How Realistic Does It Need To Be?
How Realistic Does It Need To Be?
Author
Discussion

cobra kid

Original Poster:

5,390 posts

256 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
quotequote all
As the title really.

I see people saying they stop watching things that are totally unrealistic or the premise is ridiculous. Isn't that the whole point of it all?

If you want totally authentic, why not just go for a drive around or watch people?

bloomen

8,577 posts

175 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
quotequote all
Doesn't have to be 'realistic', but if something doesn't maintain its own internal logic then I vacate the viewing experience.

And then there are character actions that make little sense regardless of how fanciful the world they inhabit is.

BritishBlitz87

725 posts

64 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
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bloomen said:
Doesn't have to be 'realistic', but if something doesn't maintain its own internal logic then I vacate the viewing experience.

And then there are character actions that make little sense regardless of how fanciful the world they inhabit is.
Precisely. A film world doesn't have to follow the same rules as real life. But it would follow the accepted "rules of the genre" and establish its own rules and follow them. We accept Elves living forever and being light as a feather in Lord of the Rings, but if Legolas pulled an MG42 out of his backside at the end of Return of the King it would be absurd because firearms rarely exist in fantasy worlds. Even though an advanced race of immortals being able to make a firearm is actually far more plausible in the real world than what actually happened in the film.

daqinggregg

4,824 posts

145 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
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I have a real problem with this, to the point where I would only watch documentaries, which somewhat limits your viewing options.

I would watch the odd film or drama, provided it did not stray too far from reality. I recently watched ‘Slow Horses’ all good until the final episode, when credulity was stretched to the limit, which like the previous season spoiled it for me.

During the last year, I’ve realised this is very limiting, restricting the options I have available. I’ve tried with some success, to overcome this, but still have my limits.

I watched ‘Rivals’ and really enjoyed, so thought I’d give a couple of others ago. ‘The diplomat’ really stretched things, but great writing, saved it.

‘Black Dove’ really annoying me, no way was that possible, I can’t help myself. Pondering if I should watch ‘The Day of the Jackal’, think it may be a stretch too far.


Bluevanman

8,632 posts

209 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
quotequote all
cobra kid said:
As the title really.

I see people saying they stop watching things that are totally unrealistic or the premise is ridiculous. Isn't that the whole point of it all?

NO

If you want totally authentic, why not just go for a drive around or watch people?
NOW WHO'S BEING RIDICULOUS

STe_rsv4

956 posts

114 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
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Depends how far film makers take the premise.

Wanted - I could "accept" that they could slightly bend bullet direction due to it being the type of "superhero" film it was meant to represent, but when Jolie bent the bullet so it took a 360 degree flightpath and killed everyone in the 25 foot room, this took the piss a bit!

most movies have to have a bit of leeway on the realistics otherwise it wold be a bore fest and nobody would watch it (other than documentary based films)

fourstardan

5,693 posts

160 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
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I think the thing with films in the days gone by are that they were art and craft and you respected that it wasn't realistic because of limitations.

Now we live in a world of compute generated dogsht.

Look at Star Wars and what Disney have done to it with these spin offs, it's horrendous.

Zetec-S

6,481 posts

109 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
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fourstardan said:
I think the thing with films in the days gone by are that they were art and craft and you respected that it wasn't realistic because of limitations.

Now we live in a world of compute generated dogsht.

Look at Star Wars and what Disney have done to it with these spin offs, it's horrendous.
Maybe a bit harsh, but overall I agree with the sentiment.

The CGI effects these days are super impressive, but you also sometimes feel that's where all the effort has gone and everything else is a bit of an afterthought. Maybe it's just my age/nostalgia kicking in, but I wonder how many modern films will hold up well in 30 years?



STe_rsv4

956 posts

114 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
quotequote all
fourstardan said:
I think the thing with films in the days gone by are that they were art and craft and you respected that it wasn't realistic because of limitations.

Now we live in a world of compute generated dogsht.

Look at Star Wars and what Disney have done to it with these spin offs, it's horrendous.
This is true. CGI has both improved and ruined films recently as more and more companies are using CGI as it often cheaper and easier than practical effects. The problem is that the CGI appears to be getting worse as time goes on! T2 was a masterclass in the use of effective CGI. Now look at ant man 3 / recent marvels films / remade road house etc.
Most modern film makers rely on massive CGI explosions / CGI superhero's fighting while blowing through buildings and it just reeks of laziness or pressure from the production company to "get it made"

White-Noise

5,236 posts

264 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
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It's a good point this. I really don't like things being too unrealistic or far fetched. I can't get into things when it's like that as it feels like nonsense, but there is a distinction.

