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Troubling Viewer Reactions to Thanos Brutality in Trailer?

posted 7 years ago by NorrinRad (5468)
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The Avengers:Infinity war trailer has broken records and there are a ton of YouTube reaction videos out there to watch. I've watched a few reaction videos and am always shocked when those reviewers literally laugh out loud at Thanos striking what appears to be Iron Man. I just don't get what is so funny about that scene.

When you pick the scene apart you see the person in the armor raise their hands as if they are defenseless and cowering in fear. It doesn't appear that the person in the armor knows what to do or how to protect themselves from what is about to happen.

If it turns out that the person in the Armor is Pepper instead of Tony does it make a difference in how you view the brutality of the punch? Is it funnier?

Thanos wouldn't care one way or the other who is in the suit when he delivers that blow but it sure does establish that he knows his strength and has no fear.

[–] TwistedAcrobat (1725) 7 years ago

people are numbed to violence, overall. Way too much graphic violence on tv and - sadly - on the real world as well [as it has always have been].

I don't think that's Tony in the armor.

[–] Renovatio (2990) 7 years ago

It's only comicbook movie/action movie violence and video game that people are numb to... Violence in dramas, war movies and in some* thrillers and horror movies generally has impact in either a visceral or emotional way...

A good comparison is the original Robocop by Paul Verhoeven with the remake of a few years ago... The original Robocop is far more violent and has realistic non-CGI blood and gore and violence... But the violence has consequence, you see and feel the impact... it is key to the social commemtary in that movie on the militerasism in modern cities... The remake fails to get it's similar points across in great part due to the lack of blood and the sanitised comicbook movie style violence... Violence without the visceral feeling and without the emotional impact...

*The use of CGI in most horror movies and in thrillers has lessoned the impact of violence... compare the original Hellraiser with anything CGI made today... You feel it in Hellraiser...

[–] TwistedAcrobat (1725) 7 years ago

Same years ago I had a convo with a friend of mine about the Exorcist and how - IMHO - it's one of the best horror movies ever made. He told me that he found it boring and was not scared at all. His reasoning was - IIRC - that there were no scenes of physical violence or gruesome blood shed. I found it curious because we almost take for granted a kid swearing and pissing on his pants on tv, nowadays. Back then, it was quite a shocker. I didn't see it when it came out, but I suspect i would be pretty shocked then.

[–] Renovatio (2990) 7 years ago

interesting... i watched it recently with some younger people Teens/early 20 somethings (family & friends)... they loved it and were shocked in a few places and creeped out as well... surprisingly, it was the psychological bits that hit hardest as well as the doctor visit and the injections...

the peeing scene was weird for them as well.... interestingly the younger women/girls felt it more deeply maybe they could relate to the girl more...

but it was a no-phones setting, in a darkened room without interruptions... if they had their ipads and iphones in their laps I doubt any of the horror would have worked 😁

[–] TwistedAcrobat (1725) 7 years ago

Exactly. It's a movie that excels at psychological shock games. A little girl telling her mother to lick her pussy and shoving a crucifix up her snatch saying "let Jesus fuck you". That's some high grade fuckery right there.

But it's so much more than that...

[–] jakemon45 (1141) 7 years ago

I didn't even remember a shot where this happened, or that it was funny at all so I went ahead and rewatched the trailer. If people were laughing at that point it had to be at Thanos' line just before he punches Iron Man. There's no way it was at the punch itself. I see what you're saying about it probably not being Tony in the suit, but this tangent you're going off on about violence against women is unwarranted.

[–] NorrinRad (5468) 7 years ago

I didn't even remember a shot where this happened, or that it was funny at all so I went ahead and rewatched the trailer. If people were laughing at that point it had to be at Thanos' line just before he punches Iron Man. There's no way it was at the punch itself.

There are PLENTY of ways that the punch itself could illicit laughter but none of them for me reflect something that I personally would do, think or feel. Juvenile Immaturity, Lack of Empathy, Wanting to see Tony get a beatdown, Wanting to See a Marvel Hero take a "Dirt Nap", or that mindset of people enthralled with "The Knock-Out Game".

What Tangent am I off on as to Violence Against Women??? Something I said promotes Violence Against Women??

If it turns out that the person in the Armor is Pepper instead of Tony does it make a difference in how you view the brutality of the punch? Is it funnier?

I asked that question which I will state even further: If it is funny seeing Tony take a "Dirt Nap" and then you find out that it is indeed NOT Tony but a woman (Pepper for instance) or even let's say it's Peter for some reason in the suit. Are you then appalled/disgusted?

Why is ANY person being struck like that, cause for laughter? If you like seeing defenseless characters struck like that, if the character is even more powerless does that make the scene funnier?