This means, I think, that the problem is still the script's fault.

The process of making movies is really a lot more fluid than you give it credit for, I think, but in this particular instance we're both speaking from second-hand knowledge, me even moreso than you.

I only brought it up to point out that many people, including people who know much more than I about screenplays and making movies, said it was a great screenplay.

Frankly, I'm going to go with the opinions of people who've actually read it.

Was the script re-written at all between Ali's reading and shooting?

This is what I'm wondering.

Sean, Sean, Sean. I don't really care. There was a T-Rex, and it was eating people. I was happy.

Hee!

I even enjoyed the third one for what it was: a slasher movie with dinosaurs.

I liked JP3.

Sean, Sean, Sean. I don't really care. There was a T-Rex, and it was eating people. I was happy.

Actually, I enjoyed that they let it eat the dog more than anything else.

I actually liked Shanghai Knights. There were too many famous people involved in the main plot, which really bugged, but other than that I enjoyed it.

Worst Movie Standard: Probably The Goonies. Watching that was an awful experience. Worst thing I ever glimpsed on TV? Some Corey Feldman thing with be-mulletted Corey on a skateboard.

Yes, but.........a young Sean Astin! He's so cute!

I must block out a lot of truly horrid movies. Independence Day is one of the worst non-Red Dawn (which, yeah, is fun to mock) I can think of.

I saw The Goonies. All I remember of it is the mediocre Cindy Lauper song in it.

eta:

Independence Day is one of the worst non-Red Dawn (which, yeah, is fun to mock) I can think of.

Oh yes. But it did entertain me, as my mind was occupied by cataloging all the ways in which it sucked.

Hugh has been able to save Van Helsing.

Saving it was WAY more than an actor's job.

True, but at least Richard Roxburgh went above and beyond in his attempts to save it from within. As far as I could tell, Hugh wasn't even trying.

On the flip side, I wish they'd cast him instead of Pitt as Achilles. Just imagine all the filmmaker's attempts at whitewashing the slashiness out of ancient Greek culture being sabotaged by the lead actor at every turn...

The film-maker's attempts at taking out the slash were poor indeed. People who had no idea there'd been boy on boy action in the original were asking why there needed to be incest in the movie.

Yeah, that "Cousin! Cousin. Totally his cousin!" thing did rather spectacularly backfire on them, didn't it?