Whenever I see trailers these days it's filled with noises to represent punches and movements and I can see why it's done but it just irritates me but it's done for effect even though it's nonsense.

But let's say in bond... invisible cars, getting drilled in the head and being absolutely fine afterwards. That's too much.

But watching superman... well that is ok. Or alien and hypersleep, I am ok with that. That's what you're buying in to.

So context is important.

BA11AGO

17 posts

10 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
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I'm fine with Lord of the Rings but but a car into and era when it hadn't even been launched and I lose interest.

miniman

28,418 posts

278 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
quotequote all
See also: the Netflix Senna series (not the film)


RizzoTheRat

27,013 posts

208 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
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Things you have you have to be a big of a nerd to spot are a bit annoying but ok, eg a model of car that came out the year after the films set, or Bond hitting the afterburner in an L-39 in Tomorrow never dies, most people will never notice them.


Action films where the hero gets beaten up or shot but after a few minutes liming around is fine to pile in to another 10 fights annoy me, as do martial arts fights where everyone queues up to take on the hear one or two at a time rather than just all rushing in together.

Nightmare

5,272 posts

300 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
quotequote all
White-Noise said:
But watching superman... well that is ok. Or alien and hypersleep, I am ok with that. That's what you're buying in to.
So context is important.
Superman is prob the best example for me. One of the reasons I don’t think he makes for particularly good films is the need to ‘write around’ his abilities or there’s no stories. And that’s really annoying. Apparently my brain has no problem with the idea of someone who can move faster than sound but it really does when the story conveniently ignores that fact for a bit.

STe_rsv4

956 posts

114 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
quotequote all
The best one is when your hero gets into a bar fight.

Some overly masculine roid head knocks the protagonists beer out of his hand and is spoiling for a fight. Of course, this being the movies, the protagonist gets to reel out a Shakespearian speech about how the bad guy should "think about what he's done" or " "does he really want this" all while posturing and eyeing up how many there are and who he's taking down in systematic order.

Reality= he gets all 5 of them pile into him before he gets the first word out and they stamp on his head until he's unconscious.
Or maybe that's just the bars I frequent biggrin

98elise

30,114 posts

177 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
quotequote all
RizzoTheRat said:
Action films where the hero gets beaten up or shot but after a few minutes liming around is fine to pile in to another 10 fights annoy me, as do martial arts fights where everyone queues up to take on the hear one or two at a time rather than just all rushing in together.
This sort of thing is where I draw the line. If the film is supposedly depicting normal people, then basic physics and logic must still apply. Yes there can be some artistic licence but not to the point it becomes ridiculous. You also can't have normal people pulling off superhuman feats.

marcosgt

11,341 posts

192 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
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miniman said:
See also: the Netflix Senna series (not the film)

THAT is what you find unrealistic about the Senna series?!?!?!

M

miniman

28,418 posts

278 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
quotequote all
marcosgt said:
miniman said:
See also: the Netflix Senna series (not the film)

THAT is what you find unrealistic about the Senna series?!?!?!

M
One of many, including the Norfolk mountains hehe

croyde

24,917 posts

246 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
quotequote all
STe_rsv4 said:
The best one is when your hero gets into a bar fight.

Some overly masculine roid head knocks the protagonists beer out of his hand and is spoiling for a fight. Of course, this being the movies, the protagonist gets to reel out a Shakespearian speech about how the bad guy should "think about what he's done" or " "does he really want this" all while posturing and eyeing up how many there are and who he's taking down in systematic order.

Reality= he gets all 5 of them pile into him before he gets the first word out and they stamp on his head until he's unconscious.
Or maybe that's just the bars I frequent biggrin
laugh

All the fights I've witnessed have been very fast, so vicious and nothing clever.

More Tasmanian Devil than Jack Reacher.

Juan B

569 posts

20 months

Wednesday 18th December 2024
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A lot of the time it feels like far fetched scenarios are just an easy way out and lazy writing to get viewers attention.

Like the fast and furious films, pretty sure in the newer ones they go to space or some bks?

Kind of depends whether the film is meant to be real world or not too.

Or maybe it’s just a case of maturing, I’d probably like it if I were 12.