Back When Blockbusters Still Dared To Have An Edge:
I had been wondering for some time why pretty much all of the big budget studio tentpoles have stopped to provide a thrilling experience for me. For a while I thought: Well, I’m just getting old; I’m becoming more and more cynical and I’m also not as easily excitable anymore as I used to be. In a word, I’m turning into the typical grumpy old geezer who complains how everything used to be so much better in the past and that we don't get gritty, thrilling epics like 'Troy' or 'Gladiator' anymore.
But, being a film geek, through reading and watching hundreds of interviews over the years with studio heads, directors, producers and screenwriters as well as watching making-ofs and documentaries and reading countless articles about all things Hollywood, a very clear picture started to emerge, as to why so many of those blockbusters have become so formulaic - and that in fact we DON'T GET films like 'Gladiator' anymore: for very specific reasons.
If you're interested in those topics, you can read it here for yourself (but be warned: it's a lengthy read and it could make you angry):
http://www.the-fanboy-perspective.com/a-rant-against-modern-tentpole-film-making.html
"The complication had a little complication."