by Bruce W. Coffman

Created on: March 13, 2009   Last Updated: March 15, 2009

When we feel weak, powerless and oppressed, we long for a hero of some sort to come along and save us. America is in the throes of one of the longest economic recessions in recent history, many are without jobs and facing the very real prospects of losing their homes and everything they have worked hard to attain. The threats against us are very real and they can seem insurmountable. Whether the evil comes in the form of a bank foreclosure or a diabological super-villain, the need for a savior is there.

When we settle in a seat at the theatre or pop in a DVD at home, we watch someone who is fearless, powerful and bold battle the forces of evil. This superhero good-guy is going to win. We know that and it makes us feel better. Even if it is just on the theatre or TV screen, it gives us that hope that good can triumph over evil, that we need to keep going.

Many of today's superhero movies explore the themes of "ordinary" people with super abilities. This is a reflection of the fact that we are all searching for something within ourselves, that spark, that extra courage, that something special that will help us face down our demons and overcome our trials. Through these popular superhero movies, Hollywood is doing what it has always done best. That is showing us ourselves magnified, glorified and amplified. We need to know that we have what it takes to be that superhero. We may never jump over a tall building or stop a speeding locomotive, but we may be able to find deep within ourselves the will to carry on through our darkest adversity.

Hollywood is at its best when it holds up a mirror to humanity and shows us the best that we can be. With superhero movies, that best is dramatized in exaggerated ways, but it does show us what each of us have inside. It shows us that innate longing for truth, justice and, as corny as it sounds, the American way. It shows us that anyone can be a hero, even a brooding, self-loathing and self-destructive character as has been portrayed in many modern superhero movies. When it comes to crunch time, the hero finds within himself what is necessary to stand up and fight for good and right.

That's what we all need to see right now, because we all need to feel as if we, too, will be able to stand up and fight for those things we are losing. We all need to see that the real heroes are not necessarily those running around in flowing capes, but the mothers and fathers who are finding new and innovative ways to keep food on the tables for the children and to keep a roof over their heads. We need our superhero movies to show us on a grand scale what we can do in very real ways every day to survive in a world where threats face us in very real ways every day.

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