[ThatWriterGuy]

It's hard to disagree with the above.

An excellent and thoughtful review, Andrew (even if you did focus on 'Raven's ass' a little too hard!).

Something I can help illuminate: "Why is the plot nonsensical and the first act a complete, confusing mess?"

Well, the short answer's this: They took the words right out of the script.

And don't get me wrong. It was never great. I had to fight with Jim to even attempt a proper set up for Strat (and - yeah - you hit the nail on the head above with why he doesn't work and exactly how he comes off to a cold audience). He was supposed to be the leader of the pack. He was supposed to be Elvis in Jailhouse Rock. And that was just the background. He was supposed to be so much more. But then came the memo, "less words, more songs". See, in producer-land, more songs = more bums on seats. More dollars. More pounds. More more more more. Less talky. No one comes to these things for the words anyway, right? More hits!!! HITS!!! That's pretty much what happened.

So you're left looking at 'the story' - whatever that is these days - and you can't help seeing it for what it is: a thinly veiled vehicle - no thicker than a skeleton - that only exists as a device to pin songs upon. And nothing else. It's a framework. That's pretty much it. They shot for lowest common denominator ... and that's exactly what they got.

Ah ... when you think about what it coulda-shoulda been!