Superheroes taking off their masks to "Emote", Is it a good thing?

[MasterSteef]

...After watching Spidey 3 today I came to realize that it seems as if more and more in superhero movies, all the heroes with masks or suits that cover their whole bodies seem to always need to take off their masks to "emote" or something or someone conveniently rips their mask off just in time for a dramatic moment.

I understand the writers and directors of these films feel as if the actors face needs to be seen so that we (the audience) can connect with the character but sometimes I feel as if it gets a little ridiculous with heroes showing their secret identities to every Tom, Dick, Jane that walks down the street.

Venom hardly had his monster face on in Spidey 3 (but then again he wasn't in there for very long) and in Spider-man 2 spidey "conveniently" gets sparks in his eyes so the mask comes off just in time for him to save the train. Now Iron Man I think did a very good job with keeping Tony in the suit but still allowing us to see his face from the inside, however at the end of that film tony's mask gets crushed forcing him to go without it.

So my question to you fellow escapists is less mask time and more face time good for a superhero movie or should it be the other way around?

 

[Hazy]

While V from V For Vendetta is hardly a super hero - you never see his face without the mask.
And he's still a charismatic and emotional character.
The audience feels a connection to him and his cause, even though you'll never know what he looks like (which I feel is in part to his excellent acting overall)

It's certainly not necessary, though it does give the sensation that the character is a human - i.e. flawed and fallible.
So, I suppose I could say I'm in favor of it, provided it's handled well and the actor can actually indicate emotion.

Spoiler: Last thing we want is another Keanu Reeves.

"WOAH"​

 

[Mr Wednesday]

I took was irked by the frequent Spidey 3 unmaskings.

That film was awful anyways.

 

[GreyFox389]

Yeah Spider-Man has this problem a lot. Mostly because they made him cry every twenty minutes.

 

[ProfessorLayton]

While V ala V For Vendetta is hardly a super hero - you never see his face without the mask.
And he's still a charismatic and emotional character.
The audience feels a connection to him and his cause, even though you'll never know what he looks like (which I feel is in part to his excellent acting.)

It's certainly not necessary, though it does give the sensation that the character is a human - i.e. flawed and fallible. So, I suppose I could say I'm in favor of it, provided it's handled well.

That's because V for Vendetta was an excellent movie in every way.

I've always found it cheesy and cliche when the character takes off his mask and then makes out with his girlfriend or whatever goes on.

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

It's not absolutely necessary to do so but if they feel they need show that they are human and whatnot then it doesn't bother me too much.

 

[SturmDolch]

While V ala V For Vendetta is hardly a super hero - you never see his face without the mask.
And he's still a charismatic and emotional character.
The audience feels a connection to him and his cause, even though you'll never know what he looks like (which I feel is in part to his excellent acting.)

It's certainly not necessary, though it does give the sensation that the character is a human - i.e. flawed and fallible. So, I suppose I could say I'm in favor of it, provided it's handled well.

Great, ninja'd by the first post. I was going to say V for Vendetta because they used 7 or so different masks for that film to give him emotions. Although they all had the same drawings, they used different shades and worked differently with the lighting to make him seem sad, even if he was constantly smiling. I love that about the film. I have to watch it again, actually...

 

[AboveUp]

While V ala V For Vendetta is hardly a super hero - you never see his face without the mask.
And he's still a charismatic and emotional character.
The audience feels a connection to him and his cause, even though you'll never know what he looks like (which I feel is in part to his excellent acting overall)

Then again, showing V without his mask would break his message. He was using dramatics to become something bigger than himself. I could be wrong, I never saw the movie. I only read the original comic. Batman hints at the same line of thought in regards to being a super hero, then again, I think he keeps his mask on while in the suit.

I always hated that about Spidey. I can understand the creators needed some way to give Spider-Man emotions for the audience to see, but come on... How many people have seen that he's Peter Parker? After a year of being that kind of hero, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone knew he was Peter Parker without mentioning it to anyone else.

 

[DeleteThisPlease]

It depends on the TYPE of hero we're talking about personally.

Like, Iorn Man for example. Unless we get to SEE Stark behind the suit, we really don't get a lot of the human emotion that drives him to be a hero, then it would just be a mecha going around saving the world (and that's pretty boring). Another great example would be... shoot, I forget his name. The DC universe 'Iorn Man'.

But for characters like, say, Batman or the Green Arrow, they don't NEED to remove the mask because they can show lots of emotion while wearing it. And even if the mask covered more of their face, they would STILL be very charismatic and emotional.

 

[DarkGargoyle]

And Iron Man. Why's he flipping up his visor in the middle of battle, I'd like to know

[edit] Ninjad
But in the movies, we have the suit interior view, so the point stands

 

[Marter]

But for characters like, say, Batman or the Green Arrow, they don't NEED to remove the mask because they can show lots of emotion while wearing it. And even if the mask covered more of their face, they would STILL be very charismatic and emotional.

Batman doesn't really show emotion, and is probably one of the least charismatic charatcers I can think of.

 

[Z(ombie)fan]

While V ala V For Vendetta is hardly a super hero - you never see his face without the mask.
And he's still a charismatic and emotional character.
The audience feels a connection to him and his cause, even though you'll never know what he looks like (which I feel is in part to his excellent acting overall)

It's certainly not necessary, though it does give the sensation that the character is a human - i.e. flawed and fallible.
So, I suppose I could say I'm in favor of it, provided it's handled well and the actor can actually indicate emotion.

Spoiler: Last thing we want is another Keanu Reeves.

"WOAH"​

yes, verily

(does that mean "very much?". and im referring to keanu reeves picture.)

 

[DeleteThisPlease]

But for characters like, say, Batman or the Green Arrow, they don't NEED to remove the mask because they can show lots of emotion while wearing it. And even if the mask covered more of their face, they would STILL be very charismatic and emotional.

Batman doesn't really show emotion, and is probably one of the least charismatic charatcers I can think of.

Ok, Batman is a terrible example, though I still consider grim determination and being pissed off as a 'emotion' personally...

 

[Marter]

But for characters like, say, Batman or the Green Arrow, they don't NEED to remove the mask because they can show lots of emotion while wearing it. And even if the mask covered more of their face, they would STILL be very charismatic and emotional.

Batman doesn't really show emotion, and is probably one of the least charismatic charatcers I can think of.

Ok, Batman is a terrible example, though I still consider grim determination and being pissed off as a 'emotion' personally...

I suppose anger is an emotion, and one that far too many people are too quick to show off.