Top 11 fanboy movie franchises of the millennium |
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Some films develop fan-bases not necessarily because they are good but also through their marketing finesses, timing of release and structure aimed at target audiences. They aren't really bad but not much good too. Hence today we are counting down film franchises of the present millennium that owe their success to fan-boys and nerds (and also the above factors). The ranks are based on a combination of popularity, quality and gross earnings.
NOTE:
- Star Wars prequels are not part of this list because they are but prequels and in line with the original trilogy. Star Trek is a part because it is a reboot.
- Harry Potter series is also not included because, for most of them, they were thematically superior to these and part of the thoughtful cinema.
- The Dark Knight and Lord of the rings trilogies are way too superior in every way and hence they too are excluded. That's because they really are part of serious and intelligent cinema unlike those that are part of this list
#11- Fantastic Four:
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Taken that superhero films are not really supposed to be thoughtful and intelligent but this franchise crossed lines with all aspects of movie making. Still, $600 million it is.
#10- Transformers:
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The first one was fine, but what followed was an endless waste of footage rutted with explosions, noise, rattling and Shia LaBeouf's stuttering. Some films lay waste to the incredible gift of CGI to cinema. But Hey! $3.7 Billion it is.
#9-Hulk
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What a justified theme can do to a Comic book movie is exemplified by 'Hulk'. What happens when ultimate power becomes a curse? What are the consequences of meddling with the powers of the nature and what is the folly of the human race with its mad ego of overcoming it? Hulk answered all this with a subtlety we liked and a hero we loved.
#8- Star trek:
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With a pre-established fan following, Star Trek reboot was good for what it was. Although it did not try anything different and played along the lines of the tested formula, the reboot proved to be effective enough in displaying the space opera with sound and visual effects far superior than its previous times. We knew the tour spots, but we loved the ride.
#7-Fast and the furious:
#6- X-Men:
#2-Iron man:
#1- Spider Man:
With 7 films now, this franchise has had only one formula: furious people driving fast cars. Set in a world without any rules, the franchise produces speedy car chases to drool over and doesn't really get serious until Fast-6 with Dwayne Johnson. As long as money comes, it will keep refuelling them.
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Forget 'The Last Stand'. Here was one franchise that first proved how comic-book films can be totally cool and awesome. Thanks to some pretty good actors in the cast and a pillar in the form of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, the X-Men has gone a long way from the present to prequel to present to prequel and finally the future-prequel- all but one awesome to watch.
#5- Captain America:
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Although lower in popularity than Iron man, Captain America: The Winter Soldier marked the highest point of Marvel films in terms of quality. For once, Captain America provided refuge from the unthinking noisiness of the comic film genre. In the attempt of spurting out one movie after another in order to launch 'The Avengers' , Marvels finally took a seat back and focussed on the story and dimensions of the movie. The result of this was super-awesome.
#4-Pirates of the Caribbean:
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Good actors can make for a film even in the dirt and filth of strange seas. As often the case, the first one was classy, with a definite story-line and character development. Then they got over-confident and threw in hoards of people with Johnny Depp at the centre to sail them to the shores. Depp however was competent enough to do so and the trilogy (#4 was something else for me) was a successful and cool story.
#3-The Avengers:
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It was fun. It was kickass. And it was simple. When you try to depict a potential danger to the whole world but are centered only on Manhattan, it shows an inherent inability of direction and the understanding of trying to make up with what you have got. With cliches and banal subjects to hold the film in place, The Avengers actually succeeded in covering up for them with an explosive finale. What's more in the house would be known with the upcoming sequal.
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The First was plain awesome, the second was as bad as any and the third was just Okay. The major reason why it is at such a high spot is because of the perception that Iron man's character has created in the minds of the people and because of the excellence of the first movie. It was a comeback by Robert Downey Jr. like few have given, although he did not care to act good after that, but for the fans, once was good enough.
#1- Spider Man:
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And I am talking about the Sam Raimi-Tobey Maguire trilogy only. The love and care for the super-heroes that the comics drove were recreated in the real sense by this awe-inspiring franchise and the second film in the series was simply the cherry on the cake. Although it went a bit astray in the third, it made up for it in the climax resulting in a trilogy that was fantastic yet close to heart.
Bandwidth Verdict: It is debatable what kind of films should be the real goal of Cinema. Still, if it is naive but harmless and some fun, it is worth the watch. Right?
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