While I love action films with all of my heart, I will concede that a lot of the genre’s sequels can be over the top. It happens because, with each new installment, producers and writers are challenged with creating something fresh \u2014 while still appealing to the franchise\u2019s core audience. They don\u2019t want to change<\/em> the characters we love, but they still have to find ways to up the ante and raise the stakes.<\/p>\n Often, the go-to answer is to put the characters in bigger, more exciting set pieces. Unfortunately, this approach often leads to ridiculous, cartoonish action. (Looking at you, Fast and Furious<\/em><\/a> franchise.)<\/p>\n So, how do filmmakers raise the stakes without making the action totally absurd? The answer is as simple as a Michael Bay<\/a> film is bombastic \u2014 character development.<\/p>\n We have to care about a hero\u2019s journey and well-being. We need to see heroes struggle and grow from sequel to sequel as they lose and learn over and over. If our hero is exactly the same in every sequel, our emotional investment wilts and the franchise becomes stale.<\/p>\n
\nThe Turmoil of Martin Riggs<\/h3>\n