I can remember the exact moment when I lost all faith in summer movies.
It was during the final scene of Marvel’s The Avengers, when invading aliens fight against Iron Man, Captain America, and the Hulk; all of whom, it should be noted, remain perfectly unharmed (of course) but who, nonetheless, wreak havoc on a Manhattan city block.
Image via David Moriarty
How perfect, that in the seminal moment in one of the biggest blockbusters in recent memory, the characters literally bust a block.
Coincidence aside, the movie (the third highest grossing film of all time) was about destruction writ large. One expert estimated that the cost of the wreckage in the scene “would top the financial carnage of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the Japanese tsunami,” or about $160 billion. As if our disasters in the real world aren’t good enough.
Our fascination with mass disaster is nothing new of course; American audiences have enjoyed their fair share of destruction (particularly that which takes place in New York City) at least since 1933’s King Kong.
Destruction Movies v. Apocalyptic Movies
“Destruction movie” is my blanket term for the recent trend of movies containing massive scenes (often 3-D) in which cities are torn apart and carnage (both human and infrastructure-related) becomes the focus of the action. Take Battle: Los Angeles, as the perfect example.
The Day After Tomorrow and 2012, on the other hand, while depicting massive destruction, a) use it to explore actual themes rather than destruction itself, and b) couch scenes of wreckage in the obvious message that, because of our treatment of the environment, these outcomes are shockingly possible.
As if the tornado in Oklahoma and Hurricane Sandy weren’t enough, our summer entertainment continues to sink to the depths of a third Iron Man, a second Star Trek, and a third Hangover. The proliferation of “destruction movies” (whether the lavish romp-filled breakage of the Hangover series, or the colossal explosions that define Transformers and its sequels) demonstrates that this formula clearly works for Hollywood. For apocalyptic movies, it’s hard to make a sequel once the world has ended.
Which brings me to this summer. A quick survey of the upcoming films begs just one question: how would you like your destruction served?
Elysium (August 9)
If you enjoy your destruction set in the future, in 2-D, and with a side of Matt Damon, then you’ll love Elysium, a movie from the director, no less, of the ever-so-destructive District 9. Elysium explores human life on the space habitat evidently after our earth has been ravaged. Although earth has already been ruined, from the looks of the trailer there’s still plenty of destruction porn available.
World War Z (June 21)
As it so happens, a relative of mine was marginally involved in the pre-production of World War Z. According to him, it was supposed to be an intelligent, political movie.
A quick glance at the trailer, and it becomes obvious that it didn’t end up that way. Brad Pitt himself says the filming got “bogged down” in politics… not the strongest endorsement from a man who both starred in and produced the movie.
Final verdict: If you want a good zombie movie, watch I Am Legend; if you like political armageddon, stick with Children of Men.
White House Down (June 28)
I’ve always found America’s fascination with the destruction of the White House a little weird, but now it seems I’m not the only who finds the theme strange, particularly the growing number of movies of this kind that come out under Obama’s presidency.
Still, this one looks somewhat enjoyable, and not just because its director, Roland Emmerich, is the king of the disaster movie.
This Is The End (June 12)
This is basically a remake of Pineapple Express, but this time the world gets blazed, instead of James Franco and Seth Rogan. The trailer does look enjoyable, and because it’s parody, this is perhaps the least destructive of the lot.
Instead of avoiding it all together, you merely need to pick and choose your destruction these days. The good old-fashioned escapism of disaster movies has been coupled with new 3D filming methods and given increasingly radical implications (terrorism, technology, etc.) that results in a proliferation of destruction on the silver screen – but it’s almost too much to watch.
Hopefully some of the above will let you navigate the waters of Hollywood and help you figure out whatever floats your boat… or, for that matter, sinks it.
Featured image via This Is the End.
Daniel Marrow (COL ’15) enjoys a good movie. It’s too bad Hollywood doesn’t make them anymore.