Modern Cinema Is Rewriting Masculinity
As societies and cultures evolve, their expectations of male roles change. Contemporary expectations of masculinity are demonstrated by film protagonists whom men are meant to resonate with. The goal of these implementations is often to motivate young men to follow a path modeled by the virtuous male protagonist. While the 20th century’s male protagonists fit into the honorable and loyal archetype, similar to Luke Skywalker or John Wayne, contemporary protagonists do not align with 21st-century expectations of masculinity. Instead, Hollywood’s view of masculinity has been warped to require success and victory, whereas in reality, true masculinity requires vulnerability and a struggle for said victory.
Men usually identify with characters whom they perceive as cool or interesting. Some see the character they admire and aspire to share their positive traits, whether it be bravery or loyalty. Others can see flawed protagonists who are not meant to be admired, yet still strive to emulate the traits that led to the character’s success and appearance, whether it is their greed, guile, or borderline sociopathy masked as nonchalance, as in Patrick Bateman of “American Psycho” (2000).
Many films portraying emotionally disconnected male protagonists attempt to discourage young people from idolizing this stoicism, to no avail. In “The Batman” (2022), Bruce Wayne’s asocial lifestyle is written as a character flaw. Bruce (Robert Pattinson), living as a recluse since his parents died, hardly speaks and treats the people around him with hostility. Over the course of the film, his disconnection from society continues to harm the few relationships he manages to maintain, with him finally managing to find true connection at the film’s conclusion. While Bruce’s initially detached lifestyle is clearly not ideal, men watching the movie pay much more attention to his actions as the hero Batman than to his emotional growth as a man.
Batman’s behavior in the superhero noir encourages a detached emotional attitude, antithetical to Bruce’s character arc. People who seek to emulate actor Robert Pattinson’s mannerisms as Batman don’t pay any mind to the overall message that the film is trying to convey as it pertains to Bruce Wayne’s character. Since the majority of Pattinson’s screentime is behind the mask, with him brutally defeating enemies without any hesitation, there’s not much room for the film to capitalize on the message it intended to send. The film consistently reinforces Batman’s menacing image, with rain pouring in the background as ominous yet heroic themes play continuously. As a result, captivated fans are drawn to the cold-blooded, brooding vigilante rather than the emotionally scarred Bruce Wayne. Despite many superheroes falling into this hyper-stoic stereotype, it isn’t particularly difficult to create a hero who encourages positivity and virtue in men.
James Gunn’s recent iteration of Superman is an apt example of a hero encouraging people to strive for healthy vulnerability. In the film “Superman” (2025), the titular alien superhero (David Corenswet) shows that a hero does not need to undermine his own principles in exchange for mass adulation. Clark Kent is painted as a foil to the evil billionaire stereotype in Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). While Luthor only cares about garnering praise and maintaining his personal vendetta against Superman, Superman puts everything on the line to help people, even if it means being painted as a villain. Superman’s defiance of Luthor’s seemingly inevitable technological takeover urges people to stand up to injustice despite the public’s adversity.
Additionally, Corenswet’s portrayal of Clark Kent, Superman’s alter-ego, reinforces this positive message. In the film, Kent is disturbed by the realization that his society admires Luthor’s cynicism and risk-taking more than a goody-two-shoes, heart-on-the-sleeve mentality. What sets this iteration of Superman apart from other modern heroes is that, like the average human, Clark cares what the masses think of him. It is his partner, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), who convinces Clark that his incorruptible integrity and uncompromising dedication to saving human life is not a shortcoming, but what makes him the ultimate hero, stating, “Maybe that’s the real punk rock.” Superman’s virtues were never defined by his strength or durability, but by his value of life; he maintains that all lives are equally important and deserve to be protected. Superman’s role has always been a symbol of hope, but by putting his innocent altruism to the test, Gunn’s portrayal of the iconic hero provides a new take on classically masculine virtues.
While superheroes provide one vision of masculine role models, another vision of masculinity is seen from films in which the main character rises to the top of their profession. Often, how the protagonist attains his position does not matter to the average viewer. Instead, these characters’ most influential moments occur when their intelligence or power is shown in full effect, regardless of what it took to achieve it or how they intend to use it. This archetype spans a wide range of characters, from protagonists to antagonists, and often highlights loyalty and perseverance, or desperation and depravity, respectively.
Showing the protagonist succeed in garnering immense wealth and power can be enough to resonate with a male audience, even if they are blatantly corrupt in their work and morals. In “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013), Jordan Belfort’s erratic behavior and continuous drug abuse carry him to the top of Wall Street, only for those same gratuitous antics to cause his downfall. Yet, it is at the peak of both his destructive behaviors and financial success that he is most beloved by many of the film’s fans, showing how even blatantly destructive behavior can still be regarded by many as a positive vision of masculinity.
For most, actions speak louder than words, but Leonardo DiCaprio’s portrayal of Jordan Belfort had bark equally as damaging as his bite. In the film, Belfort, known for his almost contagious arrogance in his field, frequently speaks his mind to colleagues and clients alike, no matter how vulgar, hostile or disgusting his words are. Nobody was immune to Belfort’s slander, and his towering success was a direct result of his horrible behavior. Equally deplorable, he did not care what moral line he crossed, whether it was cheating on his wife, assaulting his female colleagues or exploiting his friends and family for financial gain. Nevertheless, young men are attracted to Belfort’s success, which is a direct result of his destructive behavior, without considering that a man can achieve success without Belfort’s horrible character and conduct.
Wisdom and an open heart are attractive virtues, but are seldom found in commonly emulated male protagonists, who more often resemble Belfort in their vice. However, Benoit Blanc, portrayed by Daniel Craig in the “Knives Out” (2019-2025) trilogy, bucks this trend. Known for his empathy and vast detecting skills, Blanc treats his cases as if he is seeing them for the first time, even if he already understands the full picture. When he asks each suspect for their story, he is not solely driven by his abilities as a detective, but by his care for the suspects’ emotionally nuanced personal circumstances. Despite his vast intelligence and the great responsibility placed on his shoulders, Blanc’s attitude and conduct is usually quiet, observant and soft-spoken.
Blanc’s emotional intelligence and empathy should be virtues that all men strive to possess. When assisting Pastor Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor), Blanc lowers his guard and allows Pastor Jud to make decisions based on his religious and moral ideals. His impressive verbosity and diction don’t give him any sense of entitlement, but when he knows that his knowledge is required to complete the puzzle, he is confident in his ability to speak on the case laid in front of him. He is aware that frequent interjections and personal biases have no place in his field, but that nuance, an open mind, and empathy do. Such virtues, to Blanc, are central to being a great detective and a good man.
Despite the rare examples of Corenswet’s Superman and Craig’s Blanc, 21st-century Hollywood has not exhibited many positive male role models,sending a mixed message to young men struggling to find the correct path. 20th-century male protagonists valued bravery, integrity and humility, whereas modern male protagonists don’t share any set of virtues. As Hollywood pushes a more inclusive agenda, the number of possible character archetypes expands dramatically. A variety of protagonist archetypes makes for a more unique cinematic experience, but should not come at the expense of a set of ethical guidelines for impressionable young men.
Photo Caption: Virtue doesn’t have to be sacrificed for healthy manhood.
Photo Credit: Jurien Higgins / Unsplash
