America's self-appointed mission, of course, is to rid the world of threat and terror. Pursuing the the old adage that there's no defence like offence, three uber pilots engage in flirting against the backdrop of catastrophically implemented and egotistically actioned assaults on all manner of cardboard terrorist types. The cast and crew of this FX extravaganza were clearly on autopilot the whole way through.
Our heroes bump off a selection of high ranking terror group leaders in Myanmar by collapsing a high rise block in the centre of Rangoon, with, impressively, no collateral damage, except to the ego of the AI plane that has become their new, unwelcome wingman.
They manage to rumble a gang of Tajeekistanis with a cargo of radioactive matter and explode it. No problem, the main thing is to bring that god dam AI plane under control! It's gone mad you see, and developed consciousness (which later develops into a conscience) and a taste for nu-metal. It won't follow orders and is attacking targets of its own choosing.
No matter then that the chase takes our triumvirate of stereotypical, teeth-like-tombstone heroes into Russian airspace and requires them to do battle with people whose airspace they have invaded in the first place (because of a problem **of their own making**!) The thing is to get that rogue plane under control - at any cost. Even if it means bumping off the well-intentioned airbourne saviours of the universe in the process.
This is where I started to feel genuinely sick. Yes, I know, it's action, it's not real, it's harmless fun. I'm too old to be watching this kind of movie etc etc.
I disagree. I thought the thinking behind this movie is a frightening example of just why the 'war of terror' has panned out the way it has. This film is a clear illustration of the ill thought out comic book imagination of Bush and his middle America supporters writ large. It is, if you think about it for more than a second, deeply disturbing. Somehow it summed up for me the hypocrisy, short-termism and selective amnesia of the West over recent years. Saddam used to be our friend? Get outta here! America supported the Taliban in Afghanistan to oust the Ruskies? Gettaway! They is da enemy! I digress.
The basic premise of 'We are the best, everyone else needs us to save them, so let's go and pre-emptively kick their booties on their own ground so we can all sleep at night' is wearing a little thin. Even the most popcorn headed of movie goers above the age of 16 might have thought that somehow this movie didn't feel quite right?
That this film was made and released during the current climate is a reflection on the general mindset of Hollywood. Don't get me wrong - I'm all for people watching and making what they want - and if you enjoyed the film then good for you, I'm taking it all far too seriously. And I'm not on some anti-war rant either (altho I am certainly not in favour of it). It just seems that there is a dark subtext to this whole special affects caboodle that cannot, or really should not, be ignored. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but this is reconstituted cheese with an unsavoury centre.
Our heroes bump off a selection of high ranking terror group leaders in Myanmar by collapsing a high rise block in the centre of Rangoon, with, impressively, no collateral damage, except to the ego of the AI plane that has become their new, unwelcome wingman.
They manage to rumble a gang of Tajeekistanis with a cargo of radioactive matter and explode it. No problem, the main thing is to bring that god dam AI plane under control! It's gone mad you see, and developed consciousness (which later develops into a conscience) and a taste for nu-metal. It won't follow orders and is attacking targets of its own choosing.
No matter then that the chase takes our triumvirate of stereotypical, teeth-like-tombstone heroes into Russian airspace and requires them to do battle with people whose airspace they have invaded in the first place (because of a problem **of their own making**!) The thing is to get that rogue plane under control - at any cost. Even if it means bumping off the well-intentioned airbourne saviours of the universe in the process.
This is where I started to feel genuinely sick. Yes, I know, it's action, it's not real, it's harmless fun. I'm too old to be watching this kind of movie etc etc.
I disagree. I thought the thinking behind this movie is a frightening example of just why the 'war of terror' has panned out the way it has. This film is a clear illustration of the ill thought out comic book imagination of Bush and his middle America supporters writ large. It is, if you think about it for more than a second, deeply disturbing. Somehow it summed up for me the hypocrisy, short-termism and selective amnesia of the West over recent years. Saddam used to be our friend? Get outta here! America supported the Taliban in Afghanistan to oust the Ruskies? Gettaway! They is da enemy! I digress.
The basic premise of 'We are the best, everyone else needs us to save them, so let's go and pre-emptively kick their booties on their own ground so we can all sleep at night' is wearing a little thin. Even the most popcorn headed of movie goers above the age of 16 might have thought that somehow this movie didn't feel quite right?
That this film was made and released during the current climate is a reflection on the general mindset of Hollywood. Don't get me wrong - I'm all for people watching and making what they want - and if you enjoyed the film then good for you, I'm taking it all far too seriously. And I'm not on some anti-war rant either (altho I am certainly not in favour of it). It just seems that there is a dark subtext to this whole special affects caboodle that cannot, or really should not, be ignored. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but this is reconstituted cheese with an unsavoury centre.