There have been several hit movies that have done quite successfully in their respective genres. Be it Action, Mystery, Romance, or Thriller, all the genres have their own stack of fantastic movies with great scripts, excellent acting, and picturesque cinematography. But there are certain movies that have crossed the threshold and have completely redefined their respective genre. Here is a list of 20 movies for you, that have set new standards and redefined genres.
1) DIE HARD
Action movies for a long time used to feature a righteous hero who sets on a mission to save innocent people. But, Die Hard, released in 1988 set redefined this genre. The movie introduced the concept of a morally grey hero. Someone the audience could relate with. Moreover, Die Hard was one of the first action movies to incorporate humor with action sequences.
2) MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
Mad Max was a revolution in the era of male-dominated action films. They had Charlize Theron perform action sequences and it was loved by the audience, especially feminists. Moreover, unlike traditional action movies where the plot and fight sequences do not go well together, Mad Max had nonstop action for the entirety of the movie without compromising the plot. It has influenced movies like The Old Guard and Wonder Woman.
3) SEVEN
The movie Seven was a sensation in the thrillers genre. With a unique plot, that references the seven deadly sins, it's a story about a serial killer - John Doe. The movie is known for introducing the concept of unconventional endings. Contrary to how thriller moves usually end on a positive note, Seven gives you a glimpse of the bleakness of the real world where things don’t always end on the right note. It has influenced movies like Zodiac, Gone Girl and Prisoners.
4) INCEPTION
Another new concept in the thriller genre was set in motion by the movie Inception. Directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Inception instituted the concept of intellectually complex movies being commercial hits. Before this, people feared that multilayered cerebral movies would lose the audience mid-plot, but this movie changed the notion with its popularity. It set the pace for other highly thought-inducing movies like - Tenet, Looper, and Matrix Resurrection.
5) THE GODFATHER
Crime movies for a long time were treated as action-packed watches. Godfather, released in 1972, redefined this notion. This movie unlike previous narratives of assassins and corruption changed the focus of the crime genre to family ties, traditions, inheritance, and betrayal. The movie redefined the mafia culture and has since inspired other famous works like Scarface and The Irishman.
6) AMERICAN PSYCHO
American Psycho is credited with introducing dark comedy into crime movies. The movie is known for blending real events and delusions of the narrator in a way that the audience is left flabbergasted. It's known for popularising the concept of anti-heroes and explaining their crimes backed by a strong backstory that appeals to the audience. Movies like Joker and Nightcrawler have been inspired by it.
7) BACK TO THE FUTURE
The movie Back to the Future made the concept of time travel relatable. Usually, sci-fi movies are a genre appreciated more by academicians and technological enthusiasts, but Back to the Future presented complex theories like a mainstream comedy movie. It was a testament to the fact that sci-fi doesn’t always need to involve dystopian or futuristic themes, a simple innovative idea coupled with pop culture references and light-hearted comedy can produce a timeless hit too.
8) INTERSTELLER
While Back to the Future integrated science with comedy, Interstellar chose an emotional theme. It combined wormholes and time travel with real-life humanistic themes of love, family, sacrifice, and more. These themes made the movie relatable to everyday audiences and went on to inspire other movies like Arrival and The Martian.
9) SCHNIDLER'S LIST
While Biopics have a very centralized focus, Schindler’s List was a new take that focused on the epic tragedy of the holocaust while maintaining an intimate connection with the protagonist. Based on the story of Oskar Schindler who has a change of heart and decides to save Jews from concentration camps, the movie maintains authenticity and manages to educate people about the history of humanity.
10) OPPENHEIMER
Although a recent release, Oppenheimer has managed to become a hallmark in the field of biopics in quite a short period. Based on the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer who designed the nuclear bomb, the movie with its use of multiple timelines, not only portrays the life events of Oppenheimer but manages to move above the limited scope of biopic and tackle nuanced themes like - ethics in science.
11) TOY STORY (1995)
Toy Story, released in 1995 was the first fully computer-animated movie. This movie revolutionized how animated movies were made and when it was released, the theatres were flooded. It also introduced the concept of voice talent where a star cast is hired to give their voices to the animated characters. This technique is now followed by almost every animated movie.
12) SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was another unique take on animated movies. It used CGI like other traditional animated films but blended it with hand-drawn comic book designs. For example, it used bold lines, speech boxes, and texts like ‘BANG’ and ‘BOOM’ which made the audience feel like they were in a comic book. This new style was highly appreciated and loved by the audience.
13) FIGHT CLUB
Fight Club was a unique take on traditional mystery movies as it used the concept of an unreliable narrator. The central mystery was the person who was narrating the events. A number of new techniques like ‘subliminal flashbacks’ were used to keep the audience engaged. The movie broadened the scope of mysteries from the usual crime-solving genre to psychological thrillers. It has since then become an inspiration for movies like Black Swan.
14) GET OUT
The movie Get Out combined mystery with social themes like racism. It uses a narrative technique where the mystery and villains are revealed very early on and the actual climax is not about solving the mystery but about escaping the implications caused by it. This movie is also known for combining a lot of genres like horror and satire along with mystery to produce a critically acclaimed film.
15) BATMAN BEGINS
Batman Begins redefined superhero movies. Usually, these movies include unrealistic concepts and powerful heroes whose powers are rooted in myths and magic. But Batman revolutionized that by introducing technology and training as means of this superhero’s powers. Batman uses Body Armour, Guns, and Batmobile all of which have a scientific basis that rivals the traditional superhero concept.
16) DEADPOOL
Deadpool breaks the notion of generic superhero movies as the titular superhero breaks the fourth wall and directly addresses the audience. Moreover, it was one of the first superhero movies targeted not at kids but at adults as it depicts grotesque violence and explicit language. It has gone on to inspire movies and shows like - The Suicide Squad and The Boys.
17) THE BEFORE TRILOGY
The Before Trilogy comprising - Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight has been a transforming force in the art of making romance films. It showed how simple but meaningful dialogues can alone shape a film. Moreover, the movies are set in a single day and this race against time portrays themes of fleeting love and keeps the audience hooked.
18) ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
Another new take on traditional romance movies was Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. First of all the film uses a non-chronological order of timeline which combined with issues of memory and self-identity, is quite distant from what a traditional romantic movie is like. It focuses more on the imperfections in love rather than the fairytale-like essence people attach to the concept of love.
19) THE SHINING
Usually, Psychological Tropes involve a person escaping their mind and finding peace, but another take on this was in the movie The Shining which shows the protagonist Jack Torrance succumbing to the madness in his mind. The movie also focuses more on creating an eerie atmosphere that unsettles the audience rather than jump scares. Moreover, it combines the supernatural and the psychological which now has become a genre of its own.
20) SHUTTER ISLAND
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Directed by Martin Scorsese, Shutter Island was a psychological masterpiece. It cleverly utilized newly introduced concepts of unreliable narrator, ambiguous protagonist, and blending of genres. This movie stood out because of its plot twists which make the audience question every scene. Shutter Island was so perfect as a psychological movie that it has set a new standard for future psychological thrillers.
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