What Happens When Movie Badass Skill Levels Meet Our Own Psychological Biases
Breaking Down The Best Of The Best With A Psychological Twist
If you’re an action movie fan like me, you’ve probably entertained ideas about the best of the best duking it out with each other to see who’s really the best.
But have you ever wondered what causes us to wonder about this?
Yeah it’s normal to be curious about who’s better than whom (that’s how you say that right? 🧐).
But understanding our biases is something that actually fuels this intriguing curiosity. Which itself has made me more curious in exploring the deeper realms of storytelling….
So let’s explore this together, shall we?
Some characters in fiction captivate audiences effortlessly while others struggle to earn the same level of believability and acceptance.
It’s weird and interesting to think about.
And it reveals fascinating insights into human psychology and storytelling dynamics because we inherently have biases towards certain characters based on their personality traits, backstories, and skills versus other nearly identical characters based on the same criteria.
Let’s look at the Psychology of Bias.
Human biases, whether conscious or subconscious, profoundly influence our perceptions, preferences, and interpretations of fictional narratives.
What causes us to foster bias?
Cultural influences, personal experiences, and societal norms shape our expectations and judgments of fictional characters, impacting which characters we embrace and which we reject.
Which means that when we’re sizing up who wins in a fight between two characters who seem to have nearly the same skillsets, we’ll create our own reasons for why one prevails over the other due to a psychological bent instead of something that might be more accurate from the source material.
Illustrating Believability: A Comparative Analysis
For the sake of time and because I’ve had a little kick towards characters who don’t have the same notoriety and recognition as other characters with nearly identical storylines, let’s keep this to just three main showdowns.
They are as follows.
James Bond vs. Napoleon Solo:
James Bond, the iconic British spy, effortlessly captivates audiences with his charm, wit, and prowess in combat.
Portrayed by actors like Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig, Bond has become a cultural icon synonymous with adventure and sophistication.
In contrast, Napoleon Solo from “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” may struggle to garner the same level of believability and acceptance due to differences in cultural recognition and storytelling.
Also, we’ve got 26 Bond movies to base our take on the character and his abilities from. Whereas The Man From U.N.C.L.E. has just the 2015 film starring Henry Cavill as Napoleon Hill, plus that TV series that ran in the 1960s for reference.
So while Hill and Bond share many similarities in their skillsets, abilities, charm and charisma, our natural bias would extend towards Bond for superiority in this showdown.
Batman vs. Rorschach:
Oooo, let’s cross into the comic book realm briefly for a showdown unlike what you might have expected.
Batman, the Dark Knight, embodies strength, resilience, and moral fortitude, resonating with audiences worldwide. Similar to Bond, we have 13 live action films featuring the character who has been portrayed by a number of leading men including Ben Affleck, Michael Keeton, and Christian Bale). This is not including the 1960s TV series or the animated series and films.
If you’re a fan of the animated series How It Should Have Ended, Batman makes a point in every episode to illustrate how he can basically do anything “Because I’m Batman!” So the bias is pretty thick.
In contrast, Rorschach from “Watchmen” may face challenges in believability due to his darker and more morally ambiguous character traits.
Similar to Batman, Rorschach uses his keen psychological characteristics, raw strength, ingenuity, and natural abilities to fight against evil.
Yet we only have the Watchmen graphic novel by Alan Moore and the 2009 film starring Jackie Earle Haley in the role for reference.
Still, with the exception of George Clooney and Adam West’s portrayals of the Dark Knight, I’d give it to Batman to dissect Rorschach fairly swiftly if the two ever met and had to tangle.
John Wick vs. John Rambo:
This had to be addressed, if for any reason as a battle of the badest-ass Johns.
Interestingly, these characters share nearly the same amount of films and have only been portrayed by the same actors in each series. So that is a bit different.
And this isn’t a who’s tougher context between Keanu Reeves and Sly Stallone. Cuz as much as I revere Keanu, Stallone is just a beast of a human, even at 76 years old.
John Wick, characterized by his stoic demeanor and expert combat skills, commands the screen with his unwavering quest for vengeance. His flair for perfect accuracy in head shots makes every gun he touches a golden-gun affair (circa Golden Eye from N64) as well as his penchant for surviving falling off of two and three story heights, getting stabbed and shot multiple times and still being about to hold his own. The dude is next-next-next level!
And then there’s John Rambo who survived the fate of his novel depiction thanks to a powerful script/screenplay rewrite by Stallone to do five films total and end with him squaring off against Pancho Villa’s nephew and a whole Mexican army single-handedly. Rambo was a special forces Green Beret, not a special assassin. Yet his assassin skills in hand-to-hand combat paired with his accuracy with a bow-and-arrow and ability to fight the Russians and the Vietcong almost single-handedly makes for one helluva showdown if any version of his had to square off with Baba Yaga.
I’m torn on who wins the last one. What do you think?
Show me your bias in the comments.
Why our biases matter with storytelling.
Understanding the psychology behind character believability sheds light on the intricacies of human perception and storytelling dynamics.
By examining biases, cultural influences, and narrative techniques, we gain valuable insights into why some characters resonate with us while others struggle to find acceptance.
Embracing authenticity and self-confidence allows individuals to unlock their full potential and embark on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment.
It’s also a fun way to explore our own curiosities and understand why we think the ways that we do.
If you want to explore your own story in a new way, I invite you to check out my stories, books, and mini-novels at GrowthFarming.com. There’s a ton of very different kinds of tales that will leave you spellbound, intrigued, inspired, and enlightened.
By the way, 👏🏻 *clap* 👏🏻 your hands (up to 50x) if you enjoyed this post. It encourages me to keep daily writing and help other people find this article. I appreciate you!
About Me: Hi, I’m D Grant Smith, and I help people transform their inner story to live a superpowered life of transformation in personal growth, relationships, and business. Follow me for more tools, guidance, and inspirational stories.
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