Over the past couple of weeks I've watched the classic Back to the Future trilogy, not just for the hell of it, but to re-visit what I think of the films. I wanted to compare what I think of it now to how I thought about the films when I watched them as a kid, and I wanted to think about my opinions of the film compared to the "general consensus". You could argue that my love of cinema stemmed in part from being introduced to the films way back about 15 years ago, so I thought it'd be interesting (for me at least) to think about how my views of the films have changed over those years.
The easiest way to discuss what I think of the films is to first lay out the general consensus of the three films held by fans and critics, or at least what I see it to be. The first film is considered to be the superior film in terms of cinematic quality. It's got a strong script, great cast, is well produced, and the attention to detail is spot on. The second film, while not quite as strong cinematically, is a favourite of many fans because it explores the future and the darker sides of time travel. The third film is considered to be the weakest of the three.
As a kid, I certainly didn't agree with that at all, although admittedly at the time I didn't know what the consensus was. The first time I ever saw the first film, I was actually somewhat disappointed, not because I thought it was a bad film but because I had different expectations for it. The way it had been described and "sold" to me wasn't quite the film I saw on the screen. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it enough to be interested in watching the next two films. I enjoyed the second film much more than the first, because it added to the layers of what went on during the first film, and the third film became my favourite of the three because things seemed to move at a faster pace.
As a kid, I wasn't so much interested in the subtleties and thematic explorations of the plot as I was the cool attention to detail that the film-makers had thrown in, such as the little things that change in the present because of actions in the past. I guess I was too young to appreciate the films for their full cinematic merit, and instead got my kicks out of the call-backs and references to events that had occurred in previous films. The third film especially played with the running gags that had been established in the first two films and the changes to the present seemed to be much more at the forefront in the third film.
Now, however, I still don't agree with the critics and fans because I hold all three films in equal regard. The first film is easy to appreciate as a cinematic classic, and now the subtleties and humour aren't lost on my young mind. I still enjoy the second film for the same reasons - I love the way it expertly takes the events of the first film and adds upon them in the way only time travel can. I like the third film because it's actually, in my opinion, the funniest of the three and a pretty good light-hearted Western to boot. I also appreciate things throughout all three films, like the iconic score.
On top of that, I think that despite what everyone says about the third film not being about time travel, it actually just explores it in a more subtle fashion. It's not just the second film that fully explores the dangers of time travel - they all do, but in different ways. The first film explores the dangers of screwing up the past too much by interfering with established events, willingly or not. It also touches on how small changes can have big consequences in the present. The second film, as some people say, is about the darker side of time travel - which in my view is not "using future knowledge for financial gain", but more generally knowing too much about the future. Doc touches on this subject in all three films (he mentions once or twice that he knows too much about his own future), but it is most prominently explored here.
The third film, despite what people say, is about another dangerous aspect of time travel, which is the emotional toll. The romance between Doc and Clara explores the dangers and pitfalls of falling in love with someone who is not from your own time. You could also argue that the actions of Marty also demonstrate the toll that time travel plays on friendships and the risks it makes us take. Rather than head back to 1985, he chooses to travel back to 1885 to save Doc and risk screwing up time even more because he simply doesn't want Doc to get shot. But knowing the risks of time travel, is that the wisest choice? I think it is somewhat unfairly maligned by some people who seem to look past this aspect.
All that being said, what this little experiment proved to me was that they are expertly made family films. There's plenty to enjoy here as a kid, particularly when you learn about the attention to detail the film makers made sure to include. However, there's a lot more depth in the films for adults as well. It's not essential to enjoy the film, but it means that the whole family can enjoy the film on different levels and in different ways. It's easy to see why these films have become classics.
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