How we long for the return of the old-fashioned blockbuster
One of my first memories of going to the cinema was to watch the 1990s’ Disney adaption of Tarzan. I remember us walking into the movie theatre and being completely overwhelmed by the size of the room.
To my young eyes, it appeared to be this vast and endless place. Rows of seats rising endlessly in the distance every which way I looked.
As I have grown older, the room may have shrunk to a reasonable size but the vastness associated with cinema that came during that early experience has remained.
It might just be a big screen, but it offers seemingly endless possibilities.
Yet it has felt like one of those possibilities has been missing in action for a while. The blockbuster, not quite gone but you certainly have to squint to find a good one.
Because there is truly nothing quite like seeing a good blockbuster - the kind that befits the name.
The seething adrenaline they cause to power through your veins and the awe they inspire. Think the first time you saw Jaws or the relentless, jawdropping march of Mad Max: Fury Road’s chase scenes.
Sure there have been ‘blockbusters’ in recent times - but they are basically just one variation of caped hero after another.
Although I will caveat that with Avengers: Infinity War being a one-of-a-kind cinema experience, the way the audience stumbled out in stunned silence at the end. Unforgettable.
But it had been so long since I had felt truly awe-inspired by a blockbuster - Tenet was fun but the sound design was so poor I didn’t have a clue what anyone was saying and Bond ran on for too long.
I didn’t expect to get that memorable rush from the sequel to Top Gun.
Yet as I got up to leave my seat after sitting through Maverick, I almost had to stop and check my heart rate because it felt like I’d just climbed down from a rollercoaster.
It made me long for the day when the superhero bubble bursts and real blockbusters can come out of hiding.
Marvel, you’ve had a good innings. But it’s time to declare and let the other team bat.