Pop-A-Ganda

[Callate]

Given the film's origins (my understanding is that it was originally intended to be a recruitment and/or internal-military-only piece) it's understandable, if not necessarily sanctionable, that many would jump to the conclusion that it was propaganda.

I was glad to hear that it's not (though even other reviewers can't seem to come to consensus on that point.) I don't feel any enormous need to see it myself, in my limited movie-viewing time, but I don't wish it ill. I'm certainly willing to concede that it may be unfortunate for either side of the political spectrum to view going to/not going to the movie as some kind of political statement if none such was intended by the filmmaker.

 

[Lunar Templar]

so .... are people butthurt because its not a propaganda movie? o.o? ... funny, i was under the assumption that was a GOOD thing

People are funny like that... They ***** because about something they preceive, and when that turns out to be wrong, they ***** because it wasnt what they expected. Hell, from what I heard, its basically The Expendables, just with actual soldiers instead of a bunch of aging 70s to 90s action movie stars.

well, the fact it has real soldiers is pretty much the only reason I'd wanna see it at all

 

[mronoc]

Another great example of this kind of thinking, the absurd uproar that came from that shopping catalog image of a mother painting her sons toe nails.

 

[Thunderous Cacophony]

I fully expect "Bronies: What Has Feminist Academia Done To Our Boys?" to be a Fox News headline/story within a year.

Why would you even say that. Fox might be listening right now, looking for new terrible ideas that sound faintly plausible! *puts on tinfoil hat*

Don't worry about that; Any Fox employees who come to the Escapist will get sucked into the liberal-atheist vortex that is the Religion and Politics Forum. You can take the clothes-hangars off the ceiling now.

OT: I haven't seen the movie yet, but I didn't think it would be that political; these guys aren't actors who can deliver complex hidden messages, they're soldiers who just allowed some camera guys to follow them on training exercises.

 

[cschraer]

I have seen this film and more than anything it made me think of how much the Navy SEALS give up to do what they do. If I were recruiting I wouldn't be out there saying, "Hey! Become a SEAL and you get to give up all the things other people enjoy!"

I think Transformers is closer to propaganda because it doesn't show a lot of the negatives associated with the soldiers in the film.

And maybe the argument over propaganda is so heated because compared to the past, the current generation doesn't really have as much propaganda thrown in their face. I feel like people now have the ability to ignore it if they want.

I think another source of discomfort might be that one of the possible the thirty-second ads before your review of Act of Valor was a recruitment ad for the U.S. Marine Corps, which further taints the thing.

Many of the escapist videos have U.S. Marine Corps recruitment ads that play before them. I don't see how that would "taint" anything. The same way I don't think a Doritos commercial would taint the Superbowl.

 

[anthony87]

Meh, I thought of it as more gimmicky than propaganda.

I'd also suggest that maybe the problem with some people wasn't that Bob wasn't negative enough, it was that he seemed apologetic for being negative AT ALL.

 

[JackyG]

I agree. Films, music, books, video games. they are all accepted into peoples minds in different ways. The reason I am an Actor isn't because I want to be famous or rich (they are bi-products that may or may not help me further myself) it's because regardless of something being historically accurate, it gets everybody who watches it talking, debating and of course arguing about the subject.

What more could you want?

 

[Catalyst6]

I'm reminded of a quote from François Truffaut (That I got off TvTropes), "There is no such thing as an anti-war movie because it will invariably look exciting up on screen". Basically meaning that explosions and gunfights are *always* fun, regardless of whether the camera's for the good guys or the bad. The same goes for gunfights and bombs.

Really, the only way for this to *not* recruit people would be to have three hours of a guy sitting in grass, watching a very boring city in case something happens. (Spoiler: Nothing happens)

 

[Falseprophet]

There have always been ridiculous, over-the-top action films where a group of stereotyped caricatures of "America's enemies" form a supervillain team based solely on their mutual hatred of Mom and apple pie. But usually those films featured macho, live-action cartoon characters for protagonists. Like The Expendables, Team America: World Police, or any given Chuck Norris film.

The propaganda concerns arise because when you pair the ludicrous, paranoid notion that dirty brown foreigners who otherwise have nothing in common but eagerly join forces to hurt America (no real explanation given) with real soldiers re-enacting their actual tactics and skills with the direct support of the US government, it sends the message that the US government actually believes Cechnyans--who have no good reason to conduct terrorist attacks against Americans--would work with Mexican drug cartels--who have their hands full fighting their own country's authorities and would be irrationally stupid to pick a fight with the most powerful military force in history.

For what it's worth, I don't think that was the filmmakers' intent, but to say the messaging of the film is "apolitical" is naive. Given that an American brigadier-general and some top military and FBI interrogators Film Critic Hulk brought up about the Modern Warfare series [http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0212/p99s01-duts.html].

For my part, I'm really disappointed that an accurate, respectful portrayal of the Navy SEALs in action was paired with that kind of silly, boogeyman-baiting, cartoon storytelling when they could have done something more faithful to actual operations. I think you were right in your review, Bob: this would have been a lot better as a documentary.

 

[Zen Toombs]

Perhaps this is a futile hope, given that the U.S. looks poised to enter one of the most divisive Presidential elections since the Civil War (and certainly of the modern era)

Eh, I disagree. Not to turn this thread into Politics.thread, but there is an astounding ammount of apathy on both sides. Most Republicans wish they could get a halfway decent candidate (which it is now FAR too late to do) and many Democrats aren't able to get fired up about Obama like they did in '08. Also, Mitt Romney (the Republican most likely to win the nomination) is rightly considered by many to essentially be Obama[light], so we don't even have a lot of choice in the matter.

