12 Major Problems With Today's Blockbuster Movies
10. Not Every Hero Needs To Have Parent Issues
Heroes have to go on a journey, its a rule. Don't believe me? Ask Joseph Campbell. While every movie would benefit from having the central character complete some kind of substantial narrative arc, in the case of the Hollywood blockbuster it all too simply boils down to the overused trope of 'parental issues'.
Even just a small sample of the characters that have seen their motivations fueled by issues with their parents/surrogate parents makes for a damning indictment. Deep breath... Iron Man, Thor (and Loki), Star-Lord, Batman, Superman, Harry Potter, King Arthur, Jyn Erso, Dory (a fish!), Mowgli, Po (a panda!), Jason Bourne, Ultron (a robot!), James T. Kirk and the Mad Hatter. These are all taken from blockbuster movies released in the last two years.
While it is pivotal to the character in some cases, in many instances its used as an easy fallback option to add depth or create conflict in a thinly-written protagonist. Instead of complex, three-dimensional characters that an audience can identify with, most blockbusters are content to fall back on tired cliches or in some cases, not give their heroes any motivation at all beyond a McGuffin that advances the plot and strings together the action sequences.