Superheroes Attack!

Superhero movies seem to be one of those things Hollywood can't make enough of. Every couple of years a new set is released, and at the moment, we see to be in the middle of a deluge. Ironman and the Incredible Hulk have just gone off the screens, Hancock has just arrived and The Dark Knight is about to descend. Superhero movies excite the popular imagination. The question is would we actually want them in the real world?

As the movie Hancock draws attention to, superheroes create an enormous amount of damage. And the question is: is the damage worth it? Well, if they're stopping a supervillain bent on destroying the world as we know it, then most probably. In other cases, possibly not. The amount that the bank has to pay to rebuild its building (plus the increase in its insurance premiums) may be more than what the superhero saved them. And, as every economist knows, even a human life may not be worth knocking over most of downtown.

Furthermore, would people want to live or do businesses in city with a local superhero? The periodic destruction of property would send insurance through the roof and who really wants to relocate every time Superman has a spat with Lex Luthor. As everyone knows, superheroes attract supervillains like the plague, so wouldn't you rather lump it in a city with just the regular variety of criminal?

The other thing about superheroes is that they may be very good at making headlines for saving cats stuck in trees and stopping bank robbers, but is this really most efficient way of using their time? Consider Robert Mugabe. Wouldn't it make more sense to send Superman after him (and those of his ilk) rather than having him pansy about stopping car crashes in Metropolis? Superheroes seem to flock to American cities, rather than taking on the thornier, more complex problems in the rest of the world. This is probably because movies only work if there's a clear good and bad side, but if superheroes really existed wouldn't we have wanted them to intervene in the Balkans or the Rwandan genocide?

Updating superhero movies seems to mainly consist of adjusting the settings and giving the science a brush-over based on more recent discoveries. Sometimes the character's are given a bit of a new spin - the previous Pepper Potts in Ironman was even more of a walk-over for her boss; Christian Bale's Batman has a more complex backstory. And, to some extent, the latest set of superhero films nod to broader sensibilities.

Ironman takes a look at the jihadist conflict in which the USA has become embroiled. He gets to see a bit of the world, take in some new sights. However, the chief reason why he gets to do this is exactly because it is one case in which the world's hyperpower has decided to involve itself with the rest of the world. For Tony Sparks, more than most superheroes, this makes sense. He comes across as fairly narcissistic and pragmatic. He may want to improve the world but he's not a pure altruist.

The Incredible Hulk has some incredible scenes set in South America. The cinematography is breathtaking. But the hero isn't there to save the day. He's there to escape. Admittedly, he is doing this because he seems the dangers of there being more like him and, considering the kind of character he comes across as, maybe he would trek back to South America once he gets his powers under control. Certainly, the South Americans probably need him more than their neighbours in the North.

Hancock is a superhero movie with a difference. First of all, no comics preceded it. Second, the superhero, while possessing all the powers of Superman, is not all that interested in solving the world's problems. He does save people but he also has a tendency to give in to criminals holding hostages and cause massive amounts of property damage. The film plays off this well and has an interesting look at how Hancock spruces up his image (there's more to this intriguing film than that but let's leave it there for now). However, when it's time for Hancock to find a new home, it's off to New York he goes. Yes, it's a crime spot but surely Charlize could have told him Jo'burg has bigger problems.

At the end of the day, superhero stories are good entertainment and, when done well, great entertainment. They're enjoyable and not meant to be taken too seriously. However, if they ever do figure out how to make superheroes, either with technology, bioscience or importing them from outer space, then giving them a wide berth might be a good idea.