Sequels, reboots still bring entertainment

By Juan Ibarra/campus editor

Currently you can go to the movies to see “Dumbo,” “Pet Sematary,” and “Hellboy.” Every movie in that list is a remake. There isn’t one original character or plot in these movies.

One might ask “Where did the original movies go?”

In response, I say “Who cares?”

The belief that Hollywood is out of ideas and has been run dry is an empty insult. Take a look at more recent films like “Us” or “Arctic.”

It doesn’t matter if the films are new or surprising. It’s about the level of enjoyment someone can get out of a movie.

Sometimes, I am looking for a fun experience or something that I can sit and enjoy. Not every movie needs to be an original story with something new and revolutionary.

If I want my third or fourth Spider-Man movie, keep them coming. There is still a place for movies that are crafted by influential directors and award-winning teams, however this doesn’t mean every film needs to be “Schindler’s List.”

So, bring on the reboots and sequels. Half of the fun is seeing what ways new artists interpret the familiar characters and storylines.

Disney is a particular offender of this with their most recent live-action efforts. “Beauty and the Beast”, “Dumbo” and “The Lion King” are all essentially the same movies as their cartoon counterparts, but there is something special about seeing it with modern sensibilities.

Sequels, reboots and spinoffs aren’t always going to be anything new or revolutionary.

There are a few outliers for that rule. “Blade Runner 2049,” “The Dark Knight” and “Mad Max: Fury Road” are all examples of films that were critically successful on top of being sequels. These films have been almost instant classics and are highly regarded in their genres as being influential.

The role of sequels and reboots isn’t to reinvent the idea of a film. It is to reinvent what that original movie or series once was. And as long as the production puts its own spin on the product, then there isn’t any problem.