The current film “Two Guns” features two top male stars, Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg, plus Paula Patton. Washington plays a DEA agent who goes undercover to expose drug cartels. Wahlberg plays a Navy enlisted man who goes undercover and works for a SEAL officer who directs bank robberies.
The story seems interesting though convoluted. But soon it degenerates into that old Hollywood staple: the U.S. government is crooked, conniving, and criminal. Wahlberg learns that the SEALs are stealing money for nefarious purposes. And Washington learns that his boss has set him up to take the blame for the DEA working with the cartels.
To top things off, Washington and Wahlberg rob a bank and find the vault stuffed with a colossal amount of cash, which (surprise!) belongs to the CIA. Of course, the CIA wants it back, and enlists the aid of a drug lord to get it back. Our two protagonists– you can’t call them heroes – go through a series of hair-raising escapades to get the money back, and get themselves off the CIA hook.
So we have an America-bashing triple play: The DEA, the CIA, and even the SEALs are hopelessly corrupt. Perhaps a few honest people remain somewhere in the government – maybe in the Postal Service. At least we hope so, though we never hear about them.
One might think that, after four and one-half years of their man in the White House, the Hollywood liberal establishment would have gotten over their obsession with bashing America at every opportunity. One would be wrong. The long line of anti-American films proceeds, unmitigated by the accession of Obama.
But this is not surprising. Obama himself set the tone. The photo at the start of this column may not be accidental. It depicts Barack Obama showing less respect for the symbols of national unity than did his predecessors.
When Obama declared that he intended to “fundamentally transform” America, he clearly implied that he was dissatisfied with America as it actually exists. You don’t try to “fundamentally transform” what you love. Improve it, of course. Alter it here and there, yes. Accentuate its good qualities and minimize its bad ones, no problem. But to “fundamentally transform” something means that you see it as fundamentally flawed.
And with the president himself leading the parade, the Hollywood jackasses trot contentedly along their long-established trail of America-bashing.
For example, we have “Seven Days in May,” a 1964 film about a military coup that almost overthrows the president, because he wants to sign an arms-reduction treaty with the Soviets. And there is “The Package,” a 1989 film about a military coup that almost kills the president, because he wants to sign an arms-reduction treaty with the Soviets. Then we have “White House Down,” a 2013 film about a military coup that almost kills the president, because he wants to sign an arms-reduction treaty with the Middle East. Sense a pattern here?
Don’t forget “First Blood,” a 1982 film about a mentally disturbed, unemployed veteran who is irritated by police and goes on a killing spree. And there is “The Hunted,” a 2003 film about a mentally disturbed, unemployed veteran who is irritated by police and goes on a killing spree. Then we have “In the Valley of Elah,” a 2007 film about a group of mentally disturbed, unemployed veterans who are irritated by their own buddy and murder him, then go out for a chicken dinner. You bet there’s a pattern here.
I used to keep a list of films that depict America as militaristic, imperialistic, greedy, racist, and generally despicable. I used to be able to recall the films that depict our leaders as corrupt or even homicidal. I used to be able to name the films that show our military as crazed, murderous fascists, and our veterans as alcoholic, drug-addicted, divorced, unemployed, mentally unstable losers.
But there have been so many of these films that I lost track. For example, take the “Bourne” series. The hero is so disgusted with being a hired killer for the CIA that he develops amnesia and forgets his own identity. He is so busy beating up and killing Americans that he has no time to fight America’s enemies. It’s not only Jason Bourne who forgets his own identity – it’s also the moviemakers who forget theirs.
I grew up watching “High Noon” and saw the brave lawman face the killers while cowards hid. I watched “Sergeant York” and saw the pacifist learn that violent evildoers must be opposed by force, then go on to earn the Medal of Honor. I watched “The Fighting Sixty-Ninth” and saw the chaplain, “Fighting” Father Duffy, praying with wounded soldiers.
I grew up learning to “leave no man behind.” The people who left our men to die at Benghazi must have learned a different lesson. Perhaps they watched different movies. Or perhaps they were different.
Instead, we now watch “Training Day” and see police as drug dealers who kill their own partners. We watch “Street Kings” and see a cop caught up in homicidal corruption that goes to the top of the department. We watch “Syriana” and see Americans as murderous money-grubbers, while the only sympathetic character is a Muslim suicide bomber. We watch “The Da Vinci Code” and see Christian clergy as murderous fanatics and colossal frauds.
A review of the docudrama “World Trade Center” described a former Marine who risked his life to rescue two police officers buried in the rubble as looking like a “companion of Freddie Kruger.” When our media can’t tell real heroes from fictional homicidal maniacs, we’re in deep trouble. The media “elite” are disconnected from large segments of our people. They not only don’t vote Republican – they don’t know anyone who does. They have as little in common with the huge “red” area on the election map as they do with extraterrestrials.
Now films teach that America is loathsome, our military and police are treacherous, and Christianity is detestable. Why should Americans patronize films that insult their values? Why should Americans patronize films that insult their family members and friends in the military?
It would be bad enough if only Americans watched our films. But people all over the world watch them. Why should we patronize films that present us to our friends – and to our enemies – in such an unfavorable light? Who knows how much anti-American activism, or even terrorism, may have been provoked by such films?
We hear many arguments, pro and con, regarding the Department of Homeland Security. But one thing is certain. If we want homeland security, first we need a homeland.
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