Wow that article you linked to is a whole bunch of crazy. It's stupid but it's going to make it harder to enjoy Adam Baldwin in films knowing he thinks liking non-Americans is a dark and controversial message. I wish it was a spoof. Is it?

I'm in the same boat. I love the man, I don't want him to be a nutjob! Does anyone have news on this being a terrible joke?

...Anyone?

 

[Tanis]

For me it was more to do with HOW you come across.

When doing reviews you normal shy from, well, acting like Fluttershy - which I REALLY appreciate.

However in the 'Act of Valor' review it felt like you were apologizing and/or kissing up to the SEALS as to not make 'em hate you.

The review, plainly, felt like this:
Well, um, this is, um Act of Valor and it's like, um more realistic for military buffs.
BUT...um, you know, the Seals aren't really good actors, but IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

And, um, you know it's not really propaganda because,
*seals are so xcore manly kind of kawaii*
you know, it really didn't make me wanna be one, and um...

The movie is okay, and stuff, and it's not perfect but it's not bad, and, um...you know, maybe you'll like it?

That is, you know, if that's okay with you...

I mean, erm, um...

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

It's not that we're mad that you didn't say anything bad about the film. We were just annoyed at how you were clarifying every sentence with "Don't worry, people, I think think these guys are awesome."

You only needed to say it at the beginning and that would be the end of it.

 

[SnakeoilSage]

Me, I happily paid my 8 bucks just to watch some of the world's most highly trained badasses show how badass they could be, and I was not disappointed. These are men I can not only admire, but respect, and that carries more weight than any acting credential, political opinion, or lack thereof of both.

As long as there are men like these, willing to lay down their lives for the people I care about, then they're the only ones worthy of my support.

 

[RTR]

My life's theme for this week was
"...and somehow, it involves Bronies."

 

[Daemonate]

It's not that we're mad that you didn't say anything bad about the film. We were just annoyed at how you were clarifying every sentence with "Don't worry, people, I think think these guys are awesome."

You only needed to say it at the beginning and that would be the end of it.

Whatever, if he didn't really make it clear repeatedly, you can bet your ass (and he certainly did) that right wingers would be hammering him for political bias.

And you would be (and he was) right.


But seriously Internet, Bob.
*I*nternet.
**I**nternet!#@#

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

It's not that we're mad that you didn't say anything bad about the film. We were just annoyed at how you were clarifying every sentence with "Don't worry, people, I think think these guys are awesome."

You only needed to say it at the beginning and that would be the end of it.

Whatever, if he didn't really make it clear repeatedly, you can bet your ass (and he certainly did) that right wingers would be hammering him for political bias.

Well fuck them. I very much doubt that Bob would give a shit what they think, if he already made it clear in the beginning. If people are too stupid not to hear it the first time, then their opinions don't matter anyway.

 

[Daemonate]

It's not that we're mad that you didn't say anything bad about the film. We were just annoyed at how you were clarifying every sentence with "Don't worry, people, I think think these guys are awesome."

You only needed to say it at the beginning and that would be the end of it.

Whatever, if he didn't really make it clear repeatedly, you can bet your ass (and he certainly did) that right wingers would be hammering him for political bias.

Well fuck them. I very much doubt that Bob would give a shit what they think, if he already made it clear in the beginning. If people are too stupid not to hear it the first time, then their opinions don't matter anyway.

Totally fine for you to say - you don't have a public profile and have to risk having your productive day hours wasted with bullshit from fights you didn't really want to be bothered fighting.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

It's not that we're mad that you didn't say anything bad about the film. We were just annoyed at how you were clarifying every sentence with "Don't worry, people, I think think these guys are awesome."

You only needed to say it at the beginning and that would be the end of it.

Whatever, if he didn't really make it clear repeatedly, you can bet your ass (and he certainly did) that right wingers would be hammering him for political bias.

Well fuck them. I very much doubt that Bob would give a shit what they think, if he already made it clear in the beginning. If people are too stupid not to hear it the first time, then their opinions don't matter anyway.

Totally fine for you to say - you don't have a public profile and have to risk having your productive day hours wasted with bullshit from fights you didn't really want to be bothered fighting.

But that's the point, he doesn't have to fight them. The whole point of his work is that it's his opinion. He doesn't have to defend it. He says what he likes and what he doesn't and if people don't agree with him, they can go to a different critic for their needs. Some nut thinks Bob didn't say the SEALs were as cool as he wanted him to say? Who gives a fuck? Just ignore him.

You'll probably spot the irony in this post. If you do, you have proven my point.

 

[J9ACK9]

"MovieBob: Can't Win for Losing" is such a better choice than "Intermission"...


Day One: "Commie Pinko Flag-buring MovieBob spits on U.S. Troops in yet another biased liberal agenda 'Anti-America' tirade that bolsters terrorism because he hates freedom."

Day Two: "MovieBob, back from his daily consumer spree at WalMart, wipes his McDonald's grease-ridden fingers on his American Flag tshirt and proceeds to spew Bush-Era, Fox News, Pro-Military-Industrial-Complex rhetoric out his sycophant-hole."


No possible chance whatsoever for a middle ground? This must be the Internet!

 

[wolfchylde]

Bob, let's be honest: It was just designed as masturbatory material for Michael Bay (and his ilk)