As the old saying goes, there’s nothing new under the sun.
For fans of movies and TV, that means that every story that can be told already has been.
But sometimes, the movies that seem to be retelling a well-known story TOO closely are
singled out, accused of being a ripoff, copycat, or unoriginal.
The most famous example is James Cameron’s Avatar, a story of a human being welcomed
into a native tribe, betraying their trust, but eventually saving the day.
As soon as the movie hit theaters, people dismissed the billion-dollar blockbuster as
a ripoff of Pocahontas, or even Fern Gully before it.
The truth is, it’s telling the same story told by dozens, even hundreds of famous films.
But that’s not a reason to attack it, or any other re-skinned movie myth – it’s
just an opportunity for our latest Docu Series, The Hidden Truth Behind ALL Movies!
The Unlikely/Unknowing/Unwitting Hero
There’s been plenty of research into the shared structure of a successful screenplay,
from three-act structures to a “save the cat” moment for a movie’s hero – a term
coined by Blake Snyder, referring to the unnecessary good deed that lets audiences know a hero
is good at heart.
But keeping things simple, there’s one kind of hero every movie fan loves: and that’s
an unlikely one.
In movies like Avatar, The LEGO Movie, even Star Wars, and Guardians of the Galaxy, it
isn’t some wealthy, powerful, or royal figure who gets a chance at greatness, but an everyday
child, or person.
It’s a clear case of wish fulfillment, but it also sets the bigger story in motion.
After all, a character can’t realize their greatness unless they’re oblivious to it
at the start.
So even though their circumstances might be different – Jake Sully is a paraplegic,
Star-Lord is an everyday kid, Emmet is just a face in the crowd, and even Superman is
a humble farmboy – they have more in common with the viewer than a prince or princess,
powerful leader, or deadly warrior would.
Whether it’s a trip into space, or just a massive secret revealed, everyday people
are pulled into a story far bigger than themselves – but being useful usually comes at a price.
The Honest Deceit
Nobody becomes a hero overnight, and in blockbuster movies, writers don’t change up the format
more than they have to.
So no matter how a protagonist’s mission might seem different, or how good their reasons
may be, a little dishonesty, or lingering doubts are guaranteed.
It’s here where the charges are made that Avatar is just a re-skinning of other stories.
Jake is sent to infiltrate the enemy ranks, quietly learning their ways, and eventually
coming to respect them, even joining their community as a valued member, not to mention
falling in love with Neytiri, the chief’s daughter.
That’s the same thing that happened with Zack in Fern Gully, and John Smith in Pocahontas,
so the comparisons are fair.
But there’s one problem.
It’s also the exact same thing that happened to Brian O’Connor in The Fast & The Furious,
Johnny Utah in Point Break, Ash in Army of Darkness, Han Solo in Star Wars, Ralph in
Wreck-it Ralph, Vallon in Gangs of New York , Emmet in The LEGO Movie… you get the idea.
By getting close to the enemy, our hero becomes one of them – and starts to wonder if they’re
on the wrong side after all.
But if their new family was to find out they weren’t telling the truth, things would
get ugly fast…
The Betrayal
It’s almost a certainty that the hero’s secret will be spilled prematurely, before
they’ve gotten a chance to tell it themselves.
The result is the loss of their new family, whether it’s deserved or not.
Brian and Johnny Utah lose their lovers when their lies are exposed, Emmet can’t explain
that he’s not a Master Builder after all, Star-Lord is accused of only caring about
the Infinity Stone’s value, Leia and Luke accuse Han of only being in it for the money,
and Jake, Zack, and John Smith are all branded as traitors without getting to explain that
they never shared their army’s beliefs to begin with.
The twist can also be played by women, like when Mulan is exposed as a woman fighting
in a man’s army, having their bonds and trust disappear, leaving them with no side
to join, and shame for hurting the people they came to truly care for.
That would all be a problem, if it wasn’t for one other thing all unlikely movie heroes
have in common…
The Chosen One
These are still our heroes, so of course, they’re going to get to save the day.
But it isn’t enough for them to just be hailed as worthy members of the community,
tribe, gang, or family – these unlikely heroes are the chosen ones, born leaders,
who only realize their true greatness when they have to prove they weren’t traitors
after all.
Any movie fan can instantly remember the same scene played out in hundreds of films: when
the outsider hero is welcomed, wearing the armor, colors, or clothing that proves he’s
been accepted, ready to show why he’s greater than anyone actually accepting him.
Again, it’s clearly wish fulfillment to see so many everyday people try something
new, and realize they’re secretly born to do it.
But it’s truly shocking when you realize how many movies stick to this exact path.
Even the Star Wars series seems to fit, since the novels explained that Anakin was a child
born of Dark Side meddling.
Raised and trained by the Jedi, only to come home to the Sith, and become the greatest
there ever was.
The same goes for Superman, who chose humanity over his own people, becoming a greater warrior
than either civilization had ever known.
So yes, Avatar, The Fast & The Furious, and Guardians of the Galaxy might just be John
Smith, Johnny Utah, and Han Solo all over again, but their stories are told in more
movies, and ways, than are immediately clear.
Especially when Captain America is as unlikely a hero as Luke Skywalker or even Hal Jordan,
or Tony Stark’s path to true heroism has so much in common with Tom Cruise’s Last
Samurai.
They’re all different, sure.
But when their eyes are opened, their secrets are spilled, and their destinies are achieved,
they’re all just telling the same great story we all wish could be our own.
That’s our case for the shared path of most unlikely movie heroes and heroines, and why
it isn’t anything new, or unoriginal.
What do you think?
Are movies just looking to tell old stories in new ways, just like novels, TV shows and
comic books?
Or do you have your doubts?
Let us know in the comments, and remember to subscribe to our channel for more videos
like this one.