Why does everyone in modern blockbuster movies look like supermodels?

[Bor Gullet]

I just watched Avengers: Infinity War on Netflix. There's a hilarious scene where Rhodes tells Captain America and Black Widow that they "look like crap."


Like what the hell? Black Widow and Captain America look like they just walked off a shampoo commercial.

That kind of got me thinking. One of my favorite things about 70-90's blockbusters was that many actors/actress could look beautiful in a "down to earth" way. Carrie Fisher in Star Wars, Karen Allen in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Bruce Willis in Die Hard, Sylvester Stallone in Rambo and Rocky, etc.

The best example of what I mean is Michael Biehn in The Terminator. He looks like a war-torn, hardened veteran from the apocalyptic future, while still looking ruggedly handsome.

Then compare the same character as played by Jai Courtney in Terminator Genisys.

He looks like a super model. I can't buy this guy as being this hardened soldier from an apocalyptic future.

 

[Officer Big Mac]

Are you really unsure why?

 

[Jesse_and_the_rippers]

Well, the hotels weren't exactly five stars.

But even a shithole 2 star motel has shampoo. So I will allow it.

 

[More_Badass]

The gold standard for the "doesn't look like an action hero" action hero

 

[Komali]

Because people don't like to look at ugly things.

 

[Samara]

I think it's in their contracts. I mean look at every scene where the woman has just waken up. Ridiculous.

I'm guessing the high definition camera changed everyone's mind.

We watched birdbox and my husband was like Sandra looks like she has a full lash set and eyeshadow.

 

[Rizific]

Attractive people are nice to look at. MYSTERY SOLVED.

 

[ItIsOkBro]

michael biehn as a counterexample?

 

[Muppet of a Man]

Because people don't like to look at ugly things.

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This is exactly why we can't have nice things a lot of the time.

 

[Granadier]

gotta look beautiful for 4k brah

 

[Yams]

I think what OP is trying to say is they don't really dirty these characters up like they did in older Hollywood and Hong Kong action movies

and young Michael Biehn was fucking gorgeous.

 

[Squarehard]

Can't even tell how sincere the op actually is.

 

[Deleted member 21339]

Because superheroes are idealized versions of people and that usually entails them being beautiful or handsome.

 

[Deleted member 15428]

Is the only reason I went to see Aquaman

 

[Khamsinvera]

Because I don't wanna pay $16 per movie ticket to see ugly ass people

 

[TechnicPuppet]

Don't think it's really changed much. Tastes change through the years though.

 

[The Unsent]

Superheroes are meant to be better than us and there's more of them in film now.

 

[Deleted member 925]

Is the only reason I went to see Aquaman

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The reason why I don't have any interest to see Aquaman.

 

[Sgt. Demblant]

I don't mind it too much since hey, I'm fine with looking at pretty people in blockbuster films, but it's true that I can't help but chuckle every time someone says "you look like shit" in a Hollywood film.
No, they really don't.

 

[VectorPrime]

Because they're attractive? How is this a question?

 

[BDS]

1. A lot of studios started to crack down on how much blood you can show on someone in a PG-13 movie, even though the actual rating system hasn't changed. The MPAA is incredibly arbitrary and stupid (see also: This Film Is Not Yet Rated)
2. Movies are harder and more expensive to make and they decided to minimize the amount of time it takes to apply realistic amounts of blood makeup to a person. You have to cut costs and time somewhere

 

[Deleted member 4367]

Being in good shape makes most people at least attractive I'd say. So the vast majority of superheroes would be attractive.

 

[Deleted member 48897]

I kinda get what you're saying OP. At some point you get tired of looking at the same old conventionally attractive people. It becomes a bland meme

 

[Crossing Eden]

Captain America was so attractive looking in Infinity War that it was distracting. That's a beautiful fucking man.

 

[Auctopus]

im not looking at any ugly mofos for nearly two hours

 

[UberTag]

Because they're attractive? How is this a question?

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I get the argument. I mean, yeah, cast supermodels for big-name AAA roles because that's clearly the established standard but don't be afraid to make them look like they just got beat up all to hell if that's what the circumstances of the plot clearly dictate. To do otherwise takes the viewer out of the moment. (And that doesn't necessarily entail blood, either.)

