There isn’t a dearth ofmovies that redefined their genres; it’s a considerably common phenomenon due to the cyclical nature of popular culture. The same set of tropes goes through the phases of being reclaimed from their past rejection, recontextualized for the current age, overused to exhaustion, and then rejected for the previous set of tropes to make a return. This is how we havemovies that reinvigorated dying genres, either by subverting prevalent tropes at the time or by reintroducing tropes previously lost to overuse that feel refreshing at that point in time.
Of course, somemovies can’tbe put into one genrebecause they’re that different, but genre films particularly go through a reinvention every few years with the introduction of a new unique perspective. The switch in perspective can take the form of narrative structure, visual conventions, or even characterization. While the last is a rarer circumstance, it’s almost inevitable for characterization to remain unaffected when changing genre conventions. But, sometimes,it’s the particular characters themselves who change what the genre can entail henceforth.
Blade
Cast
Blade is a 1998 film featuring Wesley Snipes as the titular character, who is a half-vampire, half-human vampire hunter. The story revolves around Blade’s mission to protect humanity from a secret vampire society that threatens to destroy the world.
Whilehorror movies have had supernatural elementssince their introduction to the world, the blend of superhero cinema and horror cinema was a daring new concept whenBladecame out. And yet, it isn’t a gritty and grounded film. Instead, it is campy without a shortage of cool dialogue and thrilling vampire-killing action. The gruesome kills stand in contrast to the pop action aesthetic of the film, but that’s what sets it apart from others and makes it a trendsetter.
Bladewas the first R-rated superhero film that paved the way for future R-rated superhero movies.
The titular Blade swears a lot, doesn’t hold back in his fights, which is perhaps a consequence of fighting vampires who’re difficult to subdue, and brutally kills his targets, leaving pools and splatters of blood everywhere. He’s not concerned with being PG-13, and in fact,Bladewas the first R-rated superhero film that paved the way for future R-rated superhero movies, fromDeadpooltoLogan.Wesley Snipes' vampire-killer permanently changed the superhero genre by introducing darkness and hints of antagonisminto his characterization.
John Wick
John Wick is a 2014 action thriller featuring Keanu Reeves as a retired hitman. The film follows John Wick as he emerges from retirement to avenge the loss inflicted by a group of gangsters, setting the stage for a relentless pursuit and exploration of a shadowy underworld.
Action movies often become heavily saturated with overused traditions. From reliance on CGI for creating unbelievable stunts that defy physics, to using shaky cam footage to hide the flaws of choreography and fast editing to invoke a sense of thrill in viewers without focusing on the details of the fight scenes, the genre had come to a creative halt by 2014. Every year, formulaic thrillers would be released, where the fresh breath of air would only come in the form of movies that didn’t rely on action or featured few to no full-length action sequences.
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When Keanu Reeves stepped into the ring as John Wick, he probably didn’t know that he was about torevolutionize the action genre. Not only does he perform a majority of his stunts, buthis suave and sophisticated demeanor as the titular character ofJohn Wickalso introduced the world to a new kind of action hero.John Wick is a polished gentleman who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. The film features action set pieces with meticulously choreographed fights often filmed in long takes, with no shaking in the camera. It barely even breaks any laws of physics.
Frankenstein
Frankenstein is a 1931 horror film directed by James Whale, based on Mary Shelley’s novel. The story follows Dr. Henry Frankenstein, a scientist obsessed with creating life from dead tissue, leading to the birth of a monstrous being. Colin Clive stars as Dr. Frankenstein, while Boris Karloff delivers a standout performance as the creature, whose existence brings unintended consequences. The film is a seminal work in early horror cinema.
James Whale’s edition ofFrankensteinremains to date the greatest movie adaptation of Mary Shelley’s story. Using fluid camera movement to create a world not confined to the four corners of the screen and visual techniques Hitchcock would later implement in his suspense thrillers, it founded modern horror filmmaking along with another 1931 release,Dracula. Meanwhile,Boris Karloff’s performance as The Monster also introduced a trope that continues to be used todayto create fresher experiences for horror movie fans.
James Whale used the script for the stage play ofFrankensteinfor his film but worked closely with screenwriters to change it because it lacked the nuance of Mary Shelley’s novel and instead treated Frankenstein’s monster like a mindless killer.
