What's a Movie Formula?

[green_garnish]

Without trying to give a dictionary definition of the phrase (which is impossible) let me say the the OP quintessential example of a movie formula is The Man With No Name trilogy.

In the modern era, we've all heard the nonsense about the Marvel formula. Iron Man trilogy had a formula. Captain America trilogy had a formula, but it was far different from the Iron Man formula. Thor had no formula at all, it floundered between one style after another until it found something that sold well. Ant-Man had a formula, Guardians of the Galaxy has a formula, but there's no mistaking that from other Marvel formulae (other than the last Thor film), Mos, BvS, and ZSJL have the same formula, but WW had a different formula and you can't mistake the two. Aquamarine and SHAZAM had entirely different formula again, though they haven't had sequels (which can also be said of the original JL)

What else has a formula, and how is it distinct from other formulae?

[Kirby101]

The Man with No Name trilogy had three distinct plots. I don't see the formula.

[Jim Kelly]

Most super-hero movies follow the same three act structure, established by Richard Donner. Act 1, origin of the hero and/or villain. Act 2, hero's big coming out party. Act 3, the hero and villain clash for all the marbles.

[green_garnish]

The Man with No Name trilogy had three distinct plots. I don't see the formula.

I have to admit I'm curious why you think these two things are the same?

[Kirby101]

A formula movie denotes a typical plot with typical characters.
What do you think it means?

Also Clint Eastwood was far from a typical western hero.

[green_garnish]

A formula movie denotes a typical plot with typical characters.
What do you think it means?

Also Clint Eastwood was far from a typical western hero.

Disparate plots with similar tone, characters, director techniques, lighting, and other production values is how I would define it, but others' opinions are the point of the thread.

[Scott Taylor]

When I think formula in a movie, in part I think "can you make a drinking game out if this?" For most Hallmark movies, the answer is yes. For superhero films, absolutely. Everytime something super big blows up, everytime someone makes a hero landing, strikes a hero pose, has a "becoming the hero" montage. Marvel in particular has used some that I have really gotten to dislike, such as the "all the heroes running somewhere together" thing we saw in Civil War, Infinity War, Endgame and probably others.

Anyway, use of cliches (which are a big part of a formula, I think) is ok. Generally they make good cinema, but are kinda lame sometimes too.

[Kirby101]

That is not what most would call a formula movie. If what you wrote was it, any Scorses movie with DiNero would be formula. But the are far from it.
One would expect a director to have similar look and production values in their movies. Hitchcock certainly did, though he has never been accused of making formula movies. Similar in that they were mostly suspense, but not formula.
A movie is considered formula if the plot and characters are so overused that they become predictable.

[Hellion]

Certain narrative plots can be considered formulaic.

The original Star Wars trilogy and the first three Pirates of the Caribbean films have the same narrative structure.

Batman vs. Superman and Godzilla vs. Kong have the same narrative structure.

[godisawesome]

I tend to think a common narrative structure and tropes creates a formula. The three act structure is famous for being one applied to many films, and if specific tropes correspond with it, than you have formula.

The trick in modern Hollywood is that people have been creative with messing with the formula for decades now.

[Killerbee911]

, but WW had a different formula .

Wonder Woman had different formula from other DC films but also Wonder Woman was Captain America 1 and Thor 1 had a baby, Aquaman was very much a Marvel movie(3 act structure action comedy) in how it played out.

When fans are talking "the Marvel formula" I think it is very general thing not really deeper part. "The Marvel formula" they are talking about is "the blockbuster formula" is the formula of Bad Boys, Independence day, MIB, Fast and Furious, Jurrasic World, Pirates of the Caribbean, and a bunch of other things. A Simple plot fun movie always making sure there is either action or comedy at the point of where people begin to lose their attention span with film depending on good special effects and action scene set-pieces over big dramatic scenes. it isn't actually a formula like 3 act structures or similar plotlines formula. It is hey Marvel is making fun action movies that always sneak in some jokes. Basically, how dare Marvel make blockbuster-style spectacle movies that appeal to the widest base of people like that has been "the formula" since the beginning of time.

Also, the formula thing has been overblown because most Marvel movies have been introduction movies/superhero origin movies AND the same style of heroes. A Deadpool, Punisher, Blade, Wolverine movie is going to feel different from Captain America or Iron Man movie. A Dark Avengers/Thunderbolts movie is going to feel different from an Avengers movie. I always wonder what people expect when you use the same style of heroes there is a reason Boys, Invincible, Jupiter's Legacy, and other stuff are coming out because the normal superhero genre has style, and counter to that style is a deconstruction of things you expect to see.

[SpiderClops]

Well people first need to realize that calling something formulaic isn't really a crtiticism, it's just description.

Logan was as formulaic movie as you can get. Most people had figured out the entire basic plot from a single trailer. Hell, all the unexpected things in Logan are where the movie is the weakest. Like that whole black family business or X-24 in general.

Formula is just the use of common tropes and filmmaking techniques. It isn't inherently good or bad, depends how you execute it.

[Castle]

Movie formulas can go two ways. super successful directors that you can trust and studio mass manufactured movies that are made to mostly work during the summer time.

Super directors you can trust all have their Own movie formula of why their movies works. Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen and Quentin Tarantino to name a few that have their own personal formula that studios can bank on.

Then you have the studio blockbusters formula. examples of this would be MCU movies, Disney Live Action, Jurassic Park Sequels, Transformers and mostly every other mega big billion dollar box office film you know will do well in the summer but no one will remember anymore when Awards season starts or the more serious art house movies begin to emerge by the end of the year to draw Oscar buzz.



These are the best easiest 2 ways to describe a movie formula.

[Castle]

A formula movie denotes a typical plot with typical characters.
What do you think it means?

Also Clint Eastwood was far from a typical western hero.

Could this be because the movie genre of western got burnt out by John Wayne movies?

[Vakanai]

Disparate plots with similar tone, characters, director techniques, lighting, and other production values is how I would define it, but others' opinions are the point of the thread.

In that case the MCU has more points in favor of a shared formula than not. Only the plots really differ that much.

(Mind you I'm not arguing that they share a formula, because I disagree that that is a formula - just that those things are common to the MCU.)