Wand, 28 апреля 2017 г., 11:23
Superheroes are a popular aspect of contemporary entertainment culture. Whether one becomes a fan spending hours engrossed in the pages of a comic book or encounters them for the first time at the movie theatre, chances are that the average person knows and loves at least one superhero. Superhero films are almost guaranteed blockbusters. Of the top 100 superheroes films released since 1978, 46 of them grossed over 100 million dollars. (Photo not found) Every human being has an origin story. Every person carries a unique past and experiences that colour their present character and behaviour. In an article for Smithsonian Magazine, Robin Rosenberg argues that it is the origin story that makes superheroes so inspirational. The ways in which the characters respond to their life-changing experiences are what allow viewers to find common ground with and even to identify with superheroes. This is an excellent point, but the source of inspiration goes beyond the origin of the characters. It is inspiring to watch a character cope with adversity by turning it into a strength or a motivator. However, it is more than one life-altering event that makes superheroes so admirable: it is the way they handle the entire scope of life as a human and still end up making the altruistic choices for which they are known. That is what makes audiences fall in love with superheroes. Superheroes are not so different from regular people. Take away their abilities to control fire or teleport and really, they are just like everyone else, struggling to deal with what it is to be a person. Even those who are not technically human cannot escape the realities of humanity. This begins with the origin story, as argued by Rosenberg, but humanity is a consistent theme throughout these films. It is displayed as the heroes deal with emotional influence, vulnerability, and a lack of control over the outcomes of any given situation. An examination of the film characterizations of a variety of superheroes in recent years demonstrates this concept. (Photo not found) Why does it matter? Superheroes, demonstrate that while they have enhanced powers and abilities and can save the world from alien invasions and psychotic killers, they still have to deal with the realities of being a person. In spite of these realities, all of which the audience can relate to, our heroes still make those altruistic choices that everyone would hope to make if presented with the same situations. Moviegoers walk out of the theatre feeling enthralled and inspired. Still, what does it matter if a superhero film leaves the audience feeling inspired? It seems unlikely that we will need to use that inspiration to fight off an imminent alien invasion. Instead, it is important because it builds us up for the little battles we face in our daily lives. If Batman can deal with not being able to save Rachel Dawes, one can certainly survive being stood up for a date. If Superman can sacrifice himself to save everyone on Earth, a football fan can skip watching one game to help a friend in need. And if the Avengers can figure out how to work together long enough to save the world from alien invasion, co-workers who dislike each other can power through a joint project for the sake of the work at hand. Where a viewer finds common ground with a superhero, they find a source of strength, of courage, of inspiration. People walk around wearing Batman shirts, drinking from mugs emblazoned with Captain America’s emblem, collecting little vinyl figurines of their favourite heroes. Doing so reminds them that these heroes deal with the human realities running rampant in their own lives; a comforting thought for many an audience member. (Photo not found) In Batman Begins Thomas Wayne says to his young son, 'Why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves back up.' Regular people go through life falling and picking themselves up without the assistance of any super gadgets, super serum, or supersonic hearing. Every now and then it helps to be reminded that even those called superheroes relate to the struggle. What do you think? Leave a comment. Source: the-artifice.com/why-we-love-superhero-films/
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