Passengers was a movie that left a lot of critics and moviegoers frustrated. For many, it felt like an incredibly promising premise that just didn't quite follow through on what it could have been. However, maybe it could have been something much better, and without a lot of major changes. A new video takes a look at the film, examines what its issues really are, and believes that a great deal could be done to fix the movie's problematic ending by simply reordering most of the existing film.
The basic idea, set up by YouTuber Nerdwriter1, is to make Jennifer Lawrence the focus character of the film and actually open the movie with her waking up. This would allow the audience to try and figure out what's going on along with her, rather than knowing the truth along with Chris Pratt. By doing this, the movie actually opens itself up to more possible endings than were really an option in the original version. Which, in turn, makes the film's finale much easier to swallow. Check out the video below for a more in-depth analysis.
The basic premise of this idea says that in Passengers there were only two possible endings. Chris Pratt's character is redeemed through forgiveness or death. However, by shifting the film's perspective, there isn't necessarily a need to redeem him, and as such, you have the option of making him a true villain or even leaving Jennifer Lawrence's character alone on the ship and pushing her toward making the same terrible decision.
The issue is that Chris Pratt's character in Passengers is designed to be a sympathetic character that the audience relates to and wants to see succeed. However, he also commits an act that can be seen as condemning an innocent person to death. The film's structure requires some form of redemption and the argument here is that either method would be ultimately unsatisfying.
I've got to say, this a very intriguing idea. At the very least this reordering would make the film an interesting mystery, instead of simply having the audience sit and wait for the penny to drop and have Jennifer Lawrence's character discover the truth. The moment that she does is still a powerful one, but it could have been even bigger if the reveal had been for the audience as well.
It's an interesting thought experiment but in the end, Passengers is the movie that it is, whether you like it or not. Although, opinions do change over time and maybe Passengers will be viewed more favorably in the future.
