rules or any empathy. Because when you don’t have that, the consequences are horrible. And you have characters like Ryan, Fontaine, and others that showcase that when they are well...really shitty people in control.

And that brings me to the ending for the script.

5. You know, when I heard this ending was going to be “Darker” than the bad ending in the original game. And hearing Gore wanted to blend both the good and bad ending if I recall right. Along with what Jack does in the end...this is what I imagined.

Because of how this script before I read it, they kept saying it was REALLY dark. And I had imagined the ending to be depressing. The idea of Jack after he and the Little Sisters killing Atlas/Fontaine. That Jack, the Little Sisters, and Tenenbaum go into one of the bathyspheres to leave Rapture. But before they get to the surface, in a “Werewolf” like scenario. Jack sadly succumbs to becoming a Splicer, unable to control himself, kills Brigid and the children by beating them to death with his wrench. And when he gets to the surface at the lighthouse, he’s completely gone mad.

He’s so spliced up; he doesn’t know what to do. He’s no longer himself. He can’t go back to Rapture MAYBE. And now, he’s stuck on the island where the lighthouse is at. He’s going to die possibly of starvation or whatever else...and his story ends in a tragic ending where he sadly couldn’t stop his transformation and everything he had done was for nothing and how ADAM literally destroyed him mentally and physically. Almost like a person who is cursed to be a werewolf who kills a loved one, and they sadly couldn’t control themselves.

That is what I thought would happen when I read a tag saying Jack killing Tenenbaum and the Little Sisters in the end when he turns into a Splicer...

But no, it’s actually worse in context. Because throughout the whole story, Jack is pretty much a guy who understandably wants to get the fuck out of Rapture. He’s not a bad dude, yet for some reason, he takes...Atlas’ words to heart and...it’s literally just the bad ending. It’s almost a 360 turn because throughout most of the story, he understands right from wrong and...it’s just bullshit.

I get the story is dark. And I feel like because Gore took advice from Ken. Along with knowing Ken only wanted the bad ending to be canon but 2K didn’t want that. This feels like Ken also wanting his original vision still be seen. When in reality, I think the game having two different endings is great because it plays an important role in the themes of choice.

The ending here...I guess is just for shock value and I strangely would’ve preferred an ending where Jack dies giving his life or something so we wouldn’t have such an ending. Yeah, that’s depressing but alias...I’m not into the ending.

6. The characters and how they are written is what I’ve been wanting to talk about too. I want to admit that there’s nothing wrong with different characterizations. But I do think it depends on the character you are writing and how that characterization respects the original. Does it respect the character or not?

But the script’s interpretation of some characters...I think it's also me being annoyed by some pieces of dialogue. I’ll get to this point.

I HATE the idea to make Atlas and Fontaine not one person. I get it because of the runtime, but overtime, Fontaine IS Atlas. It’s just kind of weird to me because I guess it makes Atlas more interesting. It’s what makes Atlas stand out. Even though with this change, it does make it easy. But it makes me wonder about the lore in this script if...Atlas did well...he did smuggle shit into the city.

But what I hate is the mischaracterization of Atlas. His dialogue after the twist just doesn’t click with me. John could’ve written the direction with Atlas is that he put up a “Good guy” font in front of everyone when in reality he’s pretty fucking horrible. Yeah, you may not have, “Name’s Frank Fontaine” but at least have Atlas being a fucking bastard who knew Rapture would fall and taking advantage of it. Instead of, “We can be free again”, or “I’m free now. I’m the first man who has ever been free...I AM ADAM” and other pieces of his stupid dialogue in the final battle.

I fucking love Fontaine and his Bronx accent. Don’t judge me. I think I’m being nitpicky too. There’s also another thing I joked with my good buddy @atlas-slut-of-the-people long ago. And this concerns Jack’s...experimentation of becoming a sleeper agent. Did Atlas actually have a wife and child? Or was the woman and child on the sub just two random people?

Did he literally take Jack into his house, do experiments on him, and you have Moira going like, “ATLAS PLEASE SPEND TIME WITH ME AND PATRICK!” and Atlas is like, “Not now honey. I’m creating my own personal sleeper agent” as he forces little Jack to watch films of fake memories. Listen, I know Fontaine’s plan is fucking insane. But did Atlas need to do that? Did he speed up Jack’s age in this universe too? Or did Jack grow up naturally? No, no...some things aren’t explained.

