ChatGPT does Indiana Jones

Using my prompt, the generative artificial intelligence program composes a scene in which Indiana Jones fights with Nazi crew members aboard a German plane armed with a secret weapon: the world’s first atom bomb.

This week, I’m going to explore generative A.I. with a series of prompts to see what comes of it. Here are some previous attempts:

ChatGPT does David Lynch

ChatGPT does a stoner movie scene

Today’s prompt:

Write an action scene in screenplay form in which our hero, Indiana Jones, fights with Nazi crew members of a German plane which is airborne. Its target? London. It is minutes, even seconds away. The plane carries a secret weapon: the world’s first atom bomb. In this scene, Indiana engages in hand to hand combat with three Nazi soldiers in an attempt to stop the plane from delivering the bomb and killing millions of civilians in London.

Here is the scene ChatGPT produced:

INT. GERMAN PLANE — COCKPIT — DAY

Indiana Jones bursts into the cockpit, sweat dripping down his forehead. The pilots, startled, turn towards him.

INDIANA JONES (intense) I won’t let you destroy London!

The pilots exchange glances, determination flickering in their eyes. They lunge at Indiana, fists raised.

INT. GERMAN PLANE — MAIN CABIN — DAY

Indiana engages in a brutal hand-to-hand combat with the first Nazi crew member. The plane trembles and sways, adding an extra challenge to their fight. Indiana swiftly dodges punches and delivers powerful strikes of his own. With a final blow, he sends the Nazi crashing through a nearby storage compartment.

INT. GERMAN PLANE — HALLWAY — DAY

Indiana races down the narrow hallway, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He spots the second Nazi crew member reloading a submachine gun, his finger twitching on the trigger.

INDIANA JONES (shouting) Not this time!

Indiana dives towards the Nazi, tackling him to the ground just as he pulls the trigger. The bullets whiz harmlessly past them as they roll and grapple for control. Indiana manages to disarm the Nazi, but not before taking a glancing blow to his shoulder.

INT. GERMAN PLANE — CARGO BAY — DAY

Indiana bursts into the cargo bay, sweat-soaked and bloodied. He finds himself face-to-face with the third and final Nazi crew member, a towering figure with a menacing grin.

They circle each other, the hum of the engines drowning out the tension. The Nazi swings a heavy fist, but Indiana ducks and counters with a lightning-fast series of strikes. Each blow lands with precision, but the Nazi shrugs them off, fueled by his fanatical allegiance.

With a fierce yell, Indiana sweeps the Nazi’s legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the floor. Indiana seizes the opportunity, driving his knee into the Nazi’s chest, winding him. Gasping for air, the Nazi reaches for a hidden blade tucked into his boot.

Indiana’s eyes widen as he spots the blade glinting in the dim light. With a surge of strength, he pins the Nazi’s arm to the floor, fighting against the knife’s descent. The struggle intensifies, the blade inching closer to Indiana’s throat.

Finally, with a mighty push, Indiana overpowers the Nazi, knocking the blade aside. He delivers a powerful blow that renders the Nazi unconscious.

INT. GERMAN PLANE — COCKPIT — DAY

Indiana storms back into the cockpit, the wound on his shoulder bleeding profusely. He approaches the controls, determination etched on his face.

INDIANA JONES (gritted teeth) Not on my watch.

Indiana expertly manipulates the controls, diverting the plane from its course. He frantically searches for a safe location to land the plane and disarm the atom bomb.

EXT. SKY — DAY

The German plane veers off course, disappearing into the distance. London, still unaware of the imminent danger, remains shrouded in a serene calm.

FADE OUT.

First off, I despise the parentheticals. They are useless and I’m sure Harrison Ford would red-line them from his script.

I’m sure he’d cut the actual lines of dialogue which come across as hackneyed.

The action description is overwritten and overwrought.

The one thing the scene does have is a series of complications Indiana has to overcome, one after the other.

Besides that, the scene provides no unique sparkle and lots of cliché moments.

I rewrote the prompt to try to get some decent, even comedic lines from Indiana Jones:

Write an action scene in screenplay form in which our hero, Indiana Jones, fights with Nazi crew members of a German plane which is airborne. Its target? London. It is minutes, even seconds away. The plane carries a secret weapon: the world’s first atom bomb. In this scene, Indiana engages in hand to hand combat with three Nazi soldiers in an attempt to stop the plane from delivering the bomb and killing millions of civilians in London. Give Indiana some sarcastic one-line put downs of the enemy German airmen.

This is version #2 of ChatGPT’s attempt to write a scene.

INT. GERMAN PLANE — MAIN CABIN — DAY

Indiana Jones bursts into the main cabin, sweat glistening on his brow. He locks eyes with three Nazi crew members, grim determination etched across his face. The plane rattles as it hurtles towards London, seconds away from catastrophe.

INDIANA JONES (smirking) Well, well, looks like the Luftwaffe sent their best and brightest.

The Nazis exchange glances, anger flickering in their eyes. They lunge at Indiana, fists raised.

INT. GERMAN PLANE — MAIN CABIN — CONTINUOUS

Indiana deftly dodges punches and counters with precision strikes. He skillfully uses his surroundings, leveraging against seats and overhead compartments to gain the upper hand.

INDIANA JONES (mockingly) You fellas should stick to flying, ’cause this fighting thing? Not your strong suit.

Indiana delivers a swift roundhouse kick, sending one Nazi flying into a row of seats. He quickly dispatches the second Nazi with a powerful uppercut.

INDIANA JONES (chuckling) I bet your mothers are proud of their little stormtroopers.

The remaining Nazi, seething with anger, charges at Indiana. They engage in a fierce brawl, each landing blows and blocking strikes. Indiana’s agility and experience give him the upper hand.

