Jason Momoa Defends the Superhero Genre Against Martin Scorsese’s Earlier Criticisms

Jason Momoa, who will next be seen in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, recently spoke out against the unpopular opinions of Martin Scorsese concerning the flooding of the film market with superhero movies. For over a decade, superhero movies have been both Hollywood and fan favorites year after year. Momoa’s take shines a different kind of light on the genre.

Jason Momoa says, “It’s like how people say that music is poppy and this music cool. But you know how hard it is just to get your music out there for people to hear? It’s all subjective. I try not to pick on anything. So, yeah, superhero movies are bubble gum, but they’re like Greek mythology: They have good and evil and heartbreaking moments. And, gosh, you’re taking away other art forms if you stop making them. You’re taking away visual effects, you’re taking away what you can do with makeup.”

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“I’m not someone who gets hired to play in a lot of cinema, but by being able to do a superhero movie, I can make a movie about something I really care about. I have a vision for the whole totality of Aquaman. There are environmental issues that I get to put into it. So while you’re going, ‘Oh yeah, it’s just this popcorn movie,’ I’m like, ‘Well, I get to open people’s eyes to things that are important to me.”

Martin Scorsese, declared by many to be one the the best filmmakers ever, had quite a few heads swiveling with his 2019 op-ed sharing some blunt opinions on the superhero as a whole. Here’s just a few nuggets:

“I don’t see them. I tried, you know? But that’s not cinema. Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”
“Many of the elements that define cinema as I know it are there in Marvel pictures. What’s not there is revelation, mystery or genuine emotional danger. Nothing is at risk. The pictures are made to satisfy a specific set of demands, and they are designed as variations on a finite number of themes.”
“They are sequels in name but they are remakes in spirit, and everything in them is officially sanctioned because it can’t really be any other way. That’s the nature of modern film franchises: market-researched, audience-tested, vetted, modified, revetted and remodified until they’re ready for consumption.”

We all know the vast differences comparing Raging Bull and Goodfellas to The Incredible Hulk or Batman, but there’s room on the dance floor for everyone and we don’t all like the same jams. Square dancing to breakdancing, we all have our favorites. And if you are on the superhero squad, you can catch Jason Momoa in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom starring Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. It’s scheduled to be released on December 16, 2022.

Topics: Aquaman 2

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