The Hero Moment

[Fawbish]

Haven't posted a thread in a while, and was ruminating on some of the aspects of films/books/stories that I love, and why. And like most of you, I'm very partial to "the hero moment". I think there is a little bit of classification required, though, as with everything there is interpretation. Now keep in mind, a hero moment doesn't have to include superpowers, or even a physical action - provided the emotional payoff is huge, I think it counts. The fact that a lot of us love the Superhero genre, means that we get more exposed to moments like these, but it still requires something a little special to really pump the emotions up - but when it is done well, it is absolutely brilliant. Fist pumping, shouting out "Yes!" and generally being on the side of "right" or "good" in that moment, where your protagonist overcomes the odds or achieves an impossible goal etc.

It's different I think to "badass" moments - you can definitely get a mixture of the two, but they aren't always one and the same.

Probably one of the most pure "Hero Moments" I can think of that almost perfectly encapsulates the "Hero" moment, is in Spider-Man 2, where Peter saves the runaway train. He is handed an almost impossible task, and with a herculean effort, beats the odds, and succeeds in saving the people of his city. It costs him his secret, but the people are so grateful, and so surprised at his youth, that you know they won't betray him.



I remember watching that scene in the cinema, and multiple viewings on DVD, and thinking it was just the perfect emotion to feel when watching a film. If you can build up to and pull off that Hero moment, you've done a wonderful thing.

So with that said, what are some people's favourite hero moments? A description and a screen shot of the moment might be nice, to get the memories going!

 

[dascoyne]

Captain America: The First Avenger. An underappreciated film because it's often misunderstood. It's a film with deliberately dated sensibilities and characters but therein lies the charm. What a perfect setup for what is to come in the future. And all the more poignant after seeing the sequels. It's worth revisiting.

Steve is a guy built for hero moments. This one is more profound where he throws himself on what he thinks is a live grenade during training. He does so without hesitation - and does so as a scrawny guy from Brooklyn.

 

[dascoyne]

 

[bwayne64]

View attachment 625737

That is an awesome scene. But off topic, anybody notice the seriously " Jack Nicholson " grin on the guy on the left. Never noticed it in the movie. But that still frame is too funny !

 

[Fawbish]

Captain America: The First Avenger. An underappreciated film because it's often misunderstood. It's a film with deliberately dated sensibilities and characters but therein lies the charm. What a perfect setup for what is to come in the future. And all the more poignant after seeing the sequels. It's worth revisiting.

Steve is a guy built for hero moments. This one is more profound where he throws himself on what he thinks is a live grenade during training. He does so without hesitation - and does so as a scrawny guy from Brooklyn.

http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/...8-58D6-4869-B8AC-40693792DD54_zpsorrz9wcl.png

Yes. I love that movie, it's one of my Marvel favourites, and I couldn't believe that it didnt really seem to have the following I thought it would - I think another "moment" within it, is definitely as he transforms. Stark is about to shut down the power, and Steve shouts out "No! Don't! I can do this!" - it's said with such emotion, and immediately just has you rooting for him.

Another for me is in Man of Steel - it's a more "typical" hero moment, but the more I see it the more I get out of it. Superman is being held to the ground by the gravity wave, but pushes beyond his own limits to destroy the world engine. I only found out a little while ago, that Snyder mixed in stills of Chris Reeves face when his face is being battered by the gravity beam - and I love the primal scream of Superman as he overcomes it.

 

[CB2001]

For me, I have to say the movie Unbreakable has a pretty good example of a hero moment, which comes up in the third act as David follows the Orange Man to the house where he is keeping the family hostage. He knows the father' dead, but is able to rescue the kids and almost dies trying to rescue the mother. His action of saving the kids comes back to help as they in turn rescue him, giving him a chance to finally take out the bad guy in what I feel has to be the most epic of emotional moments as we see him full embrace his ability.

 

[Fawbish]

For me, I have to say the movie Unbreakable has a pretty good example of a hero moment, which comes up in the third act as David follows the Orange Man to the house where he is keeping the family hostage. He knows the father' dead, but is able to rescue the kids and almost dies trying to rescue the mother. His action of saving the kids comes back to help as they in turn rescue him, giving him a chance to finally take out the bad guy in what I feel has to be the most epic of emotional moments as we see him full embrace his ability.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-waJsBs0eBQ

Brilliant pull. Really good scene/film.

 

[mattycsi]

This bit at the end of Bad Santa gets me, a big uplifting moment where we see Thurman is taking his life back and isn't going to take it anymore. It gets the extra punch as we just hear the voice over from Santa about Mrs Santa's sister is going to look after him etc, but this shows the kids own growth and development and we know he's going to be just fine.

