The cinematographic prowess of the so-called Islamic State is, by now, well-known , admired , analyzed and even mocked . The films are so good, in fact, that the U.S. government's efforts to release anti-ISIS propaganda have sort of floundered .

Against this backdrop, the Department of Defense last year funded several studies through its Minerva Initiative for social science research that examine the phenomenon of extremist propaganda.

One of the studies conjectures that the reason ISIS videos are so effective is they use the tropes of Hollywood blockbusters -- particularly movies with "heroic quests" -- to appeal to would-be extremists.

The "Social and Neurological Construction of Martyrdom Project ," directed by University of Chicago professor Robert Pape, received $3.4 million from the DOD to scan people's brains as they watch ISIS recruitment videos.