MovieChat Forums > Free State of Jones (2016) Discussion > One (big) reason why this movie bombed.....

One (big) reason why this movie bombed...

posted 8 years ago by Border_Ruffian
21 replies | jump to latest

Would the general public be able to answer these questions?...especially the primary audience that attend movies- pre-teens, teens, and college age kids:

1. Who were the opposing sides in the American Civil War?

2. When was the American Civil War?

3. Name at least two leaders of each side.

Would even a majority of the group cited be able to answer those questions? Based on what I have seen from time to time when asked simple questions about American history...it is doubtful. And having no basic knowledge of that war, how could they even relate to FSOJ?

[–] rfa77 8 years ago

Exactly right. The state of knowledge of American History with the general public (those 40 and under) is embarrassing. At times, it appears Europeans know about our history than we do.

[–] Sergeant343 8 years ago

Our education system is not that bad, the film has much more pressing problems than what you mentioned.

HI-F___ING-YA
Nicholas Cage Deadfall

[–] panzermeyer44 8 years ago

Your analysis is valid. The fundamental reason why the movie bombed was due to the subject matter. Mainstream audiences don't care about the US Civil War. If you want to make a film set during that time then you need to make it a love story as in the case of "Cold Mountain".

[–] canada22 7 years ago

Right or it has to be really out there like Django Unchained.

[–] firstwinsgop-1 8 years ago

The film suffers poor timing. Nobody wants to see an "inspirational" movie about a liberal white/black rebellion when in real life the liberal white/black BLM movement is running wild causing riots and murdering police officers. It would be like trying to market a pro-Nazi film in 1943. The moment for films such as this has passed.

[–] nolatecharges 8 years ago

the reason it bombed is people are getting tired of the white savior theme

[–] zooymtoo 8 years ago

During the Civil War?
Is it better to misrepresent that all whites owned slaves and all whites were sadists?

[–] Dannysich 8 years ago

Omg . Hate crimes in America are led by whites people idiot.

[–] wileypeyote 8 years ago

I really didn't know much about the Civil War before seeing this movie but since then I've been reading non-stop about it. The issues we face today were never solved when they should have been and this movie shows how it happened. Which is probably why some people hate it. It's in your face.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] themadride 8 years ago

That's because slavery and racism are two entirely different things. The Civil War was about economics and political power.

Even in a country of nothing but blacks, like Haiti, you had black people trying to keep other black slaves while simultaneously trying to fight for independence from France.

People don't understand the economics of slavery, and how it infected the entire world, so they don't understand the Civil War because they can't view it through any other lens than racism.

[–] Educator07 7 years ago

I view it though the Articles of Secession and the Cornerstone Speech by the VP of the Confederacy.

Where are the Asian characters DC CW? #MoreAsians

[–] seaninboise 8 years ago

They were solved with multiple laws that have now given them more tools for success due to affirmative action. They're still angry they can't rob people at gunpoint and not have people return fire.

[–] Educator07 7 years ago

The biggest benefactor of Affirmative Action was the white woman. Surprising no one that acknowledges that America is a racist country.

Where are the Asian characters DC CW? #MoreAsians

[–] activista 7 years ago

@seaninboise

They were solved with multiple laws that have now given them more tools for success due to affirmative action. They're still angry they can't rob people at gunpoint and not have people return fire.

With all the decent black people I know who just go to work and school everyday, ignorant racists like you who keep posting stupid s*** like need to shut the fck up. White people are more fckg gun crazy and kill and rob each other even more than black people do. And racism has always been a problem because white folks have always MADE it a problem for damn near everyone that isn't white. Because they rigged things to make damn sure they benefitted from racism more than anybody else--by staying on top of everybody else that wasn't white. And black people have always had to FIGHT for our rights----nobody ever "gave" us any damn thing. Ever heard of the civil rights movement? You're a good example of a American completely ignorant of American history. Which you can look up in all of 5 seconds---if you're on the net, you have no excuse.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] cableaddict 8 years ago

I think it failed, in part, because the title is horrendous.

[–] ackmondual 8 years ago

Well, hopefully today's pre-teens to college aged kids make up for the higher lack of historical knowledge by using the internet to conduct their own, independent research.

ORANGE for all
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