Donald Sutherland was a great actor, and this was a strange vision..
I love that Joss doesn't like Donald Sutherland. Just find that funny.
Joss' brilliant dream was really bastardized and he wasn't considered the genius that he is today, so it is what it is. That's one hand of the conflict.
DS shouldn't have signed on if he didn't get Whedon's vision. The premise, even in its pure form, was stupid.
http://www.amazon.com/Thugs-screenplays-ebook/dp/B004W9C6IY