Introduction
Superhero movies have in the recent years dominated the box office with an increasing number of viewers willing to embrace the films. The recent advancements in technology could be possibly attributed to the phenomenon since film makers have been able to apply the required super hero effects on the movie casts and pull the effects off in the appropriate way. The unique cinematic techniques attract the attention of most viewers who are then influenced by the message passed across by the films. The massive surge of comic book lovers could also be attributed to the growing demand for superhero movies. Superheroes are to a large extent believed to be champions of the oppressed by helping the common people in need to overcome their social and economic problem. The movies paint the true reflection of realism, violence and moral ambiguity in the society which then provide social scientists with the opportunity to come up with policies focused on restoring peace and justice in the society. For this paper, I am going to explore the significance of the X Men film, and argue that the X Men film tap into social anxieties about oppression of humanity on the basis of cultural differences.
Description of superhero movies
Superhero movies are focused on the fact that individuals have unique superhuman capabilities that are beyond the abilities of a normal human being. The unique abilities are targeted towards protecting the society from events that could interfere with welfare of the masses. The superhero movies are an ingredient of action, fantasy and scientific fictions whose growth is attributed to the increasing copies of comic books and technological advancements. The social and political environment in the Western society has also led to increased popularity of superhero movies. The presence of superhero movies have inspired generations of viewers and readers since they address the various issues affecting individuals at personal, political and economic level. Superheroes usually have special identities and often put on unique costumes with appearance that depict super heroism in the actors. Possession of supernatural powers is key attribute of superheroes who have superior physical abilities including mental skills, super eyesight and invulnerable to adverse situations. In most cases, the unique abilities of superheroes are accompanied by accessories that have additional special powers to help individuals overcome hurdles. While, super hero movies are not new in the film industry since there were early works such as Flash Gordon and Phantom that were mainly newspaper comic strips. Super hero films therefore play the role of engaging viewers and readers to develop insights on how they could make the future sustainable by shifting ways from barriers that limit integrations of people from different ethnic groups and individuals with different socio-economic capacities.
Impact of superhero movies in the society
Superheroes play a critical role in the society with focus on the need to ensure that the society is a habitable place currently and in the future. Many super hero movies depict the actors with super human abilities as champions for the oppressed with the aim of helping everyone who is in need of social justice. With rising cases of social injustices since the Second World War, superheroes paint the picture of individuals with the ability to fight for the well-being of the society and ensure that in the long run, the authorities are focused on improving the welfare of everyone. Superheroes live with the reality of violence and moral ambiguity such that viewers could gain the insight on how they could adhere to ethical considerations when dealing with fellow human beings. Cinematic techniques and reliance on symbolism in the super hero movies are key to making viewers see the real message passed across in the super hero movies.
X-Men for instance relies on actors with multicultural identities to signify the need to address oppression of mutants and that of the marginalized societies. The X –Men are hated, feared and despised for the reasons that they are mutants thereby showing the kind of racism and prejudice that is prevalent in the modern society. The movie therefore clearly shows the kind of real world forms of racism that exist in the modern society with higher cases of segregation among it harder for the minority communities to cope with oppression targeted at them. Mob violence and hateful slogans against minority groups have for long persisted across the world which create barriers and limit successful integration of individuals from different cultural groups. Therefore, in spite of the fact that the minority groups could have highest levels of competence compared to the majority populations, stereotypes associated with them limit their ability to access opportunities thereby leading to deprivation of basic human rights.
Superhero movies like X-Men show how oppressed groups lack the physical force and political power to prevent the oppressive attitude targeted against them. The situation reflected in the superhero movies is therefore a true reflection of the events in the real world scenario which then makes human beings to be accountable for forms of oppression on their fellow humans. A society needs to have the kind of peace that is required from a civilized society by departing from events that limit inclusivity in the society. Super hero films play the role of engaging viewers and readers from different ages and making them learn of the ways in which negative social issues such as crime and discrimination could be eliminated. The movies also pave way for policies to be formulated and implemented by those in authority and social scientists who focus on making the society a better place to live in.
Conclusion
The increasing number of comic books and the fact that the film industry continues to be transformed through technology has led to more superhero movies. However, the super hero movies come with lessons that could be used by individuals and groups in the society to control cultural and personal issues that have effect on the well-being of the society. Through advanced cinematic techniques and heavy use of symbolism in the films, viewers are made to identify the need for them to do good and influence other society members to follow in their steps to make the world a better place presently and in the future. The case of X-Men film proves the extent to which the super hero movies advocate for the rights of the oppressed and ways in which everyone could be brought together to stop forms of violence against fellow humanities. The movies provide a chance for authorities and social scientists to come up with way through which the society could be influenced to adopt positive attitude and accommodate each other in spite of differences in ethnic belonging and economic endowment.
Works Cited
Kohut, Miroslav. Superheroes: The Philosophy Behind the Modern Myth. Masters’ Diploma Thesis. Brno: Masaryk University, 2014. Document.
Russell, Christian. Heroic Moments: A Study of Comic Book Superheroes in Real-World Society. Greensboro: Greensboro College, 2011. Document.
The Montclair Art Museum. Reflecting Culture: The Evolution of American Comic Book Superheroes. Montclair: The Montclair Art Museum, 2008. Document.
Vollum, Scott and Cary Adkinson. "Portrayal of Crime and Justice in Comic Books." Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture (2003): 96-108. Document.