Oh, I found out he did inject ADAM into him during his...experimentation...and there’s also the fact Jasmine is the “Baby carriage Splicer” and hinting that Jack was a baby...like...good lord...listen, I as a fan understand the lore and Jack’s life...

But this being left up in the air is just stupid. I also hate the fact that possibly Tenenbaum and Suchong aren’t involved in Jack’s creation. But that’s another thing. And there’s the fact whether I should call this good or bad that it confirms in the script Tenenbaum created the Big Daddies...I hate the Suchong erasure.

Let’s talk about Jack. Listen, I don’t hate Jack, I like him. And I love that on Tumblr, lots of people love the good ending and see him as a person. That’s absolutely great. Yet I will admit that...and this is likely just me being annoyed by the fandom. There is nothing wrong with head canons and all that or how you feel about characters. But I get tired of this fandom and it’s intriguing to a series that’s M rated...some of the fans try to act righteous. But I shouldn’t be the one to judge.

I just hate it when people act like their opinion is fact. But that’s not the main point, yet it kind of relates to what I’m going to say as Jack.

He is a character; he is a person. But in the end...he’s still technically the player’s avatar. And his choices are dependent on what the player does in the game. And the script’s interpretation of him is...something.

Fuck it, I’ll just get to it. The role of Jack as in the game can’t work in a film. You can’t have a character like that in a film unless...you did something different. A main protagonist, whether hero, villain, or whoever needs to have a goal, what is their motive? What keeps them going forward? You can’t have a character like Jack with just...listen, a part of me feels like the whole college graduation stuff isn’t worth it. Including the obvious hints to the upcoming twist.

Like, did Atlas put that shit into his memory? Considering shit like Jack’s dad mentioning a “Mr. Ryan” from New York, the visions of the ADAM syringe in the pool.

I have even called this Jack a “Bitch” or so...Jack’s original character can’t just be put into a different medium. Like...to me, he’s the one character in the franchise that NEEDS to be reinvented if you are going to use him in some way. Because the story of the “Ace in the Hole” is something that can’t be done in a film unless someone thinks of something crazy good.

I guess the only thing to say is that he lacks personality, you don’t have a reason to care for him unless you were already a fan of him. He’s a “Boring” and “Blank” protagonist you aren’t invested in.

Characterization is an issue with this script. Like...I felt like Tenenbaum and Ryan aren’t that bad. But some of Ryan’s dialogue at the end is a bit weird. A popular character like Sander Cohen is used for only one scene and quickly killed off. And the Big Daddy isn’t much of a character and...

There’s...nothing to be invested in. It sounds rough saying that. And you have the introduction of Rudy Pendergast. A character that...I strangely hate, but don’t. John could’ve seriously used a character like Bill McDonough or even Diane Mcclintock. But like Atlas-slut-of-the-people said. He’d probably would’ve made them evil somehow. And you have Steinman for one scene where Jack tries to ask him stuff.

You know, I’m also bothered by how my favorite character, Tenenbaum is saved for the end. I’m going to say what another person has said, the script feels so singular, particularly with its characters. The only person who gets an arc is Jack and everyone else is...there for his arc. I want to continue on.

But also, I get the intention with “Flower” the Little Sister Jack meets...again, despite it’s a fictional story and...you need to write characters instead of whatever. Yet okay, that scene with her and Jack is nice.

7. You know, I actually admire the direction to make this REALLY hard R. I feel like the type of grim violence I can compare this script’s is to films like Aliens vs Predator Requiem and the 2010 remake of The Wolfman. Despite their critical receptions, those films are fucking brutal. And considering the tone and violence of this script, it would’ve made it stand out. I’ve even called this script Bioshock Requiem due to how...tonally dark this is.

Particularly for scenes like Flower the Little Sister being brutally murdered by Rudy, and after that, Rudy getting fucking brutalized by a Big Daddy. Then you have baby carriage Jasmine getting ripped apart by a Spider Splicer in front of her own son. You even have the scene of Jack shooting the passengers and pilots aboard his airplane when he’s being brainwashed. Even the stewardess he was talking to earlier. Also, keep in mind when it mentions when Jack is on the plane, families were mentioned to be on there. So, it makes me wonder if Jack sadly...shot children. Glad it doesn’t make it explicit.

