John Hyams explains why Luc's daughter was not involved

[Nofear]

Phil

No, we never considered including that character in the film. The reason is due to the general approach I wanted to take with regard to certain story elements from the earlier films - this answer is one I've given before to similar questions, so forgive me if it sounds repetitive, but it's the best way I can address your point: given the amount of time that has passed since this franchise began, I felt it was important to make a film that could exist completely on its own yet also could exist within the context of the series - it had to appeal to first time viewers as well as longtime fans.

A big part of my contribution at the script level was to try to weed out exposition and replace it with visual storytelling. I could have spent half the movie recounting the stories from the previous films, which would have prevented us from moving forward. I thought it was far more important to say just enough to allow the viewer to have an understanding of the basic mythology, but keeping the expositional dialogue to a minimum. In fact, most of the characters in the film say very little. I wanted to involve the viewer on a visceral level, not an intellectual one.

The characters in this movie clearly have pasts, but I felt it was more interesting to make those pasts ambiguous. I wanted them to represent the idea of trained killers without a war, ones who have been effectively put on ice. This story was about thawing them out, literally.

I know that Luc's story is different than that of the other Unisols, but we still wanted him in a completely different place in his life - as if his past, as we the viewer knew it, was a distant memory

[Bolo]

Good read, It was a good choice of John to not include to many things from part 2

Thnks Phil

[Well Dressed Killer]

Diddnt they just ignore the entire film? Thats what i felt.

[Time Cop]

It makes sense and is a smart business move to keep the film open to new viewers of the series.

However, from the view of a fan of the first and parts of the second, it would be n ice for it to have more connections to the past than it appears to have.

I would prefer to be involved on a balance of visceral and intellectual.

[maximumrisque]

It's always nice to read more perspectives from Hyams. Thanks, Nofear!

The characters in this movie clearly have pasts, but I felt it was more interesting to make those pasts ambiguous.....I wanted them to represent the idea of trained killers without a war

These killers, some with traces of misplaced humanity, would have been more compelling to me if their motivations were clarified and there was more reference to their pasts.

[Sheldon Lettich]

Originally Posted by maximumrisque

These killers, some with traces of misplaced humanity, would have been more compelling to me if their motivations were clarified and there was more reference to their pasts.

I'm beginning to wonder if this is a case of "Pre-Videogame" vs. "Post-Videogame" sensibility. I belong to the first group, meaning that for as long as I can remember movies had stories with plots, and had characters who either grew or changed over the course of the story, or had obstacles to overcome in order to find some sort of a resolution. Most movies had all of the above.

The Post-VG sensibility doesn't seem to require any of that, as long as there's constant action and movement. "Stepping into a character's shoes" seems to mean little more than just being armed with the same weapons as our on-screen "avatar" and blowing away the same bad guys, scoring the same number of points. Or stepping into a different character's shoes when our initial avatar gets blown away (or we lose interest in him).

US-3 and the "Crank" movies are shining examples to me of Post-VG movies, and they seem to work just fine for folks who've grown up playing and enjoying these games. Videogames did not really become a worldwide societal obsession until I was in my 40's. Maybe that's why US-3 didn't do anything for me emotionally, because videogames themselves have never caught my interest either. The same certainly cannot be said for the majority of folks who are on this forum. Maybe that's why I'm so out-of-step with most of you regarding this movie, and why I prefer character and plot driven movies like UD and JCVD over this one.

[Time Cop]

Originally Posted by Sheldon Lettich

I'm beginning to wonder if this is a case of "Pre-Videogame" vs. "Post-Videogame" sensibility. I belong to the first group, meaning that for as long as I can remember movies had stories with plots, and had characters who either grew or changed over the course of the story, or had obstacles to overcome in order to find some sort of a resolution. Most movies had all of the above.

The Post-VG sensibility doesn't seem to require any of that, as long as there's constant action and movement. "Stepping into a character's shoes" seems to mean little more than just being armed with the same weapons as our on-screen "avatar" and blowing away the same bad guys, scoring the same number of points. Or stepping into a different character's shoes when our initial avatar gets blown away (or we lose interest in him).

US-3 and the "Crank" movies are shining examples to me of Post-VG movies, and they seem to work just fine for folks who've grown up playing and enjoying these games. Videogames did not really become a worldwide societal obsession until I was in my 40's. Maybe that's why US-3 didn't do anything for me emotionally, because videogames themselves have never caught my interest either. The same certainly cannot be said for the majority of folks who are on this forum. Maybe that's why I'm so out-of-step with most of you regarding this movie, and why I prefer character and plot driven movies like UD and JCVD over this one.

I can understand your logic here also.

I think there is a place for those video game like movies as they do have an audience.

However for me, I prefer movies that actually make you understand why a character chooses to do something, and the reasons behind the emotions that cause the character to act a certain way.

Many of the nonstop action films lack that to their detriment.

[valdema]

I respect John's views, but the movie left us with many unanswerd questions,
If US3 had a big following of audience, it would be nice to see JC in a Universal soldier TV series uncovering his past.

Or one last US movie to explain more regarding Luc's past and so on.

[Bolo]

Originally Posted by Sheldon Lettich

I'm beginning to wonder if this is a case of "Pre-Videogame" vs. "Post-Videogame" sensibility. I belong to the first group, meaning that for as long as I can remember movies had stories with plots, and had characters who either grew or changed over the course of the story, or had obstacles to overcome in order to find some sort of a resolution. Most movies had all of the above.

The Post-VG sensibility doesn't seem to require any of that, as long as there's constant action and movement. "Stepping into a character's shoes" seems to mean little more than just being armed with the same weapons as our on-screen "avatar" and blowing away the same bad guys, scoring the same number of points. Or stepping into a different character's shoes when our initial avatar gets blown away (or we lose interest in him).

US-3 and the "Crank" movies are shining examples to me of Post-VG movies, and they seem to work just fine for folks who've grown up playing and enjoying these games. Videogames did not really become a worldwide societal obsession until I was in my 40's. Maybe that's why US-3 didn't do anything for me emotionally, because videogames themselves have never caught my interest either. The same certainly cannot be said for the majority of folks who are on this forum. Maybe that's why I'm so out-of-step with most of you regarding this movie, and why I prefer character and plot driven movies like UD and JCVD over this one.

Sheldon you should try Duke Nukem 3D and Whacky Wheels.. You will like it a lot.

Sheldon some videogames have better storylines then most movies..

Shemnue
GTA 4

are the best examples i can think of..

[Jizzle4050]

Originally Posted by Porridge

Sheldon you should try Duke Nukem 3D and Whacky Wheels.. You will like it a lot.

Sheldon some videogames have better storylines then most movies..

Shemnue
GTA 4

are the best examples i can think of..

I hate to remain off topic but I absolutely agree. GTA IV and Shenmue are two games that can hold my attention story wise over half the crap released in theaters these days. Hell I played Shenmue 2 for freakin 32 hours and Im still waiting for a sequel 7 years later (that will probably never get made). Now thats a true cliffhanger ending.