There's no doubt that the 1980s was a great decade for movie fans. But while people tend to think of critically-acclaimed work like Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back or Pretty in Pink when discussing '80s movies, not everything in '80s films sits well with viewers today. The decade relied heavily on the trends of the time, and viewers are glad to see some of these trends gone.
It's understandable how certain weaknesses couldn't be helped forty years ago, such as underwhelming CGI. However, there are also plenty of outdated prejudices or tired tropes on display even in the best films the decade had to offer.
Updated May 15th by Isaac Williams: The 1980s are still many people's favorite era for movies, and there's no denying their quality. However, there's also no denying the cliche, rote, or problematic trends common in the films of the day. This list has been updated with even more of the worst trends in 1980s movies that aren't as present today.
10 Over-Sexualization Of The Teen Experience
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When looking at how teens have been portrayed in '80s films, it seems like many are eager to have romantic experiences. Though sometimes this eagerness is meant for amusement or relatability, it often comes across as a cringe-worthy obsession or perpetuates harmful ideas.
The over-sexualization of the teen experience is shown through Ted from Sixteen Candles, who bets his friends twelve floppy disks that he can sleep with Sam during an upcoming dance. Ted's friends even want a piece of her clothing as proof. Coming-of-age stories have so much more potential than just sex. However, '80s films tend to focus on that to the exclusion of all else.
9 Invincible Action Heroes
The main draw of many action movies is spectacular violence and impressive fight scenes. However, the very best films in the genre create genuine tension with their protagonists. If an action hero loses a fight, goes up against more powerful opponents, or seems genuinely at risk of death, it's far more compelling than if they mow down everything in sight.
However, many 1980s action movies forget this rule and make their heroes untouchable. For every action movie that paints its hero as a vulnerable human being, such as The Terminator or Die Hard, there are several like The Running Man or Cyborg where most enemies exist solely to die in horrific ways.
8 No Middle Ground For Parents
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Movie parents range from one extreme to the other and everywhere in between. Some parents are incredibly strict, while others don't pay attention to their children at all. In Dead Poets Society, Neil excels academically but wants to pursue acting. Neil's father disapproves of this pursuit, then enrolls him in a military academy as punishment.
In The Breakfast Club, Allison wants to leave home because her parents seemingly ignore her existence. Incorporating these upbringings provides compelling storylines. However, these extreme parenting styles seem like the only option in '80s movies. Both have become cliched, and modern movies have taken a much more measured approach to depicting parent-child relationships.
7 Stereotypical Bullies
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No matter the decade, movie bullies are a surefire villains for any teenage protagonist. In Back to the Future Part II, Biff epitomizes this. Though Biff is a satisfying antagonist, these qualities can also be extremely irritating. He even tells Lorraine that he'll marry her someday, despite Lorraine repeatedly shooting down his advances.
The Karate Kid Part II's Chozen also exhibits similar behavior and resorts to violence. While characters like Biff and Chozen add necessary drama to their respective films, sometimes they leave a desire for other kinds of antagonists. 1980s movie bullies have little variety in their characterization or behavior, making them tedious characters after a while.
6 Rampant Sexism
There has been a huge amount of social progress since the 1980s. Many things that were commonplace in fiction then are unacceptable in the modern day. In particular, the treatment of many female characters in 1980s movies has aged very poorly.
The 1980s have impressive and well-written female characters like The Terminator's Sarah Connor or Aliens' Ellen Ripley. However, many female characters are unnecessarily sexualized, given nothing to do next to the male leads, or even subjected to sexual assault for the purposes of humor or titillation. The depiction of women in films is far from perfect now, but it's better than many 1980s movies.
5 Cheesy Sci-Fi Storytelling
Cheesy movies can hold a special place in a viewer's heart, but plenty of sci-fi movies from the 1980s take cheesiness too far. While this is partly due to the basic CGI technology available in the '80s, storylines also prove to be overly cheesy.
The Ice Pirates not only has basic special effects, but it also tells a ludicrous and chaotic story about water becoming a precious commodity. Ice cubes are also used as currency in a world where The Templars of Mithra have the ability to deprive their galaxy of water. While certain '80s sci-fi films were great, like Back to the Future, it's safe to say that not enough was done to save this film genre at the time.
4 Creatures That Terrorize The Lives Of Humans
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Seeing animals or creatures terrorize humans is another '80s trend that viewers that wouldn't mind forgetting. In Gremlins, the titular creatures are small beings that can transform into something dangerous if improperly cared for. Gremlins success spawned a while wave of copycats, including Ghoulies, Critters, and more. While many of these movies are creepy, they are also formulaic.
The havoc wreaked usually consists of injuries, near-death encounters, and extensive damage to immediate surroundings. The animals/creatures are then killed thanks to a smart or brave tactic adopted by the protagonists. While monster movies have and always will be a staple of cinema, this specific brand of creature feature is best left in the past.
3 Sequels With Diminishing Returns
The 1980s, like many other time periods, had almost every successful movie followed by sequels. However, while many '80s movies are classics beloved to this day, far fewer sequels reach this status. Films like Aliens and Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior have gone down in history, considered by some even better than the originals. However, they are the exception rather than the rule.
The 1980s saw some genuinely awful sequels to many beloved films. From The Karate Kid to Jaws to Grease, few films were safe. Some series got many awful installments in the '80s, such as Friday the 13th. Sequels are, if anything, more prevalent today. However, franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Mission: Impossible show that subsequent films don't always have to be worse.
2 Immature Young People
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Films like St. Elmo's Fire and Mystic Pizza depict young people as extremely immature and naive. Though undergoing character arcs, it seems like they must be introduced as bratty, arrogant, and unable to control their impulses before eventually learning important life lessons. While this may work for certain characters, viewers quickly grew tired of this trope.
St. Elmo's Fire was criticized because its characters were so entitled that it overshadowed the movie's premise. These tropes can reinforce the idea that all members within this age demographic have similar traits and attitudes, which only serves to further alienate those who don't fall inside the lines.
1 Overacting In Fantasy Movies
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Although good fantasy calls for creatively surreal situations, audiences also expect characters to take these situations seriously. However, some performances in '80s fantasy films seem to go too far, which results in their efforts being unrealistic. For example, fight scenes in Red Sonja aren't very believable because they lean on exaggerated facial expressions and reactions.
People anticipate immersive adventures while watching fantasy movies, but many from the '80s don't live up to that standard due to overdramatic performances. Luckily, many modern fantasy movies have a more grounded, believable, and gritty approach. There's still a time and a place for melodrama and cheese, but the variety suits most viewers better.