When someone deems something to be a 'rite of passage', this tends to invoke notions of a coming of age ceremony or ritual, but it is not necessarily the case. The term can be taken literally for example: Hercules must complete twelve specific tasks in order to achieve immortality; meaning these twelve labours will be his rite of passage to a higher status (though Dwayne Johnson's latest endeavour will probably not focus too heavily on him tackling a mountain of horse poop). You could just as easily associate it with events such as Bar Mitzvahs, weddings, birth etc. A rite does imply a religious significance, but in a less formal sense this can be considered a change of the mind, body and soul. The other more figurative view is that it is simply the blossoming of one point in a character's life to the other - going through an event to come back stronger or healthier with a new lease on life, such as Cast Away (2000) or Aliens (1986). It could involve being accepted into a fold through initiation (like a fraternity house) or simply coming to a higher level of self-realisation. Obviously this is a far more vague perception since most of, if not all half-decent character arcs involve a personal growth or realisation by the end of the film, so we'll attempt to focus on the films where the change is particularly palpable. With the rites of passage being so flexible in whether it is an external event or an internal struggle, the list of films seems endless. So while there are thousands of applicants roaming around, see what you think of these ones. Also... spoiler warning.
Film Graduate, tea chugging, whiskey sipping metal head. Love of films, video games and a perfectly healthy appreciation for comic books. Black Bolt is the greatest superhero and Rock Me Amadeus is the best song ever made. No, don't argue.
