In Defence Of The Modern Day Blockbuster

In the wake of Tanya Gold’s article “Why we get the films we deserve” for Stylist magazine – slamming every single modern day blockbuster by saying they’re a part of a “capitalist culture” and we are “dummies” for going to them, I am seething.

I just turned 21 a couple of weeks ago, I’ve spent half of my life watching films either in my living room, bedroom, local multiplex or these-days on an IMAX screen. One could say I’m one of the “dummies” consumed by this “capitalist culture” – studio bosses demographic to shove merchandise down my throat. But does this mean the judgement day of cinema is about to commence?

My own personal answer is no and there are a number of reasons. It’s not revolutionary news to find out that the film business isn’t about artistic integrity but about making money; you have to spend money to make money. This clearly means we’re being overload by sequels and comic book adaptations linked with toy figures and games. We’re in a fractured global financial state meaning Hollywood studio bosses are going to take fewer risks with film projects. That explains the massive escalation of superhero movies – we’ve had four superhero films already this year and I’m willing to bet that you’ve seen at least one of them. 

With the parameters of the superhero genre and franchises, there are a couple of directors that haven’t succumbed to trash quality cinema – Christopher Nolan, David Yates, J.J. Abrams, Matthew Vaughan and Rupert Wyatt to name a few. Batman became a laughing stock after Joel Schumacher made him into a homoerotic, nipple suit wearing superhero in a neon-lit garbage den. But then along came Christopher Nolan who took Batman, from hiding in his bat cave and turned him into a hero full of pathos with an incorruptible – fight-for-your-fellow-man-and-city-attitude. If it weren’t for the billion dollar gross of The Dark Knight, then he wouldn’t have been allowed to make Inception (the best film of 2010).  

Mr. Nolan’s intelligence and realistic approach to a familiar character changed the superhero/reboot genre and the modern day blockbuster. He proved it is possible to create 3D characters, inject intelligence and create some breathtaking action sequences. Recently Rupert Wyatt did the same thing with Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, dumbfounding everyone’s expectations to create a great, intelligent summer blockbuster.

By Ben McCarthy