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The last packed theater I was in was probably Avengers: Endgame, and it was worth seeing it with a crowd. But outside of Top Gun: Maverick, I don't think there's been a movie that really spoke to the crowd-viewing experience since Endgame. For example, seeing the hero die isn't exactly crowd-pleasing, and now two major franchises have done it.
I was in the crowd and I was not pleased either time. The latter you reference didn't even feel like the movie was committed to its choice, and I'm suspicious it's not. Second weekend box office drop isn't surprising. I think regardless of result, making the creative choice to kill a hero is objectively not crowd-pleasing. It's a bold choice regardless. I hope they don't try with Indy.
It just sounds like heroic deaths are not your thing. That’s fine. I don’t think it will happen with Indy because Ford already killed off Han Solo.
I do disagree with many that seem to have this outlook of death = defeat. That’s why I don’t find NTTD’s ending “depressing”. It’s sad, but I don’t think of that as being a negative thing.
Yes, I just quoted that x) still a great quote.
Agreed, it's sad but it's a satisfying ending for me. I don't know if it's a massively new thing to kill off the hero: Butch & Sundance, Connery killed Robin Hood, etc. Sometimes heroes get heroic deaths: that's why they're called that.
I'm not convinced it will happen to Indy though- I don't think the Indy films have had that tonal shift that the Bonds or Wolverine had over time. I'm not against it in prospect: I'm always happy to see what a filmmaker has made before deciding if they've done it wrong; I just would be surprised if they went that way.
I keep coming back to the fact that the death has to mean something. Watch "The Cowboys" to see how to properly handle it in terms of story and meaning. Watch NTTD to see how if it's contrived the public won't buy it or not like it.
That's my bone with NTTD. Because this character has lived on the screen for 60 years, or 15 years for Daniel's portrayal, it needs to be air tight as to why he must die. Otherwise it feels like a stunt or cheat. There were holes in the logic of him standing on a mountain top at the end of the movie. From the technology that doesn't exist to the fact that he's gotten out of worse scrapes.
Going back to the thread though, I doubt they will do a death of Indy ending. While it would be poignant and heartbreaking, I think it doesn't fit with the character. He's taken on a life of his own. Indy seems to be that rare hero who transcends time. I can see the ending being his hanging up the bull whip but not death. But then again I didn't think EON would kill off Bond in NTTD so there's that! LOL!
How attached do you have to be to make a hero’s death “depressing?” That just sounds bizarre to me.
I wasn't clear! Sorry, I think no one would celebrate the death of a hero. I am saying the reduced Box Office for a movie where the hero dies I don't think it can chalked up to the ending being depressing. I will be that guy that remembers being quite upset with Bruce Willis doing the heroic death in Armageddon. That had huge Box Office, panned I think by critics. I was sucked in and felt the emotion of the sacrifice. Independence Day has Randy Quaid sacrificing for the cause, albeit his was a side character it still had impact. I could name more, I think the audience stays away or doesn't like the movie when the death appears to serve no purpose or has a jump of logic that renders the death useless.
In those two movies I sighted someone had to either stay behind, or had the only shot at ending the threat. In Willis' case he also sent the younger man home to take care of his daughter.
Death of a character doesn't have to be depressing, though it certainly can be a depressing thing to leave the theatre mourning the loss of a beloved character. Depends I suppose on the character arc and whether the death makes sense.
Not Butch & Sundance? Thelma & Louise? Poseidon Adventure? Robin & Marian? Braveheart? Gladiator? Armageddon? Wrath of Khan? Star Wars? Many many others.
Turns out Trendy McTrend has been around almost as long as stories have.
I still put my money on it not happening here though.
I've still yet to see some of those films. I'm late to a few parties but I show up fashionably late. I'd say Wrath of Khan worked but I wasn't sure if it counted since it got undone in the sequel. :D Leon was definitely the most impactful one in my memory.
However if it's a beloved character in a long running franchise, and that character's death is following the current trend of other franchises, I merely yawn.
Actually with Bond I laugh when I get to that scene. :D
I find it unintentionally funny. :D
Indy's death in the new film, however will bother me. :(
Okay, I'm jumping the gun. This is all speculation. Hypothetically if he dies and it's done well, that's great. It's just not what I want. My feeling is this film would be to KOTCS what NTTD was to SP, a film substantially more polished, but equally devisive.
@Mathis1 -- very well played. A genuine lol, that also made a good point!
Well Lethal Weapon 5 is about to go into production!
I dunno about that... that's been the word for years now.
I think it's on very shaky ground... I know the second unit/leading stunt coordinator on it...
100% agreed. However, with Indy, he’s kind like Bond: you can always put him in a adventure (past, present or even future). The story possibilities are endless. Indy can always be finding real or even fake artifacts. Same with his enemies: real or fake. Indiana Jones has limitless ideas for continuation. Somewhere sadly, Lucasfilm never really took advantage of it.
Very hard not to like them.
4 was a perfect ending. And sadly, Donner is gone now. No mas.
MAYBE if Shane Black directed I’d be interested, but his last movie was THE PREDATOR and that really brought him down my estimation.
I was unfamiliar with this person and understand the issues some have with certain YouTube personalities, but he is very inoffensive and does not use a gimmicky shtick like some others.