Cole Dawkins

ENC 2135-12
9/17/15

Genre Analysis: Superhero Films

Superhero films have been in the film industry for the past forty years. However, this
genre of films hasnt become relevant until the 21st century. Superhero movies have become a
powerhouse in the film industry for several reasons that all have social, political, monetary, and
other frameworks. These contexts have become increasingly prevalent in the modern world as it
continuously transforms and molds cultures and societies which all contribute to the superhero
genre. These films, however, have been stereotypically categorized into the action blockbuster
genre. While action and violence are a significant part of the genre, superhero films utilize these
characteristics to illuminate social issues and inspire solutions.
A superhero movie is a genre of film that focuses on humans or other worldly beings that
have supernatural or superhuman powers and use them for the common good. These films
usually contain action and violence involving a protagonist and an antagonist. Superhero films
such as Superman feature a great deal of fantasy and sci-fi elements to it while other films such
as Batman or the Green Hornet are more grounded and based around more realistic crime and
crime-fighting skills. While superhero movies seem to be a confined and limited genre of films,
they are actually quite broad and extensive that include diverse characters and plots. This
provides the audience with the ability to relate to the characters whether they fight antagonists on
the streets of New York or on the Planet Krypton.
Many superhero films are based off of comic books and graphic novels which caused the
movies to be made due to the pre-existing fan base. Superhero films emerged in Hollywood in
the 1940s with the likes of Batman, Captain America, and Superman. These films were created

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with the goal of catering to young adults and children who read comic books. While these films
were popular and well received among fans, it wasnt until the movie Superman starring
Christopher Reeves was released in 1978 that superhero films became a major part of Hollywood
cinema. Christopher Reeves made the character Superman (who is a near invincible god) a
relatable character who is much more human than he is alien. The ability of Superman to have
human characteristics and express human emotion inspired the genre to factor these film aspects
into every superhero movie up to present films. The turn of the century brought with it
revolutionary special effects and CGI that caused superhero movies to skyrocket in the film
industry. The first decade of the 21st century produced several movies per year with superheroes
being involved. Movies such as Spiderman, Batman, and Iron Man made box office record
breaking numbers that caused these films and many others to greenlight sequels and even
trilogies. The success of comic book superhero films caused studio executives to create
cinematic universes with multiple movies and various story arcs for these movies including the
Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Cinematic Universe. Superhero films are now the most
popular and dominant genre of movies and continue to rise in popularity, credibility, and
monetary value.
When watching a superhero movie, most fans and viewers enjoy the film for its action, its
violence, and its understandable and sometimes simple plot. However, if you observe the
superhero genre from a different perspective and search for deeper meanings, youll tend to find
more than you expect. The social contexts that superhero films have brought to modern cinema
are vast and diverse as it caters to millions of fans. While most critics credit dramas and indie
films for provoking the audiences beliefs and expanding their acceptance of differing cultures

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and values, superhero movies do virtually the same thing but through a different method. Man of
Steel, for instance, is a movie about Superman and how he is sent to Earth to protect the people
of Earth from evil on their own planet and throughout the universe. If you analyze this movie
through a social and cultural lens however, it can interpreted as a movie representing societys
fear of different cultures coming in and invading their way of living. Superman has godlike
powers that he can either use to become a tyrant or a symbol of hope and prosperity. While many
humans try to destroy Superman, he still persists and fights to preserve harmony. He does this by
using his powers solely for good. Superman shows the audience through example that if he can
live in peace with an entirely foreign culture, then different societies and countries in reality can
live in peace and prosperity with each other as well.
Many superhero films in the past decade have had social contexts that extend beyond the
basic and generic comic book plotline. The Dark Knight Trilogy represents this social
phenomenon perfectly. Although Bruce Wayne is a billionaire playboy that has seemingly had
no hardships in life, he is actually one of the most relatable characters in modern cinema. Many
people can relate to Bruce Wayne due to the pain he suffered as a child and many viewers
understand his need to channel strong emotions. While Bruce Wayne does this by fighting crime
as the Batman, viewers dont find this absurd or unrealistic because they can relate to the
emotions and experiences of Bruce Wayne. The Dark Knight trilogy also gives the genre a fresh
take on what it truly means to be a superhero. This trilogy is an exaggerated representation of the
increased crime rate in America and the lack of police enforcement or protection. Crime in
Gotham city is astronomically high and the police can do nothing to stop it. Due to Bruce
Waynes love for his city, he becomes the Batman to fight crime and bring Gotham out of

