The hero's journey is a pattern that can be found in myths, stories, and legends from a range of cultures and time periods. Ancient hero's journeys were not created with an awareness of the pattern. Modern hero's journeys are created with an awareness of the pattern and have been criticized for following the pattern too closely.
Nonetheless, there's a reason that this archetype keeps reappearing. Both the ancient and modern hero represent an able-bodied being that is capable of dealing with situations that "normal" people feel they cannot. As humans, we generally desire all stories to have a so called happy ending because it makes us feel optimistic about life. Whether it be unrealistic situations, such as movies like Star Wars, or even movies involving talking animals such as Finding Nemo, there is always a protagonist and the end almost always has a resolution. The one exception I have found is in horror films, which are meant to leave the audience feeling uneasy and continually scared after the film is over. That is often why the end result is not always the death of the antagonist and why horror films often have sequels.
The most prominent element, other than a physical journey, is quite obviously the spiritual or emotional journey that the main character makes. Whether it's finding love or finding yourself, the character almost always makes some sort of discovery or else the plot line would be essentially flat. These stories also have intended lessons and moral teachings, though most people perceive plots at face value.
My most favorite journey story is Match Point. Although somewhat atypical, it still can follow along the archetype.
Protagonist : Chris- Comes from poor background
Conflict: Affair with Nola & her pregnancy with his child
Solution: Remove Nola from the picture
Theme: Luck
Trailer
Opening Scene
Final Scene
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