Is anyone else sick of "reality" in super hero movies?

[K.B.]

Because I know I am. It's such a lame excuse for the directors and producers to use to make a "legitimate" film. It dosen't work in Batman Begins et all because the "reality" is in the charecters. Thats why Spider-Man,1+2, x-men 1+2, and the first 2 supermans work.
Whatever happened to fantasy in movies?

 

[The Kid]

It's like you somehow shrunk yourself, then shrunk a drilling machine car thing, and then drilled into my brain with it to suck out my thoughts and post them on this page.

AMEN.

It's the joy of cinema, escaping reality for a while.

Try to make fantasy real and it becomes bland in my opinion. If spidey can build some neato sci fi gadget that helps him fight crime, SO BE IT.

 

[blind_fury]

I love surrealism in my superhero movies. What I don't like is stupid, nonsensical crap like Superman rebuilding the China Wall by just thinking about it or Batman having bat-skates in "Batman and Robin"..

 

[blind_fury]

It's like you somehow shrunk yourself, then shrunk a drilling machine car thing, and then drilled into my brain with it to suck out my thoughts and post them on this page.

AMEN.

It's the joy of cinema, escaping reality for a while.

Try to make fantasy real and it becomes bland in my opinion. If spidey can build some neato sci fi gadget that helps him fight crime, SO BE IT.

Yeah. Sandman is the best thing about about the Spider-man 3 trailer and there's so little realism you'd think you were looking at the comic books.

 

[3dman27]

a little more fantasy in our superhero flicks please

 

[toddly6666]

This is why WATCHMEN is going to kick ass! If they stick to the book, the following fantasy elements are going to make it sweet:
1. Dr. Manhattan character and his storyline
2. the destructive creature at the climax
3. a 1980s period movie (haven't seen a good one since American Pyscho)

Also, for some reason, whenever I see the trailer to the fantasy/romantic drama THE FOUNTAIN, it reminds me of how good WATCHMEN could and will be.

 

[GL1]

I'm sick of reality as an excuse, we ALL want some reality in our comic books, one of the reasons why Spider-Man is more popular than Superman... and while I appreciate things like the Ultimate Universe, a lot of Hollywood is under the impression that we need hard science to tell a good story, and that's simply not true.

 

[K.B.]

While I feel the same way about The fountain when I watch the trailer, I still have major doubts about the forthcoming Watchmen film.
I really don't know why they keep trying to put this lame "reality" excuse on the fans and general public. My guess is that they are ashamed of making a "super hero" movie so they try to "legitimize" it to themselves.
And Avi Arad's promise to only put "top notch talent" on marvel projects..wow how long did that last?

 

[Dr. Fate]

Depends on the "reality" I guess. If by "reality" they mean "angst" well that I can do without. I'll never say no to realistic special effects, but when I go into a film full of fantastical characters like Superman, I want me some damn good outlandish fantasy style madness.

 

[CConn]

I'm more sick of the fans who take a director's idea of "realism" and completely blow it out of proportion.

Also, I only understood half of what the original post said.

 

[cryptic name]

batman begins, the first 2 x-men, and the spider-man, and the first blade films are the only great comic book films from the late 90's to now, and that is because they are able to relate fantasy in a realistic way. realism should be put to use more often.

 

[chosen1]

The only aspect of reality I'm sick of is the heroes strength or power level. Now in most cases they try to sell it as science I don't like that. Batman Begins was the best comic book movie ever. Now some are aguing it maybe too real.

I love the Reality aspect of the Rest of the world themes. Government law enforcement, etc. Those things make the film great. The only problem with the reality aspect is that it might take away appeal favorites from certain comic book characters. Example Ra's al Ghul in batman begins is very unlikely to be an immortal because of the realism direction the movies are taking.

 

[terry78]

I think people are afraid of their movie becoming the next Batman and Robin. Anytime someone suggests a trait from the books is added to the movie, immediate cries of, "keep it in reality, we don't want another Batman and Robin!" echo from the rooftops. And directors always give the, "we want to keep this reality based, so as to say, what if this character was real?" They know Schumacer's history with the Bat, and don't want to follow suit.

 

[Majik1387]

I'm sick of reality as an excuse, we ALL want some reality in our comic books, one of the reasons why Spider-Man is more popular than Superman... and while I appreciate things like the Ultimate Universe, a lot of Hollywood is under the impression that we need hard science to tell a good story, and that's simply not true.

I agree entirely with this.

 

[K.B.]

While I wouldn't say Batman Begins is the best comic movie ever I would site it as an example of them trying to use the "reality" excuse.
I think what makes the charecters more real isn't "what if someone really had super powers" , its more in how these people are portrayed. Thats why people love the spider-man movies or a better example, Donners Superman.
If you can believe in Clark Kent then you will believe a man can fly.

 

[3dman27]

Depends on the "reality" I guess. If by "reality" they mean "angst" well that I can do without. I'll never say no to realistic special effects, but when I go into a film full of fantastical characters like Superman, I want me some damn good outlandish fantasy style madness.

same here

 

[blind_fury]

Are the Original Star Wars movies more realistic than the prequels or are they simply better executed fantasies.

 

[K.B.]

The originals (and I don't mean this reissue b.s.) are better because yuo care about whats going on. The new ones you got lost in the cgi and all around car crash of the stroy.
I think Peter Jacksons King Kong is anothe good example of how to make these types of movies the right way.
Perhaps it's in taking the materiel seriously, and I dont mean in the way they have been I mean in the way of "these charecters have been around 60+ years sol ets approch it the same way we would Shakespere".
(and I know folks will harp on me comparing spidey to shakespere)
But what I'm saying is when Rami went about making spider-man he thought to himself "what works about these charecters? why have they lasted this long? why do I like them/want to do this project?" the same way say, Kenneth Braughna would approch adapting a Shakespere play.

 

[November Rain]

er...

A strong reality foundation makes for greater fantasy to be told.

The more reality the better, fantasty is just a scapegoat for bad story telling.

 

[K.B.]

the Indiana Jones trilogy
the original Star wars trilogiy
king kong
the lotr triliogy
the back to the future triliogy
close encounters of the third kind
e.t.
goonies
jaws
ghostbusters 1 and 2
spider-man 1 and 2
superman 1 and 2
x-men 1and 2


Your saying all those movies suck becasue "fantasy is a scapegoat for bad storytelling"?

 

[November Rain]

yeah, you gotta problem with that

 

[blind_fury]

Nice counter-aurgument.

 

[November Rain]

truth be told there are dodgy writing elements in the majority of those films, some don't need to be taken seriously as they are comedies and the rest are representations of the time era they were set in which in today's standard may come across as perhaps a lil cheesy but worked fine at the time.

but i thought my first response pretty much summed that up...

 

[3dman27]

i figure the fantasy/ reality ratio should be 50/50 in superherofilms

 

[Dr. Fate]

The originals (and I don't mean this reissue b.s.) are better because you care about whats going on. The new ones you got lost in the cgi and all around car crash of the story.

Damn right KB!