#more abstractly - does the sci-fi actually address science or technology? does the fantasy actually engage with worldbuildinh?

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new thing i have to do when watching any kind of big budget, highly marketable take on a well established genre is ask whether or not the characters actually do the thing the genre was invented for. do the superheroes actually help anyone? mcu spider-man’s narrative treats helping his neighborhood like a burden that makes him less legitimate than the other heroes. iron man would never rescue a cat from a tree. snyderverse superman is actively taught to ignore the public. up until The Batman (2022) we had gone decades since having a batman on the big screen that actually protected people or helped regular civilians. what good is a power fantasy that aspires only to being the biggest gun. do the spies actually collect any information? do any stealth? have to communicate covert knowledge to prevent greater harm? the answer is increasingly no across the board and i fear for the growing popularity of detective lit again knowing few will stick the landing as well as Knives Out