Prequelitis, for the purposes of this review, refers to a narrative condition often present in movie prequels, where the story is constrained by the need to align with an already established endpoint. This means that the destination and eventual fate of a character are predetermined in a sense, which can put unnatural constraints on the creative freedom of any film. The challenge of prequelitis is to craft a compelling journey that leads to a known outcome, maintaining tension and interest despite the audience’s keen awareness of where the story will ultimately lead. Some do this masterfully (Andor, Better Call Saul) while others get bogged down in plot machinations and narrative clutter (Solo: A Star Wars Story, The Hobbit Trilogy). Both usually involve filling in backstory, explaining character motivations, plenty of franchise Easter Eggs, and setting up plot points that will pay off within this journey and in future storylines, all while maintaining an aesthetic and tonal consistency with its original intellectual property. Read More
