Ever notice that every blockbuster movie has the same fundamental pieces? A hero, a journey, some conflicts to muck it all up, a reward, and the hero returning home and everybody applauding his or her swag? Yeah, scholar Joseph Campbell noticed first—in 1949. He wrote The Hero with a Thousand Faces, in which he outlined the 17 stages of a mythological hero's journey.

About half a century later, Christopher Vogler condensed those stages down to 12 in an attempt to show Hollywood how every story ever written should—and, uh, does—follow Campbell's pattern. We're working with those 12 stages, so take a look. (P.S. Want more? We have an entire Online Course devoted to the hero's journey.)

Ordinary World

Alex's ordinary world is a teenage boy's fantasy come true. Sex, violence, and drugs with few consequences. We learn that he is in a gang and he can get away with whatever he wants. He beats up people. He robs. He rapes. The first half of the movie is spent putting us into Alex's twisted world.

Call to Adventure

When Alex is put in prison, he jumps at the opportunity to undergo a radical new procedure that will change him. But more importantly, it will get him out of prison sooner. Sometimes the "call to adventure" is an opportunity for a hero to save his community, but Alex's is entirely self-serving.

Refusal of the Call

Getting out of jail early sounds like a great idea, but it's not as easy as drawing a Chance card in Monopoly. When Alex finds himself strapped into a machine, his eyelids held open by little clamps, he doesn't want to go through it anymore. Hey, it could be worse. Instead of snuff films, they could force him to watch Adam Sandler movies.

Meeting the Mentor

Alex's mentor is the Ludovico technique. It doesn't gently persuade Alex to give up his life of crime. It forces him to do it, making him sick if he even thinks a violent thought. With mentors like this, who needs enemies?

Crossing the Threshold

Alex is brought on stage to demonstrate that the Ludovico technique is a success.

Tests, Allies, Enemies

Alex is tested on stage in front of a crowd of people. He is left a quivering mass on the floor. That means the Ludovico technique is a success!

Approach to the Inmost Cave

Alex must face the fact that he has been hollowed out and basically neutered by the Ludovico technique. He is a hollow shell of his former self. But instead of searching within himself and trying to find new meaning, Alex wishes he could undo the Ludovico technique and return to the way he was.

Ordeal

Released into the real world, Alex is tested everywhere he goes. In the past, his typical reaction to any situation was to hit it, break it, steal it, or rape it. But now, he can't do any of that. He can't hit the man who is renting his bedroom. He can't retaliate against the mob of homeless folks who beat him up. And he can't defend himself when his former friends, who are now cops, almost drown him. For those who support the Ludovico technique, Alex is passing these tests. But for Alex, it feels like failure.

Reward (Seizing the Sword)

Alex receives no reward. Society gets a reward in that the dangerous menace that is Alex is defanged and can no longer hurt anyone. For Alex, his "reward" is a punishment for all his crimes. He is kicked out of his parents' house and beaten multiple times.

The Road Back

Alex returns to the scene of one of his most violent crimes. It's stressful for Alex, not because he regrets it, but because he is afraid he will be recognized. The Ludovico technique didn't necessarily "cure" Alex. He still doesn't care about other people. He only cares about being caught. However, Alex has no choice but to enter and hope for the best (for himself).

Resurrection

The writer whose wife Alex killed plays Beethoven to drive Alex insane. Alex takes the death and rebirth process literally, and he jumps from a window onto the paving stones below, hoping to kill himself. He doesn't, but he is "reborn" in the hospital with the Ludovico technique reversed, returning him to his original form.

Return With the Elixir

Alex has changed and he doesn't like it, so he is reset to "normal," for him. He realized what life was like to be "good" and he rejects it. He wants to be a violent punk. However, he takes a job from the government, and might actually assume some responsibility in the future. There is hope for society yet, but if we lived near him, we still wouldn't open our door to anyone who rang the bell.