Movies / Features
'The Revenant' Director Calls Film Genre 'Toxic': "It's Really Heading In The Wrong Direction"
Alejandro González Iñárritu has joined Martin Scorsese in criticizing the superhero genre, expressing serious concerns about its impact on cinema.
Despite Marvel and DC having experienced a dip in recent years, it seems that the superhero genre is on the rise again. A new group of Avengers is on the way while James Gunn has made waves with his recent Superman hit. However, a world-renowned director is far from convinced.
The director in question is none other than Alejandro González Iñárritu, known for masterpieces like Birdman and The Revenant. Just like Martin Scorsese, he is not exactly a fan of the superhero spectacle.
The Mexican filmmaker is one of the most popular directors in Hollywood, but he doesn't believe we will see a superhero film from him anytime soon. When he was asked about it, he did not hold back his opinion.
He starts off by saying: "I would truly find that terrible. I find it logical that a 7-year-old kid is focused on superheroes, and keeping the child in you is good, but I do think it’s a disease not to grow up".
Iñárritu continues: "The big studios have Hollywood in a chokehold, wanting to profit from everything related to cinema. If a film costs 100 million dollars but earns 800 million to 1 billion dollars, everyone wants to make it, regardless of whether the story is worthwhile or not".
"However, if you come up with a great script, asking for 20 million dollars, and it might generate 80 million, you’re often told that's way too little. The space for showcasing good and fun films, and original stories is thus disappearing".
While Iñárritu admits that these films can sometimes be quite entertaining, he sees a dangerous undertone: "Sometimes I find them enjoyable because they are basic and simple and go well with popcorn. The problem is that they often claim to be profound, based on something from Greek mythology".
"I always see them as killing people because they don't believe in what you believe, or because they are not who you want them to be. I hate that and I can't relate to those characters. It's pure poison. The audience is overloaded with plot, explosions, and nonsense that speaks nothing about the human experience."
The director in question is none other than Alejandro González Iñárritu, known for masterpieces like Birdman and The Revenant. Just like Martin Scorsese, he is not exactly a fan of the superhero spectacle.
Critique
The Mexican filmmaker is one of the most popular directors in Hollywood, but he doesn't believe we will see a superhero film from him anytime soon. When he was asked about it, he did not hold back his opinion.
He starts off by saying: "I would truly find that terrible. I find it logical that a 7-year-old kid is focused on superheroes, and keeping the child in you is good, but I do think it’s a disease not to grow up".
Hollywood In A Chokehold
Iñárritu continues: "The big studios have Hollywood in a chokehold, wanting to profit from everything related to cinema. If a film costs 100 million dollars but earns 800 million to 1 billion dollars, everyone wants to make it, regardless of whether the story is worthwhile or not".
"However, if you come up with a great script, asking for 20 million dollars, and it might generate 80 million, you’re often told that's way too little. The space for showcasing good and fun films, and original stories is thus disappearing".
Danger
While Iñárritu admits that these films can sometimes be quite entertaining, he sees a dangerous undertone: "Sometimes I find them enjoyable because they are basic and simple and go well with popcorn. The problem is that they often claim to be profound, based on something from Greek mythology".
"I always see them as killing people because they don't believe in what you believe, or because they are not who you want them to be. I hate that and I can't relate to those characters. It's pure poison. The audience is overloaded with plot, explosions, and nonsense that speaks nothing about the human experience."
