Weekly Movie Challenge

Hordes, packs, groups

This week we're exploring movies in which the protagonist, or antagonist is made up of more than one person/thing e.g. cloning, hordes or packs of animals.

When it comes to family-friendly movies, there's no shortage of films featuring packs, hordes, and multiples! Take the Minions, for example – those banana-obsessed creatures from the Minions (2015) and Despicable Me (2010) series. Then there's Kung Fu Panda (2008), where Po and the Furious Five face off against hordes of enemies in epic battles. And don't forget Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), which features numerous Spider-Man variants coming together for an action-packed adventure.

If you're a fan of fantasy, you'll love the massive battles against mythical hordes in some of the genre's most beloved films. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) is a classic, with its epic clashes against armies of orcs and other fantastical creatures. Warcraft (2016) brings the popular video game to life with intense battles between humans and orcs. And The Mummy (1999), where ancient curses unleash swarms of undead soldiers.

Movies exploring multiple identities and cloning offer fascinating insights into the human psyche and the ethical dilemmas of creating duplicates. In Hit Man (2023), starring Glen Powell, and The Bourne Identity (2002), characters grapple with complex, layered identities. M. Night Shyamalan’s Split (2016) delves into the mind of a man with dissociative identity disorder, showcasing 23 distinct personalities. For cloning, films like They Cloned Tyrone (2023), Michael Bay’s The Island (2005), and the comedy Multiplicity (1996) examine the consequences of duplicating humans, each with their unique twists.

Post-apocalyptic settings and alien invasions often feature large groups or gangs, making for intense and gripping viewing. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) is a wild ride through a desolate wasteland filled with marauding gangs. The Road (2009) and The Book of Eli (2010) present stark, gritty landscapes where survival against roaming gangs is a constant battle. On the other hand, alien invasion films like Starship Troopers (1997), War of the Worlds (2005), and Edge of Tomorrow (2014) pit humanity against extraterrestrial hordes.

For those who enjoy nature's fury and the horror of the undead, there are plenty of films to choose from. *The Birds* (1963) by Alfred Hitchcock is a classic, depicting relentless attacks by flocks of aggressive birds. *Piranha* (1978) brings terror from the water with swarms of deadly fish, while *Arachnophobia* (1990) will make your skin crawl with its invasion of dangerous spiders. And for zombie enthusiasts, *World War Z* (2013), *Dawn of the Dead* (1978), and *28 Days Later* (2002) feature relentless hordes of the undead, offering some of the best thrills in the genre.

As always, don't forget to let us know what you're thinking of watching, what you have watched, or if you've got any suggestions/recommendations for your fellow CineChums!

Hordes, packs, groups

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