Is realism always necessary?

Is realism always necessary?

With so many people saying that making a movie more "realistic" makes it good I explore whether this is right!

Editorial Opinion
By er101 - Sep 02, 2011 04:09 PM EST
Filed Under: Other

So many movies try to make movies more "realistic" and make it seem more reality based by toning down either powers or costumes. I can understand that there are some things that will definitely never make it on screen because it is almost visually possible to make it look good like Wolverine's yellow costume but I could see the brown one on screen and most of the X men have had costumes over the years that would look good on screen.

In Fantastic four: Rise of the silver surfer the way they tried to make it more real and tone it down was just shoddy writting, I can buy that there is an alien that is left over from the last universe before ours who has to devour planets to survive, people could buy that to some extent but what they won't buy is a giant storm that has somehow convinced silver surfer to be his herald.

I have give Nolan a little slack because his films are supposedly in the "real" world and he tries to ground things as much as possible. What i can't except is when other films supposidely in the "real" world have mutants with claws who lose their memory when shot with adamantium bullets. If Wolverine was wearing a costume enabaling people to suspend their disbelief that little bit more people could have bought that but because of the "real" world they didn't.

Two of the most unrealistic films also happen to be the most successful. Superman and Spider-man are both obviously fiction yet have become famous world wide. Superman wears a red and blue costume and can even fly around the world so fast he turns time back yet people don't sit there and say "look at him, he looks stupid". Spider-man may have been a little more realistic than superman but he still has webbing that comes out of his wrist and can swing across the city in a matter of minutes.

Being "real" hasn't help these films gain their popularity, it's been the storytelling and sheer quality of the film, I just wish studios like Fox and Sony would realise this. These movies are meant to be fun and not taken that seriously, they are just there to entertain you.

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MaddMonkk
MaddMonkk - 9/2/2011, 4:35 PM
I agree with most of what you are preaching, BUT if we give in to much we'll have fiascos like Batman and Robin, Batman Forever or Ghost Rider. I would love to see Heroes for Hire in a Rush Hour type buddy action flick.
Hellsing
Hellsing - 9/2/2011, 4:37 PM
"realistic", "dark" and "gritty" three of the most over used words in Hollywood
Hellsing
Hellsing - 9/2/2011, 4:38 PM
Sorry but none of the Superhero movies are realistic, theres nothing realistic about a man who dresses up as a bat or man in Iron Suit
SigmaCenturion
SigmaCenturion - 9/2/2011, 5:04 PM
@maddmonkk that was just bad writing and acting. and no respect for the original characters.
Dumegg
Dumegg - 9/2/2011, 5:22 PM
I think you can make a CBM only so realistic.
after all these movies are about superheros.
gods, aliens, mutants and what ever else.
people already suspend belief when superman
flys or shoots lasers out of his eyes, i
don't think they go into these movies thinking
" boy, i hope this movie about a flying alien
stays realistic" lets save the realism for
cop dramas.
SKOne
SKOne - 9/2/2011, 5:23 PM
I think realism is eventually going to be a bad thing. It is good right now, but characters like Batman and Iron Man have too many great villains that are so difficult to explain realistically that translating them ruins what they are all about.
InSpace
InSpace - 9/2/2011, 5:52 PM
There's something Grant Morrison said about Alan Moore and his dark and gritty work on Batman and Supes, it went like:
I don't like that he is bringing real world problems and showing how weak and vulnerable our heroes are. We treat these characters as god's and their stories should be just as epic the character is, that is why i don't break the character but add to the legend and myth of the hero. (put it in my own words
95
95 - 9/2/2011, 6:31 PM
@Hellsing That's exactly right. Nicely said.

These films take place in a world based off our own:
Designed around the notion of, what would happen if a God/Alien/Vigilante existed?

Nolan's Batman is operatic.
Iron Man's in a advanced tech world.
Thor's an inter-dimensional advanced alien who we've mistaken for a God.

After all, "Drama is life with the boring parts cut out" -Albert Hitchcock.
Ironnick
Ironnick - 9/2/2011, 6:53 PM
I agree with Dumegg, you can only make them so realistic.
superbatspiderman
superbatspiderman - 9/2/2011, 7:46 PM
Realism is only good for elieveable characters like Batman, Punisher, and maybe Daredevil but characters like Superman and Thor really can't be realistic even if you tried.
golden123
golden123 - 9/3/2011, 12:36 PM
@SUPERBATSPIDERMAN: Maybey if you went for the original 1938 Superman, then you have a much greater chance of having a more realistic hero. The Superman we all know and love today couldn't be realistic, though.
Minotauro
Minotauro - 9/5/2011, 11:23 AM
Batman & Punisher work well in realism, because it suits them best. There was a time when realism in CBMs was accepted, now they think it's a phase or fad? Make up your mind.
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