Is the new sci-fi epic's spectacle masking weak character motivation?

[Oliver.L]

I just watched the new sci-fi epic that everyone's talking about, and while the visual effects and world-building were undeniably stunning, I left the theater feeling completely disconnected from the characters and their motivations. The plot relied heavily on exposition dumps, and the emotional beats fell flat for me despite the actors' best efforts. I'm curious if others felt the same way, or if the sheer spectacle of the film overshadowed its narrative shortcomings for you—what specific moments worked or didn't work in balancing the grand scale with intimate storytelling?

[MarkZM]

Totally. The visuals and world-building were stunning, but the plot kept leaning on exposition dumps. The emotional moments felt muffled by all the information being dumped on us.

[MilaJ]

I found the balance better in quieter, character-driven moments. When the camera lingered on a character's hesitation or sacrifice, the stakes felt real, while the bigger setup scenes sometimes pulled me out.

[Jerry16]

As a fan of big-scale sci-fi, I appreciated the ambition and the spectacle—the sound design was incredible. Still, the narrative momentum suffered whenever it pivoted to long expository monologues. A tighter edit that trusts the audience to infer some intent would have made the payoff more satisfying. A mid-film choice that tightened the throughline would have helped the finale land.

[Kyle.L]

I actually liked the exposition dumps because they seeded a cohesive universe; without them it could have felt undercooked. The trick is balancing those info-heavy stretches with character dialogue and action that reveal motive rather than spelling it out. Maybe some viewers want more mystery; others want direct resonance.

[AbigailXM]

What specific moments clicked for you, and which plodding parts did you notice? If you rewatch, do you want to try watching with a commentary track or a focus on character arcs to spot where the connections land or miss? Also, would you want to discuss particular performances that carried the emotional weight despite the exposition?