Hello there,

I'm really confused as to why people love senseless violence so much?? Whenever I watch an "Action Movie" I end up being kinda bored, because there's so much fighting and pointless violence going. There seems to be hardly any interaction between the characters, so much that it almost makes them... Not even characters. Looking at you Batman.

But, the reason I bring up this is not because I don't like violence in things! Don't get me wrong! In movies where the protagonist gets into a fast paced fight and taking out enemies left and right and the story is conveyed through the fight - I get excited and feel as if I was there, and that was me! But in movies like the Avengers, I just don't feel that. There's just this disconnect between me and the characters.

so really, what draws you to violence and action? tell me, maybe it's just not my thing. Or maybe I'm just missing the point, and the violence isn't such a big draw as I think people think it is?? I dunno...

Anyways, thanks for reading!

Farmboy8,

I don't think there is or has to be a deep philosophical reason as to why people go see films that have mindless violence, Humor or etc.
Maybe they just want to casually spend a pair of hours of their time with a date, family, friends or to deal with their boredom.
Personally I do like it when the movie gives me a reason for the conflict or maybe something to think about but I don't think it is a necessity.

I think it's two fold.  Violence is power and violence triggers the fight or flight response.  Both are deeply embedded in humanity's psyche.

We'll take the first one.  When violence happens, it is one person exerting their will over another.  Wars are people killing each other until one group gives up.  Robbery is a person deciding they want something and taking it through coercion or force.  A bad guy and a good guy fighting are breaking down a complex story to a battle of will, strength, and cunning.  Fighting means I beat you in every sense of the world.  Think of sports where a team may lose or are defeated on the field with the skill and they resort to fighting to make themselves feel better.  It is the most basic resolution to conflict and it directly shows who is the most powerful.  People are attracted to power and want to be powerful and in control.  That's why movies are so popular because I can pretend to be that character.  Or take video games with violence.  They're exerting their will over other people.  Everyone wants that.

The fight or flight response is also something deeply embedded in all our genetics.  Whether we stay and combat a threat or we run and leave.  Having that stimulation mentally turns people on because it is stimulation.  They get excited and worked up over fight scenes because, when faced with a similar threat, most people probably pick flight and running.  They'd rather stay and fight and win because (see Point A).

I don't think violence should be portrayed as something positive but all your movies have it.  It's the most basic conflict resolution and people respond to it because it is simple to get.

Violence seems to be one of those things that's inbred in our nature as humans. It's like conflict and disagreements; they never go away. Because of these factors, violence can sometimes occur. This could also be the reason why some people like to see action.

Think of some things that be classified as violence: Boxing? Shooting things/people? Those random fight videos on Youtube? It's like a form of entertainment in itself.  Heck, there were some lifestyles or forms of entertainment that existed by different societies hundreds and thousands of years ago. In the case of movies though, it seems that it's one of the things that "makes" the movie, or sells it. Why is it so common? Who knows. But those could be some of the factors that contribute to this.

Violence is just another part of our nature.

Some folks are more drawn to it than others, just like some people like butter pecan ice cream at Baskin Robbins. That's why there's 31 + flavors. 

Personally, I have never been a fan of violent movies, unless they are based on history. War movies about specific events, pivotal battles, etc.
I don't care for violent horror movies at all. I have seen more than enough cruelty, horror and bloodshed in my life. That being said, my best friend LOVES all that over-violent, gory, bloody, "are you freaking kidding me" kind of violent movies. He can't explain why. He just digs it. 

Bottom line is, just like everything else, there will always be a call for things that we just can't comprehend. It's just simple humanity, for better or worse. 

My two cents.

And I don't care for butter pecan ice cream, either. 

Thank you for this post. I agree so much. So much of the media is filled with senseless violence. Have you ever seen Spider-Man 2? (not the Amazing Spider-Man 2). That movie is the model of how to include violence in a movie properly. The action scenes were exciting, and Spidey never killed or fought needlessly. Nor was the violence brutal, except in one scene (a horror scene, included largely because Sam Raimi was the director). I felt that was the one scene in the movie that was overlong and unnecessary. However, Spider-Man 2 is still one of my favorite movies. It included humor, action, and important moral lessons all in a wonderful package. Too many movies include violence for the sake of violence, not to entertain or uplift. The first time I watched Spider-Man 2, I felt like shouting "Go Spidey, go!", like one woman in the movie did, every time Spider-Man went to save the day. In the latest Captain America movie, I was not as enthusiastic about cheering Cap on. I felt that too much blood was shed needlessly in that movie. I feel the name of Captain America has been tarnished by his latest movies and portrayals. In general, I am also not very fond of "mind control" devices in media. It has been way overused, and rarely used to its fullest potential.