#writerbrain

(or: Why You Can't Just "Vibe" a Movie)

As a writer, I’ve noticed a recurring issue with some modern films — especially sequels; they just don’t work, and not because of acting or budget or effects. It’s the story structure that collapses. No spine. No arc. No heart. I call it "the backbone problem." Or, more bluntly: no story, just vibes.

Look at Die Hard 1–4. Love them or not, they were built on solid narrative bones — books with clear plots and tension. Even if the films didn’t follow the novels exactly, they kept the essential backbone. The Old Guard 1? Same deal — closely followed the first few comics. Result: strong film. The Walking Dead? The main series did great. The comics were their backbone. The most important Book to film adaption: Lord of the rings 1-3. This might still be the ultimate example. Jackson and his team omitted large chunks (Tom Bombadil 😢), but they held onto the moral core and structure of Tolkien's world. The characters were given space, the pacing was epic yet purposeful, and the storylines converged in a grand and coherent conclusion. It worked because they understood the story, not just "retold" it. (Notice how I didn't say the Hobbit. No question I love those movies too. But Peter Jackson inherited a troubled production and simply didn’t get the time he needed to fully reshape the story.) Even Twilight (yes, let’s be fair. See pass the ick for the sake of this rant :-)) worked because it respected its own internal logic.

Now here's the thing... As a book I liked the Host by Stephanie Meyer much much more than I do Twilight. But as a movie that’s where it gets interesting... not every book or story translates well to film. The Host was rich in introspection and worked beautifully on the page — but its pacing, while effective in a novel, dragged in film. Some stories — like sprawling game narratives (looking at you, Assassin’s Creed) — just don’t compress well into two hours. That’s okay. Not all mediums play by the same rules. But that’s not an excuse for lazy screenwriting.

Back to the vibe thing..... Die Hard 5 fell apart — partly due to other factors, sure — but mostly because of a terrible script. The Old Guard 2? Honestly, that hurt. Greg Rucka, who wrote the comics no less, veered so far from his own foundation that the sequel felt like it had no center. So many chances missed. No real setup. A weird, rushed arc. (And Tuah? Who even... never mind. That’s a different rant.) Had he saved Uma Thurman’s character for part 3? We might be having a very different conversation. Fear the Walking Dead drifted and drifted.

On the flip side, look at The Hunger Games — a franchise that worked because it stayed close to the original books. It cut what didn’t fit the screen, but kept the core intact. Marvel’s early MCU? Same principle. They filtered decades of comics and pulled out the strongest arcs, building something cohesive and deliberate. (Yes, I know it’s wobbling now — but let’s give credit where due.) Rurouni Kenshin - Live-action film series . A rare example of a successful historical action manga adaptation. The Rurouni Kenshin films were exceptionally successful for live-action manga adaptations. The director respected the source material. They translated the style and emotion of the manga to film without copying everything verbatim. The choreography was tight, the character arcs remained strong, and it felt real—not cartoonish. A rare example of a successful manga-to-film adaptation that satisfied both fans and critics. (Runner-up: Alita: Battle Angel – visually impressive, with some narrative distortions, but certainly respectfully done.)

So is the problem that some films don’t have books behind them? Not really. Great original films exist. But here’s the real difference: when a screenwriter has a clear sense of purpose — a strong narrative spine, a "why" that guides every scene — the story holds. Without that? Sequels spiral. Plotlines unravel. Characters flatten. And movies just start... free-floating.

It’s the same reason some TV series lose momentum: the writers' room stops following the map.

As a storyteller, I’m not asking for perfection. Heck, nobody is. I'm not either. But just… give me narrative integrity. Give me a plot that knows where it's going. Give me characters who grow because of the story, not despite it.

kamila's school friends (possibly incl. amelie?) decide to drag her out ghost-hunting--a proposition which is very alarming to sissel, who only knows about hunting in a cat way

ghost-hunting in general actually. the grickverse equivalent of buzzfeed unsolved shows up or smthn.

lynne and sissel have to get yomiel to hack into something for an investigation (for some reason they can't trust any of the normal police guys for this case?) (vague images of lynne showing up at yomiel's doorstep late at night with a pc tower in her arms)

yomiel ends up mentoring kamila in engineering somehow?