Cole Dawkins
ENC 2135-12
9/17/15
poverty and chaos. Bruce Wayne shows that even though he is just a common citizen, he has
been able to do something to help his city rise from the depths of crime and anarchy. This
message can translate to the viewer that average citizens have the capability to help make their
community a better place. While citizens dont have to put on a cape and a mask, the Dark
Knight shows that anyone with motivation and belief can help make their community a better
place.
Politically, superhero films have slowly gained influence on how politics and the
corporate world have been perceived in the eyes of the citizens and voters. Politics have become
a controversial topic in the past decade as liberals and conservatives become more and more
partisan and opinionated against each other. There are many genres of film that address
increasing partisanship but superhero films reflect politics with a fresh and unique narrative
style. For instance, the film Watchmen shows the frustrations America had with the Vietnam War
as one of the subplots. They represent these frustrations through a group of superheroes that fight
in the Vietnam War and perform tasks assigned by the government that are cruel and inhumane
towards Vietnamese soldiers and especially innocent civilians. These superheroes, whether they
think it is right or wrong, perform cruel tasks because they do it as a service to their country.
This comic book movie brings up thought provoking points that questions whether or not our
government should involve our people and our military in foreign affairs. The director and
writers of Watchmen were able to translate real world issues and problems into a multi-layered
plot utilizing deeply complex characters that transcended the typical superhero genre.
Civil Rights issues have been at the forefront of American politics and society since we
became a nation in the 18th century. This controversial issue has become heated in the past fifty

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years and has caused the nation to nearly divide again based upon partisan politics. Many comic
book and superhero films have addressed this issue and tried to bring it into perspective, but
none have made it more relatable than the X-Men franchise. X-Men discusses race relations by
utilizing rhetorical strategies through comic book superheroes and plot. In the franchise, the XMen are a team of mutants that fight evil throughout the world. While this is the main plot point
of most of their movies, the entire franchise focuses more on the relationship between humans
and mutants. This can be seen as a metaphor to represent the constant controversy over race
relations in the United States. As Mikhail Lyubansky, Ph.D. stated there are unmistakable
parallels between Xavier's and Magneto's fight for mutant rights and the U.S. Civil Rights
Movement of the 1960s (Lyubansky). Mutants are seen as a threat to humans and governments
because they are different and abnormal individuals. Much like the fight for African American
rights, Mutants were oppressed because they were different and normal human beings didnt
want them to have basic rights or privileges. Through the leadership of the mutant Charles
Xavier, he paved a path to peace between the human race and the mutant race. Charles Xaviers
non-violent approach to Mutant rights can be paralleled to Martin Luther King Jr. and his
peaceful protests that inspired the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Teaching With Documents: The
Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). Eric Lensherr
(Magneto) is also a mutant that utilizes different tactics to fight for the rights of mutants. Much
like Malcolm X, Magneto uses violent and sometimes dangerous tactics to further the Mutant
cause. While Magneto and Malcolm X had a major influence on their respective causes, they
used questionable and sometimes immoral tactics to achieve their goals. Magneto is further proof
that superhero film characters can parallel historical figures and their movements. Analyzing the

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X-Men franchise and coming to these conclusions reflects the capability of the superhero genre
to incorporate controversial social contexts into their plotlines.
While every superhero film focuses on a specific social problem and seeks to find
a resolution through their individual heroes, all films that fall under this genre succeed in
teaching a greater cultural tolerance. The superhero film genre has an audience of hundreds of
millions of people all around the world. These films have the ability to connect to millions of
people and therefore thousands of cultures as well. Through the adventures and teachings of
Superman, Batman, X-Men, and other superheroes, audiences around the world now understand
that there are many different kinds of people throughout our globe. If superheroes that are
perceived as gods can live among human cultures and learn to love them for their diversity, then
humans can cherish their diverse societies and cultures as well. A diverse world is not something
that people should be ashamed of, but rather what people should cherish and celebrate.
The genre of superhero movies on the exterior appears to be about how superheroes
became super and what they do with their powers. However, if you look at the interior of the
films by observing the characters and plot, these movies are more about how the superheroes
became heroes. As these characters transform into a hero, they undergo adversity and learn
how to use their strengths to do good in the world. Superheroes show the viewer that when
someone goes through adversity, the character that emerges will be a stronger and more
determined person. In Spiderman 2, Aunt May says, I believe there is a hero in all of us that
keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride.
(Mendes) Aunt Mays advice to her nephew Peter Parker (Spiderman) can be interpreted as
advice for everyone whether they have superpowers or not. This quote shows the genres

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capabilities to translate life lessons to a wide audience throughout the world that helps people
perform heroic actions whether they are a superhero or not.
Superhero films have been a major part of the film industry for the past 15 years and have
molded into thought-provoking films. This genre has beckoned a new way of observing and
analyzing what it is like to undergo adversity and come out as a stronger person. Films such as
X-Men, the Dark Knight, Man of Steel, and many others have been able to translate cultural,
political, and individualistic messages to viewers all over the world. Due to the success of this
genre, people all around the world are now more tolerable of diverse cultures and societies due to
their understanding of adversity that many superheroes and normal citizens go through.