David Pierdomenico
It may seem surreal that 2008 was ten years ago, but here we are. In an age when giant superhero blockbusters and Star Wars sequels/spinoffs are a thing again, there was a time that it all wasn’t so certain. A decade ago, audiences were treated to a summer filled with films that changed the landscape. And in the all the summers since, we’ve never had quite a lineup as we did in 2008.
The Dawn of the Universes
It was a simpler time for superheroes. We had already been exposed to the Sam Raimi Spiderman trilogy from Sony, as well as the first few X-Men films from Fox. But the box office had yet to be completely dominated as it would be. That all changed with the releases of Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, and The Dark Knight. The two former set the stage for a cinematic universe that would be the joy of every fan and the envy of every other studio who would attempt to mimic it (we’re looking at you DC and Universal’s short lived “Dark Universe”).
While Marvel was emerging as an underdog and laying the foundation for the entire MCU, Christopher Nolan was completing his magnum opus and proving just what a superhero film could be. Batman Begins had already wowed audiences back in 2005, but The Dark Knight transcended the genre by being a gritty crime thriller set in Gotham City. It demonstrated that the world of superheroes could contain hyper-realism and represent real world challenges and themes of justice, order, chaos, and truth. It remains today the epitome of DC movie adaptations, as well as for some, the entire comic book genre.
The Greatest Comeback in Film History
When 2008 rolled around, Robert Downy Jr. was far from the A-list. After peaking in the late 80’s and early 90’s, Downy suffered a vast fall from grace. Between 1996 and 2001, he spent time in jail and drug rehab, and became an uninsurable liability. As he made a slow comeback in the early 2000’s, studios were only willing to pay him after filming was complete, just in case a drug arrest interfered with shooting. It was because of all this that an underdog Marvel film studio was able to afford him for the role that would later define him.
Not since Hugh Jackman as Wolverine had audiences ever seen an actor so perfect for a role as Robert Downy Jr. as Tony Stark. They shared similar lovable narcissistic personalities, but what really drew people in was both actor and character’s penchant for redemption. Like Downy, Tony Stark in the film was looking to turn his life around and be a force for good. If landing Iron Man wasn’t enough, Downy also costarred in the Ben Stiller directed action/comedy Tropic Thunder, playing an Australian actor portraying an African American in a movie within a movie, which is about as meta as a film can get. He was even nominated for Best Supporting Actor, a feat rarely achieved for comedy films. After summer 2008, it was clear that Robert Downy Jr. was back and he was here to stay.
They Weren’t All Winners, But Some Were Spectacular Losers
It wasn’t just a summer for blockbusters and trend setters. There was of course a fair share of forgettable titles, but even some that were terrible were capable of inspiring joy…and rage. The most hateful of course was the infamous Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. After a 19 year hiatus, Steven Spielberg returned to direct, George Lucas returned to write, and Harrison Ford returned to star in the most despised entry of the classic film series. Between nuclear bomb proof refrigerators, terrible CGI monkeys, the acting of Shia LeBeouf, and aliens, Indy 4 united fans in outrage. But those same fans need to admit that while the film itself was terrible, there have since been moments of fun laughing at it, much like we do with the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
But it wasn’t just Indiana Jones’ career that was being put to death, it was Mike Myers’ as well. In an attempt to recapture the charm and success of his Austin Powers series, he co-wrote and starred in the abomination known as The Love Guru. Less of a “so bad is funny” and more of a “so bad it’s just bad”, The Love Guru flopped and in the time since Mike Myers has yet to have another starring role. And finally, how could we not also look at The Happening, the very peak of M. Night Shymalan’s downfall (long before his 2017 comeback with Split). Considered by many to be an unintended comedy, none can watch this film without getting some form of hilarity. Not every film that summer was a born to be classic, but even the terrible ones had some form of entertainment to them.
What Was 2008’s Recipe For Success?
Perhaps it would be cliché to state that 2008 was a simpler time that our own, but that doesn’t make it any less true. During the summer we were still a couple months away from the great Financial Crisis and we were in the midst of an election year. It was truly a time we felt hopeful for the future. And maybe that’s what was reflected in the films of the time. The beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the awe inspiring Dark Knight gave audiences new beginnings and optimism. Social media existed at the time, but it hadn’t completely taken over the world as it has now, and therefore we were more susceptible to being impressed by spectacle. We weren’t as bitter or apathetic. Sequels and reboots were still around but we hadn’t grown so fatigued by them as we have in recent times. It’s as if we’ve gotten too much of a good thing, and in 2008 that good thing was still relatively new and fresh.
The truth is we may never get another summer like that again. The summer blockbuster season in some ways doesn’t even exist anymore. Hits like Captain America: Winter Soldier and Avengers: Infinity War hit theaters in April, and Deadpool in February. With online streaming, and a yearlong blockbuster season, large popular films aren’t really limited to any particular time of year. We may never see the likes of it again, but we’ll always have that perfect summer from 10 years ago.