One of the earliestsympathetic villains in cinema history, Frankenstein’s monster isn’t truly villainized inFrankenstein. Instead, the real villain is his creator, Dr. Frankenstein, who decides to play God and bring to life a body he has stitched together from individual parts from various dead bodies. Despite his hideous appearance, Karloff’s childish demeanor makes him a tragic character who’s doomed to be perceived as the villain despite all his good intentions. From 1931, all the way to 2024 withLisa Frankenstein, his character and the concept of a sympathetic villain have never lost their relevance.
Brave
Pixar’s Brave follows Princess Merida of DunBroch (Kelly MacDonald), the daughter of a clan chief in medieval Scotland. When Meridia is told she must marry the suitor of her parents' choosing, she refuses, defying an age-old tradition and causing chaos in the kingdom. This starts a chain of events that causes Merida’s mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), to fall victim to a magical curse, the princess sets off into the wild to rescue her.
Merida is primarily unique as a princess character because she’s not a part of the Disney Animation canon sinceBraveis a Pixar Studios film. That doesn’t stop her from having an impact on the Disney Princess canon. In fact, she started a prominent trend that manifested within a few years in the form of Disney’s most popular princesses in recent times.
Both Elsa fromFrozenand the titular Moana fromMoanaare so popular among the Disney princesses because their stories don’t revolve around finding their perfect man, and they embark on journeys to chase their destinies and even take up roles that are predominantly male. Merida did all those things first. Not only isBraveabout the meaning of destiny,Merida actively protests the proposition of her marriage, cementing once and forever that Disney princesses can have meaningful arcs beyond finding their perfect man. Despite focusing on her journey, even Mulan ends up with a man at the end.
Scream
1996’s Scream follows a teenage girl who is targeted by a masked killer a year after her mother’s murder who uses horror movies as a deadly game against her and her friends.
Wes Craven’s contribution to the horror genre can hardly be exaggerated. The man has pushed the boundaries of horror filmmaking time and time again. However, his greatest contribution perhaps comes in the form ofScream, which not only birthed a highly successful franchise of smart, meta, refreshing slasher films but also introduced the world to Kevin Williamson’s creation, the character of Ghostface.
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Ghostface is the deadly killer ofScreamwho returns for every new film in the franchise to compete for the spot ofthe Ghostface with the highest kill count. Immortal monsters in horror movies weren’t rare even in 1996. However, what sets Ghostface apart is that it’s merely a symbol. This is whythere’s an element of mystery in eachScreamfilm,as the characters keep trying to figure out who their Ghostface is. Moreover,Screamfeatures two Ghostfaces, and this unique characterization forever changed what a horror movie villain can do and be like.
Alien
Alien, directed by Ridley Scott, is a science fiction horror film that follows the crew of the commercial spacecraft Nostromo. Upon investigating a distress signal on a distant moon, they discover a deadly extraterrestrial lifeform. The film stars Sigourney Weaver as Ripley and became a seminal work in both the sci-fi and horror genres, known for its atmospheric tension and groundbreaking visual effects.
Ridley Scott’s sophomore feature established him as a top-notch storyteller in Hollywood and gave birth to theAlienfranchise, which is still going strong today. It is a pure ensemble film with no preference or special focus on any of the characters to create the suspenseful world necessary for viewers to believe any of them could be killed by the titular alien. However, ultimately,Ripley is the only one of her team members left alive by the end of the film, and her perseverance made her an iconic trendsetting action heroine.
Thebest Ellen Ripley moments in theAlienmoviesprove how she is brave, smart, and caring, can lead a group of characters, and isn’t afraid to confront danger head-on. She’s often considered to be the very first female action hero in Hollywood. Weaver’s committed portrayal of the spectrum of experiences that Ripley goes through establishes the character as openly flouting prevalent genre conventions regarding the writing of female characters, which either made them incompetent in the face of danger, or only fit for motherly roles.
Desert Hearts
Desert Hearts is a 1985 romantic drama directed by Donna Deitch. Set in 1959, the film follows a repressed literature professor who, while awaiting her divorce, encounters a life-altering attraction to a spirited young woman named Cay. The story unfolds against the backdrop of the Nevada desert.
At the peak of the AIDS epidemic during Ronald Reagan’s administration, queerness was newly under attack. Negligent governance and ignorant beliefs led to the mass deaths of queer people all over the States. And in that political landscape,Donna Deitch injected a sense of radical optimism via her uniquely refreshingDesert Hearts.It paved the way in the future for the many queer films today which depict joy for LGBTQIA+ characters, actively pushing back against the narrative that queerness only comes with suffering and trauma.