Chris Evans doesn't have a problem with looking like shit on camera, either. I've seen Snowpiercer.

 

[Jombie]

Few want to see ugly people in their blockbusters. It's that simple.

 

[snipe_25]

Michael Biehn is way more attractive than Jai Courtney

 

[Kinthey]

You're not wrong. That line of dialogue doesn't make any sense

Just look at those crappy looking people. I bet Captain America spend only one hour to trim that beard right.

 

[Deleted member 28307]

Widow looks like crap as a blonde and Cap has a bum beard, Rhodes was right

 

[Serif]

I mean, look at the source material for comic book movies - perfect bodies and faces for nearly every single character drawn on the page. Attractive people being the draw for a movie or TV show (no doubt Stephen Amell and Grant Gustin contribute heavily to the viewership of Arrow and Flash).
Honestly I like it a lot because you get movies like Black Panther where you see numerous examples of black attractiveness on screen, which contributes to pulling standards of beauty away from traditional whiteness.

 

[Trickster]

This is exactly why we can't have nice things a lot of the time.

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I dunno about you, but I go outside sometimes, and there's ugly people everywhere. Hell, even looking in the mirror I see ugly people

 

[entremet]

im not looking at any ugly mofos for nearly two hours

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Explain The Sopranos.

While everyone likes attractive people, we're talking about blockbusters here. Not really known for diverse castings. Diverse in types of people not race per se.

 

[Deleted member 4034]

Rhodes was just setting up Banner to come in with his line "I think you look great." A true bro.

 

[SapientWolf]

You have a point when it comes to people looking too clean all the time in film, but there's no such thing as being too attractive to be a soldier. There are hot people in every profession.

And Yaboosh has a good point too. Taking good care of yourself tends to make you look more attractive. And Marvel super heroes are super fit.

 

[Deleted member 46493]

No producer planning a multi million dollar hit is going to hire ugly or out of shape people. These movies are made for the largest demographics so they required fit white men and women.

 

[Strangelove_77]

They're superheroes. Throw that same criticism at the recent DC movies. Superman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman are basically models. So was Christian Bale.

 

[Deleted member 4034]

Also, audience power fantasies.

 

[Khamsinvera]

I dunno about you, but I go outside sometimes, and there's ugly people everywhere. Hell, even looking in the mirror I see ugly people

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Well ... yeah - so that's why we go to the movies. Beautiful people on a gigantic screen with explosions everywhere. Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

 

[Hollywood Duo]

 

[Deleted member 21709]

Could you select a worse shot of Michael Biehn to make a point? He looked amazing.

 

[kurahador]

That scene in IW is referring to Vision and Wanda, not Cap and Widow.

 

[Rackham]

Don Cheedle looking like a jacked skeleton saying that never made any sense to me. Like, ok, he's joking around sure but I'm not really sure how you can say that to bearded Chris Evans and Scarlet Johansson at any point.


That's also why I hate watching any movie set in ancient times. Everyone looks like they do P90X 20 times a day and they have really slick gel'd up hair. Like c'mon.

 

[Deleted member 4034]

That scene in IW is referring to Vision and Wanda, not Cap and Widow.

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And yet Sam replies.

 

[Deleted member 48897]

Confession: I think Jason Momoa is pretty ugly.

Unsurprisingly I'm a straight dude

 

[ArtVandelay]

im not looking at any ugly mofos for nearly two hours

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Are you ok with looking at them in real life? Or should they be shunned by society?

 

[Chikor]

Because audiences like to watch attractive people.
Or at the very least, people who make movies think that they do.

 

[AlsoZ]

I mean, look at the source material for comic book movies - perfect bodies and faces for nearly every single character drawn on the page.

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It's actually jarring how chiseled most superhero comic characters look. The "models" from the movie adaptation typically have 10 times more character in their appearance than their drawn source material.

 

[Deleted member 9932]

Pretty actors has always bee the norm. Steroids freaks that emulate some of the 80's testosterone though, that's a new thing.

 

[Van Bur3n]

Maybe Rhodes was referring to her new blonde look. Because I agree in that regard YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED A REDHEAD BLACK WIDOW.