And you even have the one part I mentioned that sticks with me. That being the scene where the Football Splicer bits Jack’s ear off. Maybe his right ear, I forgot if it mentions it, I think it doesn’t. But I find it funny when thinking of some shit I write, I think of an idea where a character bites a character’s ear off...it just sticks with me.

Considering how violent and brutal the games are, it’s actually fitting. And I wonder if the violence serves a purpose...and it seems to because it really captures the unpredictability of the Splicers and even the brutal power of the Big Daddies. It sells it brilliantly, especially with the Splicers hurting each other, as they were once people that sadly lost their minds.

It really reinforces the horrific downfall of Rapture. Even though I still wonder if you could do more with it. But maybe that’s the point that the violence is so horrific and unforgiving because it could’ve been prevented in some way.

8. You know, the direction with Rapture in this script. The fake neighborhood, literal parks, a...ice cream truck is mentioned...it’s weird to me but unless it was shown in motion...it’s just interesting to read about parks in giant domes instead of places like Arcadia sadly and whatever else. There is the mention of “Olympus Height Tower” but...it’s weird not hearing other places and Fort Folic Club” being a small club or so...

Listen, I’m so used to Rapture in the first two games. That the idea of an ice cream truck, and the fake neighborhood, or even the mention one of the Splicers is a cop, and one being a magician. But I think with the magician seems like he could be from somewhere like Fort Folic. And the cop Splicer could’ve been someone who was trying to reinforce Ryan’s rule before going crazy.

This kind of relates to the themes. So, in this, did Ryan just not care or invite certain random people? Because this city unless I read it wrong, sounds like it’s more...streamlined than what was shown in the games. Unless I’m thinking differently. But the point being with what I’m saying Ryan preferred people that were rich, he didn’t care for the poor.

I think it’s time I finally finish this post. I’ve taken breaks when making it. This got really long, but hey, it’s a detailed review about a script I’ve read a lot. I’ve looked back at it when making this.

You know why The Last of Us on HBO worked? While it being a tv show helped it A LOT. But it's the fact while there were changes to help it and make its own thing...the story is pretty straight forward. The issue with a series like Bioshock, particularly the first two games is the layout of the stories. We’re talking about video games where you learn about characters through audio diaries, the emphasis on choices and endings that can be either canon. It’s only when Infinite, Burial at Sea, and Minerva’s Den are the ones that a story where player choice is heavily involved.

Hell, while I have my issues with Paramount Plus’s Halo tv series. The idea to make it its own thing and not being an exact adaptation is a fine idea. But the way it was handled, and as much as I want an adaptation of Combat Evolved and other things...you need to be careful. But seriously, Halo is a whole other discussion.

Video games are such a different medium and adapting certain games into movies or shows is difficult. And I agree with a YouTuber I respect, that being Filmento. Whatever you feel about him or so. I think for something like Bioshock...you can’t make an exact adaptation of that first game. And I think for the sake of this fanbase, you can’t make it within the canon of the games themselves.

The Bioshock film, especially the upcoming Netflix one needs to be hold its ground as a film. It’s the same thing as a comic book adaptation. Such as Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy or Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. You cannot copy and paste a certain story unless there are certain changes. Which I think most people get that. But with Bioshock, considering how much this series is loved, I feel like more people need to understand that. Even for diehard fans, IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

This is why films like the Sonic films work, and even the recent Super Mario Bros Movie did well. And even a film like Rampage (2018) and talking about these three franchises is something else. But again, these four films work as films.

But you need to respect the source material, while making something new with the material. You make a movie with game elements as Filmento has said. Especially for a series like Bioshock. You can have a prequel show with Bill as the main character later on, and whatever else you want to do.

In a nutshell like with all films, make a story that general audiences can follow easily, characters they can get invested in, and again, take the best elements from all three games and develop something new that honors the legacy of those games. It’s weird I’m giving out this advice because I do still keep Filmento’s tweets of what to do with this film. It’s also because with how much I was critical of this script for a cancelled movie.

I’m hoping to God, and I worry what Francis Lawrence and Michael Green will do is just try to adapt that first game. When to me, this script proves you shouldn’t do that. Unless what they deliver changes my mind, just remember what I’ve talked about this script and what I criticized.

#bioshock #bioshock movie #bioshock netflix

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