MovieChat Forums > Bedazzled (2000) Discussion > Possible flaw in the movie

Possible flaw in the movie

posted 13 years ago by virgiltx
8 replies | jump to latest

One reason that's occurred to me as the reason for its weak rating and reception is that the story didn't seem to have a real antagonist. Sure, the Devil is ultimately of evil intent, but she actually seems sympathetic and friendly, and we don't feel a strong competition between opposing forces. That just turns his wishing misfires into a series of amusing but inconsequential vignettes.

Although the final segment about struggling to save his soul is interesting, we still don't feel that she is a classic villain. She comes of as a needed friend who made everything more interesting, for him and for us.

It wasn't the acting, it was the Devil character as written.
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[–] arkast 13 years ago

It's a comedy dude. Sure this is a reason (not as important as you think) for low rating but the whole movie is pretty stupid to deserve better rating. Even though i've rated 8/10 i may change it to 7/10. I really wish i could go 7.5/10.

[–] SmilingBird96 13 years ago

that was the point. at the end, she explains that there is no good or evil. the struggle to do the right thing lies within the protagonist. it's a man vs self disguised as a man vs man (or in this case, she devil). it's trying to say that good and evil is not black and white. that nobody is purely good or purely evil, that we all have flaws, and all have commendable traits. they even show that opening segment, where they take people who look like good people, and tell you their flaws.

personally, i like this movie for that reason. i hate when movies have a villain that is purely evil (unless it's a horror movie). it might make it obvious who you're supposed to root for, but it's not realistic. i like that this movie noticed that.

[–] shirinf333 10 years ago

That's exactly what I was thinking, very well said. :)

[–] windowlicker269 12 years ago

"a strong competition between opposing forces."

haha it's a dumb comedy made for children who believe in fairytales

[–] virgiltx 12 years ago

"...made for children who believe in fairytales"

For children? It's PG-13, and I'd say it's aimed at adults.

Believe in fairy tales? Probably most Americans think the Devil is just a storybook motif (http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/12-faithspirituality/260-mos t-american-christians-do-not-believe-that-satan-or-the-holy-spirit-exi s...

...but, story analysis is still appropriate. I think it's a good movie, but it was not a strong performer, and is IMDb rated 5.9.

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[–] mcgill_j 12 years ago

In the original the devil was CLEARLY not a villain and the film worked much better actually. The devil has more a motivation in the original to get back into heaven.. And is undone by the fact he did a good deed. Despite how much he may have liked being good. In fact in the original GOD came off as quite a jerk.

Two reasons this version didn't work. Making the devil a woman. PC be aside.. Moore and Cooke had great on screen chemistry. Hurley was barely in the film it seemed. So that didn't work and.. Fraser was just TOO big a dork. Moore wasn't unlikable just anonymous. Fraser is that kind of grating character that you feel bad for you just can't really get into cheering for.

[–] virgiltx 12 years ago

mcgill_j:
"In the original the devil was CLEARLY not a villain and the film worked much better actually."

I don't know what you mean by "worked much better". It gets a higher score, true, but it was not a big movie, and I'm not aware of it as getting much demand today.

With the general public a movie needs to have certain qualities, usually action, suspense, and especially, a focused story. It can't be just a series of vignettes, or a travelogue.

I think both versions have the same basic problem with the public--not enough of a focused conflict.
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[–] mcgill_j 12 years ago

Oh.. And that each wish felt too far removed from the film. The original did this with the cartoon sequence.. But otherwise the film felt like just thin connective tissue holding together the over the top shorts.