The term "style over substance" is often used negatively when it comes to discussing movies, often putting across the fact that while a film looks great and has a decent aesthetic, there isn't much in terms of plot. However, a movie that has style over substance isn't always a bad thing.
Movies are great because of the visuals and the spectacle, and a movie having style over substance just means that it's leaning further into the former. Between the coolest movie thieves ever, a neon-soaked, synth-wave-scored crime drama, and a psychedelic horror that pits Nicolas Cage against hippies, Redditors think these movies are style over substance in the best way possible.
Ocean's Twelve (2004)
There's a huge shift in tone in the Ocean's series when it comes to the first sequel. Ocean's Twelve trades in the cool casino living in Ocean's Eleven for European villas in Italy, France, and Amsterdam. There isn't a huge heist that Danny's crew are working toward and there's no explosive and thrilling finale.
Skywater101 likes the change of pace, explaining that "it's not very ambitious or challenging, but the style of traditional caper rhythms combined with comic riffs is one I love." While the sequel might look and feel completely different from its predecessor, it's still following the same suave and charming criminals, and it comes with a picturesque European backdrop to boot.
Charlie's Angels (2000)
There's a trend amongst early 2000s movies that saw multiple movie stars teaming up and working towards a common goal. And it doesn't matter if the movie is based on an existing property or not; the big selling point of these movies was the actors, and that's no different with Charlie's Angels.
The 2000 movie might be based on a beloved '70s TV series, but it was Lucy Lui, Cameron Diaz, and Drew Barrymore on screen together that had viewers buying tickets. AyThroughZee notes that the movie is "just cool, dumb action visuals and a fun time." The movie is slick and glossy, as it sees the stars dressed in cool outfits, incredibly choreographed fight scenes, and a killer soundtrack, but nobody was that invested in the plot.
Drive (2011)
Tsundere-Man thinks the Nicolas Winding-Refn-directed movie Drive is way more style over substance, positing that it's a "more poetic mood piece than a nuanced story, with layered themes and deep characters." The 2011 movie be the most stylish film of the 2010s, as it's is full of neon-drenched shots of Los Angeles, a moving synth-wave soundtrack, and one of the coolest protagonists ever.
The Redditor doesn't just mention Drive, but Refn's two follow-up movies, Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon. They're definitely more style of substance-type movies to the point where Refn is no longer trying to hide the fact, as "neon" is even in one of the titles. But they were hugely negatively received and didn't have anywhere near the impact that Drive did.
Hannibal (2001)
Hannibal, the sequel to the phenomenally successful The Silence of the Lambs, is only bad compared to its predecessor. The movie is a direct follow-up to the Academy Award-winning 1991 release, only Julianne Moore has taken on the role of Clarice, who was originally portrayed by Jodie Foster.
While it's easy for fans to turn their noses up at the movie, it still does a lot of things right. JoshuaCalledMe posits that Hannibal might have "a pretty pedestrian plot, but the film oozes class and wealth and style. From cinematography to sound design, this is a sumptuous film." For a movie about a murderer who eats his victims, it looks sensational.
Sucker Punch (2011)
Director Zack Snyder is known for his style-over-substance aesthetic. It's why he's a "love him or hate him" filmmaker, and in many ways, it's why he's a director who is often his own worst enemy. There are three things to expect in a Snyder movie: endless slow-motion shots, iconic songs soundtracking said shots, and tons of CGI. The best example of this Snyder hat trick is Sucker Punch.
Arkavien thinks it's for the better, and while they know not everyone will enjoy it, they explain that "it is basically a two-hour music video and I enjoy every minute." While his movies like Watchmen and even Zack Snyder's Justice League have the same approach, it borders on parody in Sucker Punch.
Bad Boys II (2003)
The best thing about the Bad Boys series is that it doesn't take itself remotely seriously. Director Michael Bay knows exactly what the franchise's fanbase wants, and that's high-octane, non-stop action that looks impossibly cool and effortless. And that's what he delivers.
AyThroughZee believes that the 2003 movie is "just two and a half hours of chaotic nonsense and I love every minute of it." It's a movie where the star's character names don't matter, as audiences are simply watching Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in shootouts and stunts. And it's no surprise why Bad Boys II is one of the highest-grossing Will Smith movies.
Unstoppable (2010)
The late, great director Tony Scott had always made cool and stylish movies, whether it's the Quentin Tarantino-written True Romance or the Navy fighter pilot flick Top Gun. But with 2004's Man on Fire, he shifted his style to one that was full of choppy editing, fast-paced, and with a much darker color palette.
The tone of his films remained consistent all the way up to his death, and the best example of it is his last film, Unstoppable. Notacoolbro notes that the movie has a "very simple premise and characters, but it's a crazy-ass movie." The film is about two men who do everything they can to stop a runaway freight train, and the slick and stylishness of the movie is totally unnecessary, but still so much fun.
Mandy (2018)
When a movie is starring Nicolas Cage, audiences already know that it's going to be a wild ride. The actor's film choices have become predictable over the past couple of decades, and he tends to go for any movie that allows him to act like his unfiltered self.
However, Mandy isn't just another film that sees Cage uncaged, but it has a rather unique aesthetic too. MyUnclesALawyer notes that Mandy "has almost no 'substance.' It's just a total trip." The film follows Red (Cage), who singlehandedly takes on a whole hippie cult after they kidnap his wife. It's one of the most psychedelic movies released in the past ten years, but it also got Cage the best reviews he's had in years too.
Batman (1989)
Though the newly released The Batman is dark, rainy, and full of cathedral-like architecture, between the oil paintings and the practical sets, 1989's Batman features the best depiction of Gotham. The movie remains the definitive Batman film thanks to director Tim Burton's distinct vision, and Crater_Raider thinks the style of the movie is its biggest selling point.
The Redditor posits that "the look and style of that film helped shape the franchise into what it is today," but also that the script is awful and "the more you break it down, the worse it gets." Future Batman movies did a better job of honing in on being faithful to the comic books while still grounding the character in reality, but it was the 1989 release that established Batman on film.
Miami Vice (2006)
This 2006 film has almost the opposite approach to Bad Boys II, as Miami Vice is a buddy-cop movie, but it takes itself almost too seriously. However, there's another thing that the two movies have in common, and that's that they're both inherently stylish.
The movie is so stylish that all Born_accessory29 remembers of the movie is that "everyone looks cool but I just know they drank mojitos and had 'go fast' boats," calling to memory nothing of the plot. When a movie features Colin Farrell and Jamie fox in lead roles as detectives cruising around Miami, the plot comes second.