[BLOG] Cliche, I mean Movie Time
TiberiusLazarus
Icrontian
In the realm of Hollywood films certain cinematic situations have presented themselves in what most of us know as cliches. These are the things that we have learned to accept will be in the movies we watch. In chick flicks, the girl always gets the guy who is perfect for her. In horror films, no more than two people will escape, and usually these people are the guy and girl that have developed a little romance along the way. But the one that annoys me the most (probably because this is the major genre of movie I watch) is one that is prevalent in most action movies.
Picture the hero character; strong of mind and/or body, cocky, badass. Now picture the villain; what-a-dick. At some point in the movie these two will meet and have their major battle. In the beginning the hero will have the upper hand and it looks like he will get away with a quick victory. Oh, but wait! The villain suddenly pulls out his ace in the hole or just finally begins to try.
Now the hero is getting pummeled. He's going to lose!?!?!!? Nope. After getting hit a few times, its the hero's turn to turn the tide of the battle and pull the victory out and save the city/country/world/galaxy.
Why is this such a popular movie mechanic? This cliche is clearly visible in many major movies (see the Matrix trilogy, the Rocky series, and the Blade trilogy.) Sure it creates a little will he lose or will he win suspense, but after seeing it 9000 times, the 9001st time you can kind of guess what is going to happen. Is the movie industry seriously at such a low point that it can't even refrain from using one of these cliches in each new movie? And why do we continuously allow ourselves to have movies that contain them shoved down our throats?
Picture the hero character; strong of mind and/or body, cocky, badass. Now picture the villain; what-a-dick. At some point in the movie these two will meet and have their major battle. In the beginning the hero will have the upper hand and it looks like he will get away with a quick victory. Oh, but wait! The villain suddenly pulls out his ace in the hole or just finally begins to try.
Now the hero is getting pummeled. He's going to lose!?!?!!? Nope. After getting hit a few times, its the hero's turn to turn the tide of the battle and pull the victory out and save the city/country/world/galaxy.
Why is this such a popular movie mechanic? This cliche is clearly visible in many major movies (see the Matrix trilogy, the Rocky series, and the Blade trilogy.) Sure it creates a little will he lose or will he win suspense, but after seeing it 9000 times, the 9001st time you can kind of guess what is going to happen. Is the movie industry seriously at such a low point that it can't even refrain from using one of these cliches in each new movie? And why do we continuously allow ourselves to have movies that contain them shoved down our throats?
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Comments
This unfortunately means that most non-mainstream works never make the money they should. They simply don't have the audience needed.
The most hilarious "hollywood" movie of recent times to challenge that idealism was "aliens vs predator - requiem". Not only did the heroes girl get killed half way through, the movie makers went against all the usual cliches for the hell of it. Yes, it's a goddamn awful movie but I like the style.