INDIANA JONES (grinning) You’re about as intimidating as a schnitzel. Indiana swiftly maneuvers, disarming the Nazi and delivering a finishing blow that sends him crashing to the floor.

INT. GERMAN PLANE — COCKPIT — DAY

Indiana storms into the cockpit, blood pumping through his veins. The pilots turn to face him, their expressions a mix of surprise and fury.

INDIANA JONES (smugly) Sorry, boys, but your flight has been… canceled.

Indiana swiftly incapacitates the pilots, ensuring they can no longer control the plane.

INT. GERMAN PLANE — MAIN CABIN — DAY

With the Nazi crew members defeated, Indiana makes his way back to the main cabin. He spots the ticking bomb, its countdown nearing its end.

INDIANA JONES (grinning) Well, it looks like I have a bomb to defuse. The Nazis can’t even get that right.

Indiana begins his race against time, methodically disarming the bomb with expert precision. FADE OUT.

What is ChatGPTs obsession with parentheticals?

On the other hand, the A.I. really did try to give the Indiana character some humorous lines. In fact, this one — “Sorry, boys, but your flight has been… cancelled” — reminds of this one from the movie The Fugitive:

That said, the dialogue feels like an 80s action movie starring Steven Seagall … and I don’t mean that as a compliment.

A final prompt variation:

Write an action scene in screenplay form in which our hero, Indiana Jones, fights with Nazi crew members of a German plane which is airborne. Its target? London. It is minutes, even seconds away. The plane carries a secret weapon: the world’s first atom bomb. In this scene, Indiana engages in hand to hand combat with three Nazi soldiers in an attempt to stop the plane from delivering the bomb and killing millions of civilians in London. Give Indiana some sarcastic one-line put downs of the enemy German airmen. At the end, Marion Ravenwood shows up out of nowhere and saves the day.

Here is Version #3 of an Indiana Jones scene:

INT. GERMAN PLANE — MAIN CABIN — DAY

Indiana Jones bursts into the main cabin, sweat streaming down his face. He locks eyes with three Nazi crew members, their uniforms crisp and their expressions filled with malevolence. The plane rumbles as it races towards London, its deadly payload drawing nearer with each passing second.

INDIANA JONES (raising an eyebrow) Oh, look who’s here. The Luftwaffe’s finest? I must say, I’m underwhelmed.

The Nazis exchange furious glances, their fists clenching tighter. They charge at Indiana, fueled by their fanatic loyalty.

INT. GERMAN PLANE — MAIN CABIN — CONTINUOUS

Indiana deftly evades punches and counters with swift, calculated strikes. He maneuvers through the cabin, using every opportunity to gain an advantage.

INDIANA JONES (sarcastically) You fellas sure know how to fly, but when it comes to fisticuffs, it’s like watching a zeppelin crash.

Indiana delivers a powerful roundhouse kick, sending one Nazi sprawling into a row of seats. He quickly dispatches the second Nazi with a well-placed jab.

INDIANA JONES (smirking) I bet your mothers are proud, raising little cogs in the Nazi war machine.

The remaining Nazi, seething with rage, charges at Indiana. They engage in a fierce duel, trading blows and parrying strikes. Indiana’s experience and agility grant him the upper hand.

INDIANA JONES (grinning) You know, for Hitler’s finest, you’re about as frightening as a dachshund in a uniform.

Indiana deftly disarms the Nazi and delivers a finishing blow, leaving him crumpled on the floor.

INT. GERMAN PLANE — COCKPIT — DAY

Indiana storms into the cockpit, his determination unwavering. The pilots turn, surprise and anger flashing across their faces.

INDIANA JONES (cockily) Gentlemen, your flight’s about to take an unexpected detour.

Indiana swiftly incapacitates the pilots, ensuring they can no longer control the plane.

INT. GERMAN PLANE — MAIN CABIN — DAY

With the Nazi crew members defeated, Indiana returns to the main cabin. Suddenly, out of nowhere, MARION RAVENWOOD bursts in, her eyes blazing with determination.

MARION RAVENWOOD (with a smirk) Looks like you could use a hand, Jones. Don’t worry, I’ve got your back.

Marion jumps into the fray, skillfully taking on the remaining enemies with a combination of wit and strength. Together, Indiana and Marion fight side by side, a formidable team against the backdrop of impending disaster.

INT. GERMAN PLANE — MAIN CABIN — CONTINUOUS

INDIANA JONES (grinning at Marion) Good timing, as always. You know, I’d almost started to miss these life-or-death situations.

MARION RAVENWOOD (mockingly) Oh, come on, Jones. You love the thrill almost as much as you love your dusty artifacts.

They continue their swift assault, overpowering the enemy with their combined skills. With one final coordinated effort, Indiana and Marion incapacitate the last Nazi crew member.

INT. GERMAN PLANE — COCKPIT — DAY

Indiana and Marion, victorious, make their way to the cockpit. Together, they work quickly to change the plane’s course and disarm the bomb.

FADE OUT.

I have to say I did laugh at this scene … but for the wrong reasons. I mean…

You know, for Hitler’s finest, you’re about as frightening as a dachshund in a uniform.

Seriously?!?

And again, the obsession with parentheticals. I wonder what “how to” screenwriting book, after being “ingested” by A.I. technology, caused ChatGPT to think: screenplay = parenthetical.

Once again, I am underwhelmed by ChatGPT’s ability to craft quality scenes. Come back and ask me again in about six months after open source gets hold of the code and advances the new tech in exponential manner.

What are your thoughts on how ChatGPT?

Come back tomorrow where I’ll present another screenwriting prompt.