Snotty. Smart. Bull-headed. Know-it-all.
Movies love that kind of person as a villain.
Spoiler Alert.
I was reminded of what a great villain Steve Jobs could be while watching the new animated movie, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2."
Didn't like the movie much. But it's probably my fault because I haven't seen the original "Cloudy," so I have no idea who all the beloved recurring characters are. I will admit that "Cloudy 2" has some good jokes, but on the whole, I didn't like it.
The main character -- Flint Lockwood -- is an inventor who idolizes an established inventor -- Chester V.
Chester V. is a charismatic cult leader who happens to run a big company of worshipful inventors. Chester is always smiling, always spouting catchphrases and he moves gracefully. His hands are often pressed together in a prayerful pose. He glides around as if he's actually floating. He's otherworldly. The animators did a great job with his moves.
He's a total Steve Jobs character.
Turns out he's a villain!
Flint Lockwood's dreams are crushed!
Anyway, Chester rallies the employees like Steve Jobs did and he behaves like I would think Steve Jobs behaved, but his face looks like Walt Mossberg. Which is -- interesting because Mossberg, though his tech and computer writings at the Wall Street Journal, has long been a supporter of Steve Jobs' computer company, Apple.
I have to say that I like the way Chester V is designed.
Back when Jobs was alive, another movie used him as a prototype. The Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, "The 6th Day" is about clones in the near future. I actually really enjoyed the wacky future tech in this movie. The helicopters and cars are a lot of fun. The respawning bad guys are frightening and funny.
The big, evil cloning corporation is run by Michael Drucker, played by Tony Goldwyn. A Steve Jobs character. But since Jobs was still alive and kicking when the film was made, the filmmakers decided to make him look like Steve Jobs. The character is a terrible, awful person. It's a fun movie.
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