The thing I love about studying Communication is that everything is research.
I saw “The Kingdom” yesterday with a couple of friends. Despite attempting to ignore Jennifer Garner’s oddly-chiseled face or Jamie Foxx’s annoying bravado or trying desperately not to vomit from the shaky-cam or the fact that my beloved Michael Bluth took part in such gung-ho Big Hollywood patriotic garbage--
Oh wait, he was in The Ex, nevermind--
Anyway, despite trying to ignore all these things, I can see the entertainment value in the film. I can see that Hollywood was really making an effort, trying to humanize Arabs (at least the ones who cooperate) by saying, hey! They’re just like us! They have families! They think their countries are a mess! Perhaps this is a step in the right direction. But there was still no objectivity. Brown people are still bad guys, blood-thirsty, ruthless, and dumb. And it's easier to kill them than it is us.
(And it's okay to kill them)
Nevermind that the whole reason terrorists are trying to kill us is because we have a looooooooooong history of interfering with their shit. I’m not unpatriotic here, I’m really not. I just think we need to get some perspective.
Also worth noting:
Movie-goers in Maryland typify the American response to patriotic violence: laugh and cheer when the bad guy is stabbed repeatedly, and graphically. That they are not disturbed and sickened by this portrayal has massive psychosocial implications. That they and their bratty little American spawn condone this violence, and may even be incited to commit other acts of violence, makes me physically ill.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to find the guy who invented the shaky cam and, not stab him repeatedly and graphically, in the groin, but think really mean thoughts about him. While simultaneously trying not to vomit.
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