Desert Hearts continues to be celebrated as a pioneer of queer representation in cinema.
Patricia Charbonneau’s Cay Rivvers is a rebellious character who’s openly a lesbian and refuses to change her way of life to fit into the cisheteropatriarchy. The sexually frustrated professor who’s come to town to finalize her divorce finds solace and sexual liberation in the arms of Rivvers, who takes her on a spiritual and emotional journey of self-discovery. The liberated Rivvers was a unique kind of character in the cinematic landscape of the 1980s, andDesert Heartscontinues to be celebrated as a pioneer of queer representation in cinema.
The Silence of the Lambs
The Silence of the Lambs follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling, portrayed by Jodie Foster, as she seeks the help of imprisoned Dr. Hannibal Lecter, played by Anthony Hopkins, to solve a series of gruesome murders. Directed by Jonathan Demme, this 1991 psychological thriller delves into the dark world of criminal profiling and the complex relationship between a young investigator and a brilliant, but dangerous, psychopath.
At a time when horror movie villains were mostly supernatural monsters or gimmicky killers who stayed in the shadows and brutally murdered their victims in visual obscurity, Jonathan Demme and Sir Anthony Hopkins introduced the world to a new kind of monster.Dr. Hannibal Lecter is a polished and eloquent man with a high intellectwho stands with a terrifying gaze right under the light, studying every detail of the person in front of them. Hopkins' meticulous performance makes his very presence uncomfortable for those around him, and there’s nothing gimmicky about him.
While the primary villain ofThe Silence of the Lambsis Buffalo Bill, a creative decision that has brought the film condemnation in recent years, Dr. Hannibal Lecter is the true antagonist. He manipulates the protagonist and manages to free himself, preying on her mind the way he preys on his victims. A serial killer with infinite patience and the intelligence to break the strongest wills, he doesn’t take long to create a lasting fearsome impression on a viewer. He’s one of thegreatest horror movie villains with the least screen time, a trend he popularized.
Thelma & Louise
Thelma & Louise is a 1991 drama directed by Ridley Scott, featuring Geena Davis as Thelma and Susan Sarandon as Louise. The film follows the journey of two friends on a road trip that spirals into unexpected and intense circumstances, challenging their friendship and transforming their lives. Brad Pitt makes an early appearance in a supporting role, helping to cement the film’s enduring legacy.
It is impossible to name Thelma without immediately taking Louise’s name,because Ridley Scott’s film ensures they are inseparable. They’re real, flawed, and strong characters who aren’t afraid to do what’s necessary to survive or of confrontation, even with each other. The characterizations of Thelma and Louise not only make their wild road trip believable but also add a layer of realism to the world they live in. From ungrateful men and their microaggressions to sexual predators, there’s no dearth of dangers that they’re forced to tackle.
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The liberation of road trips, which allow people to leave their lives behind as they take to the open roads, has always made the genre appealing to audiences. However, until Ridley Scott’s film, it was a largely male-dominated genre.Thelma & Louisethrows caution to the wind by doing away with male protagonists altogether. Thelma and Louise represent the hunger for freedom that women all over the world know all too well. They changed the kinds of stories films could tell about women, and remain relevant over three decades later.
Fight Club
Fight Club, released in 1999 and directed by David Fincher, stars Edward Norton as an insomniac who forms an underground fight club with a soap salesman, played by Brad Pitt.
Unreliable narrators are a classic trope of thriller films, from horror to action. However, when David Fincher adopted Chuck Palachniuk’s book of the same name for his filmFight Club, he popularized a form of the trope that was destined to be overused to exhaustion in the years to come.The final twist ofFight Clubhas become common knowledge, even for those who haven’t seen the film, because there’s an abundance of movies and shows that have used it, fromMr. Robotto the MCU’sMoon Knight.
Known as alternate identity amnesia, this narrative was popularized by the chaotic chemistry between Tyler Durden and the Narrator inFight Club. The unique selling point here is that they interact with each other and the Narrator even forms memories dissociated from Tyler where Tyler’s actions occur in the background, and he’s aware of them happening separately from his actions. The big reveal throws everything into doubt as viewers scramble to look forhints and clues for the Tyler Durden twistthrough innumerable rewatches. It changed filmmakers' approach to the unreliable narrator forever.