 

[Fawbish]

This is one that is part badass, part Hero saving the day (ish) and part character insight. Up until I saw this when I was younger, I had never really considered that Superman has to take care all the time. Whereas me and you might kick a door in anger, or punch a friend back in a feud, or play sports like rugby etc with everything we've got, he quite literally can never, ever let his guard down - only when he is in the middle of nowhere (the arctic/desert) can he accelerate and move like he knows he is capable of.

The Cardboard Speech.


"That man won't quit as long as he can still draw a breath. None of my teammates will. Me? I've got a different problem. I feel like I live in a world made of cardboard, always taking constant care not to break something, to break someone. Never allowing myself to lose control even for a moment, or someone could die. But you can take it, can't you, big man? What we have here is a rare opportunity for me to cut loose and show you just how powerful I really am."- Superman



Apologies for the poor quality. But this also happens to be possibly one of the best Superman punches of all time.

I would give my left nut to see the DCEU adapt this speech in some way - however, they couldn't do this without people complaining about collateral damage I imagine.

But I would absolutely kill to see the DCEU Clark truly let loose on Darkseid, perhaps after he has just killed someone or "crossed a line".

 

[dascoyne]

This bit at the end of Bad Santa gets me, a big uplifting moment where we see Thurman is taking his life back and isn't going to take it anymore. It gets the extra punch as we just hear the voice over from Santa about Mrs Santa's sister is going to look after him etc, but this shows the kids own growth and development and we know he's going to be just fine.

is it wrong that this is also hero moment for me?

 

[Fawbish]

is it wrong that this is also hero moment for me?

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view5/3237149/bad-santa-o.gif

So far this thread is just positive, and without judgement. I want to carry that on. So fed up of the arguments everywhere at the moment regarding our favourite things.

An adult beating up a snotty bully - so, so good. haha. Definite hero moment!

 

[Solos blaster]

Tallahasse's "Last stand" in Zombieland. Not just the stand itself, but making as much noise as he can to distract the Zombies to himself so Columbus can go save the girl.


This part as the mine cart illuminates Indy after choosing to save the kids instead of just himself, Willie and Short Round.

GIFSoup
"PERSIANS! Come and GET THEM!"

Boromir, looking at Merry and Pippin, wounded and knowing he's going to die, then turns around and continues to kill orcs.

 

[The Mad Professor]

As badass as it is to see Superman cut loose on Darkseid, I still say Batman proved himself a bigger hero in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse

 

[dascoyne]

 

[Lear60man]

The maching gun lobby scene in the Matrix. Also a good test for a surround sound system.

 

[dascoyne]

Fight Club - when he finally takes responsibility for his desires and, therefore, takes control of Tyler.

 

[The Mad Professor]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/jeraltwhat/animated gifs/fightclubshot.gif

Whoa dude! Next time put a trigger warning on that!
























*snerk*

 

[Fawbish]

As badass as it is to see Superman cut loose on Darkseid, I still say Batman proved himself a bigger hero in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE5RXhPwlKc

I'd forgotten that. It's so hard not to imagine Captain Holt from Brooklyn Nine Nine though.

Interestingly, how do you feel about Batman being willing to kill in that scene? I love how they set up how strong willed he is though. Tete a tete with a God.

- - - Updated - - -

The maching gun lobby scene in the Matrix. Also a good test for a surround sound system.

Love that scene.

I prefer two scenes for a hero moment though.


The moment on the roof, where he starts wrapping the strap around his wrist as the helicopter crashes - the music and the simple idea of what he is doing is perfect.

And then again, same music I think, is when he decides to face Smith before he knows he is the one, but he sort of starts to believe it. "He's beginning to believe" - i remember watching that as an 11/12 year old and believing that I could be that badass one day. It was proven to be a lie of course, but I believed it then. haha.



Just watched it again. Bloody perfect. Don't care too much for the "come get me" hand gesture, but the whole moment is awesome.

 

[The Mad Professor]

I'd forgotten that. It's so hard not to imagine Captain Holt from Brooklyn Nine Nine though.

Interestingly, how do you feel about Batman being willing to kill in that scene? I love how they set up how strong willed he is though. Tete a tete with a God.

What I took away from it wasn't that Batman was willing to kill an entire planet. He wasn't. Not with so many innocent slaves there. He'll kill Darkseid's Parademons in combat because, well, they aren't really alive to begin with. No, the badassery of this scene comes from Batman's ability to stare down someone who was perfectly willing and capable of destroying him with a single thought... and make him blink.

 

[mattycsi]

View attachment 629914

Don't care too much for the "come get me" hand gesture, but the whole moment is awesome.

Thats a nod to Bruce Lee. Bruce tended to do it in fight scenes to emphasise he was through messing and was about to get serious. It fit the moment in that scene perfectly, you knew Neo was about to bring the pain.