MovieChat Forums > Captain Fantastic (2016) Discussion > Why are reviews and comments so politici...

Why are reviews and comments so politicized?

posted 7 years ago by TigerHeron
14 replies | jump to latest

I thought this was a deeply flawed although interesting movie, and my review reflects that. I didn't comment on the movie's politics because the film is FICTION.

I was unable to discern a clear political message in this movie. But the lack of a clear political message hasn't stopped many people here on IMDb from projecting their own beliefs, values and fears onto this FICTIONAL film. Contrary to what you might think if you haven't seen this film, it isn't: 1. An attack on Christianity, 2. A polemic on Marxism, 3. About "hippies" (I found this one particularly amusing, as hippies did not teach their children wilderness survival skills and many hippies were vegetarians).

It seems many people today evaluate movies, books and television shows according to whether the artistic product promotes their beliefs. That is not the purpose of artistic products. In fact, artistic products that promote political or religious beliefs often aren't very good. I personally didn't think this movie was very good, but not because it promoted or attacked any ideology--the reason it wasn't very good was because it had numerous plot holes.

[–] TTboy-33 7 years ago

Plot holes were the symbol of capitalism.

[–] XSIV4C 7 years ago

One of the better posts here and only one response, and that from someone on my ignore list. Good post TigerHeron. I would love to hear some of your plot hole complaints. I had some towards the end but removed them by rethinking the ending. I now have a different view of how the movie ended.

"I dont know when it was decided we all need a soundtrack everywhere we go". Soderbergh

[–] brux (14666) 6 years ago

The movie was one big plot hole, because it was a dishonest, pointless movie.

[–] jaypauldini (10) 5 years ago

i think that was the idea,it reminded me of when i was a teenager and all the ideals and views i had on life, and how most were nonsense pipe dreams, and how now i have compromised, which is what viggo was doing in the end, like we all do

[–] jezebel_sc 7 years ago

I noticed this, too. One person literally demanded answers, and when told to relax, it's just a movie, she became incensed and said that was a cop out answer! This movie definitely provoked a lot of emotional responses from its viewers, and I think that speaks highly of the entire production.

[–] stdragon 7 years ago

I was unable to discern a clear political message in this movie.

There wasn't a clear political message, but that's not the same as no political messages. They're just mixed. The persona the dad reminded me of the most is the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski. I mean read the wikipedia page about him, particularly the political and social views section... "Ted identified strongly with positivism, meaning that he strongly believed in an objective reality and that through sensory experience and analysis of this, one can obtain authentic knowledge. Kaczynski, throughout most of his earlier years (the 1960s, deconstructivism, a distrust of "the system", a desire for revolution) remained "the intellectual outsider" and considered himself more important than others."

I don't think you can pigeonhole the Unabomber as simply "left" or "right" but there's no doubt he had political views and motivations.

Contrary to what you might think if you haven't seen this film, it isn't: 1. An attack on Christianity

It is definitely an attack on Christianity. It's not the central theme of the movie of course, but it's there. From the one liners like "we don't make fun of people *beat* except Christians" to the "hide our true purpose (whatever that is) from the cops by pretending to be crazy fundamentalists who break out in song uncontrollably" scene to the mocking of the funeral both by the dad directly and indirectly through the mom's will.

[–] fede_4488 7 years ago

Why are reviews and comments so politicized?

I don't know, maybe because the movie discusses politics?!

It seems many people today evaluate movies, books and television shows according to whether the artistic product promotes their beliefs.

Bingo.

the reason it wasn't very good was because it had numerous plot holes.

Plotholes are the laziest form of criticism. It's not a science fiction movie, ffs

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

Because it was right wingers that shut down IMDB. They want to shut down all mediums of free speech. They hate freedom.

[–] Multidirectional (1) 7 years ago

You must be living in some kind of alternate reality.

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

Multidirectional: I think perhaps your wires are crossed or you're ignorant of something, a few things perhaps. The reason IMDB shut down is because RIGHT WING racists were bombarding the message boards for the movie "I am Not your Nigger" with hatred. They know that any freedom once it is abused it is possible it can be taken away, so once in a while they'll abuse the hell out of it and then it is the right wingers in power (amazon in this case) that use that as excuse to shut it down.

[–] brux (14666) 5 years ago

I didn't see any indication it was Amazon that shut down IMDB.
It was an Amazon company for years and it stayed pretty much under their own control.
What you said is true about the right-wing trolls, like they are everywhere on the Internet. Now we know a lot of them are from Russia and enemy countries, or just plain American troll-bots. They are also getting more sophisticated too.

[–] brux (14666) 5 years ago

true

[–] brux (14666) 6 years ago

No political message, no message at all. What I think they were trying for some a kind of subliminal dumping on the political Left, but whatever it was, this movie was an ugly, ugly movie, that was too afraid to come out and say whatever the hell it was they wanted to say so they have to slip it under the wire subliminally. A cowardly, inconsistent, ignorant movie that was saved by super-rich grandpa.

As far as liking movies that promote one's beliefs ... well, for example, it is doubtful that a truly devout Christian is going to find "The Excorcist" a work of great art and literature.

As far as plot holes, yes, that was the point of the movie, they could not write a real plot, so they made it sort of dream-like, and then they turned the dreams into nightmares from the very beginning, in some kind of statement about child abuse and parenting which resolved down to, let rich grandpa fix it.

I have to admit as far as your comment, I can respect your opinions, but I do not respect that you apparently cannot tell when you are opining, or you assign more force to your opinions than is warranted. You cannot make an anti-hippie movie by distilling out the essence of hippiedom, you have to make it a caricature, which is what this movie was. The parents were obviously hippies, or pseudo-hippies ... and lots of hippies ate meat.

You are just as confused, maybe more, than anyone else about the point of this movie, which is most likely because the point was missing.

[–] jaypauldini (10) 5 years ago

bravo, my sentiments exactly, i liked how it had ideas i didnt follow and was hypocritical on purpose, something many veiwers seemed to have missed