Review of 42 (2013) by Bheema D — 24 Mar 2014

I'm not going to bother to upload a review of "42." I think a much more potent discussion on this film is warranted other than the quality of the film.* It's incredible how sneaky Hollywood is about inserting propaganda into their films. What appears to be a heart-wrenching and honest tale about one of the major catalysts that sent us towards the state of racial equality we have now** is actually laced with pro-government, pro-status-quo anti-free speech messages. The movie teaches you to not fight back against oppression, and that other people will do your fighting back for you. Though it's rarely true, it is most often not the case. It's probably trying to talk about being the better man and not succumbing to pressure, but that's not the only message that's delivered. Let me put it this way, The Civil Rights movement didn't happen because people chose to shut up, eat shit and like the taste of it. The movement happened because people rebelled. Not violently, but visibly. There's also a clever line where one of the racist members of the team, who's about to be drafted, says something to the extent of "I speak my mind and I get traded. This isn't the US of A I know, this isn't the home of the free land of the brave." Interesting to see a character in an antagonist position speaking for free speech. Maybe he's being hypocritical, maybe it's maybeline, but I saw cleverly interlaced propaganda weaved into a movie that on the surface is completely contrary to these subliminal messages.

*If you're curious, I gave the movie a C+. Fantastic actors and a couple memorable lines of dialogue, but an insanely corny script and equally corny music weighed it down for me.

**Which is not anywhere near ideal or equal, for the record.