They usually blend facts with fictional elements to make the story more engaging. In 'The Meg', while the megalodon is extinct, the movie imagines what would happen if it were still alive today. It combines scientific knowledge about the creature with fictional adventure elements.
Often, they have a sense of authenticity. For example, in 'Jaws', the real shark attacks in history made the movie more believable. Viewers can feel that it could happen in real life.
Another one could be 'Anaconda'. In real life, anacondas are huge snakes. The movie exaggerates their size and behavior to create a more thrilling monster - movie experience. It takes the real - life existence of these large and somewhat intimidating snakes and turns it into a story full of danger and adventure.
Films based on true stories usually have a connection to real - world emotions. The characters' experiences are often relatable because they actually happened to someone. In 'The Pursuit of Happyness', the struggles of the main character are based on a true story and many people can empathize with his fight for a better life. They also tend to attract more attention from the audience as people are generally curious about real events and the people involved. Additionally, they can sometimes bring about social change by highlighting important issues as seen in 'Erin Brockovich' which focused on environmental pollution and corporate negligence.
These films usually have a strong emotional impact. Since they are based on real events, the stories can be very moving, like stories of survival or great achievements. They can make the viewers feel a wide range of emotions from sadness to inspiration.
Many of them aimed to be as accurate as possible in depicting the real events. For instance, in 'Ford v Ferrari', the racing scenes were carefully re - created to match the historical race.
Often, they tend to have a sense of realism. For example, in 'Hostel', the seedy and sometimes dangerous nature of some hostel environments is portrayed realistically. They might also show the cultural mix that occurs in hostels. In true - story - based hostel films, there could be real - life events that drive the plot, like a mystery or a discovery that happened in an actual hostel.
They often have a sense of authenticity. For example, they might use real locations or events to make the story more believable.
The characters are usually complex and relatable. Since they are based on real people, they have real - life flaws and virtues. In a movie like 'The Pursuit of Happyness', Chris Gardner's character is full of determination but also faces many setbacks, which makes him a very human and engaging character.
One characteristic is the display of human resilience. In 'Unbroken', we see how Louis Zamperini survived the brutality of the POW camps. Another is the accurate portrayal of the environment. 'The Revenant' shows the unforgiving cold of the frontier. Also, they tend to have a strong sense of authenticity as they are based on real events.
Authenticity. They often strive to present real events and people as accurately as possible. For example, in a biographical film, the appearance and mannerisms of the real - life character are carefully recreated.
They often have complex characters. Take 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford'. Jesse James is not just a simple outlaw. His character has many layers, and the film shows his relationships, his fears, and his reasons for doing what he did, all based on real - life accounts. These films also tend to show the moral gray areas. In '3:10 to Yuma', the line between the 'good' rancher and the 'bad' outlaw isn't always clear, which is more in line with real - life situations.