I love movies - all kinds. Well, most kinds. I've never liked musicals (I could never figure out how a group of people could spontaneously stop what they are doing and do a dance in flawless unison). But, for the most part, I really enjoy all kinds of movies. I enjoy movies about sports, like Hoosiers. Funny movies, like Young Frankenstein. Fantasy, like Lord of the Rings. And I like funny movies about sports with fantastic elements, like Field of Dreams. I love deep, thought-provoking movies which cause me to reflect, like The Dark Knight. And still, I often love to sit and watch a silly, turn-off-your-brain-and-laugh slapstick, a la Dumb and Dumber.
What I love most in movies, however, is when people are taken to their limits, causing them to rise above what they previously thought they could do or achieve, and they "overcome"... the Rocky concept. However, as much as I love sports (and Rocky), underdogs winning in a competition takes second to the sub-genre of man fighting for his rights of freedom and/or life. Of course there are so many movies based off of this concept, and like any other sub-genre, some are good and some are bad - some are simple and some are complex. Here's a short list: Independence Day, Braveheart, The Matrix, Gladiator, The Great Escape, and of course, The Terminator franchise.
For a long time I have based all action movies on the T-2 (Terminator 2, for the unenlightened) scale of satisfaction. It's funny ("You were gonna kill that guy." "Of course. I'm a terminator"), it has great action, an iconic hero, a bad, bad, bad, kick-some-serious-butt female lead -- remember Sarah Conner repeatedly pumping and firing that shotgun at the liquid metal terminator with her one good arm to protect her son. But above all, T-2 is (save the snickering) deeply philosophical for a blockbuster action movie. Without getting too into the plot (cause if you don't know the plot of T-2, you should immediately go to your local movie rental store and check it out - and then get back to this post), one of the main points of the movie is that our future is up to us. Fate or bad luck or poor choices may influence what happens to us, but ultimately we are in charge of our own course. We are in control, and if we want something badly enough, we need to act. Do what it takes to make it happen rather than sitting passively by as the world acts on us.
A couple days ago I went to see the new Terminator movie. I know a lot of people were disappointed with it - I wasn't. I loved it! I loved the action, the storyline, the acting, the climax, everything. I even loved the new philosophical bit we got from this movie.
The main character and leader of the human resistance against the machines is John Connor. His words to the destitute, desperate people: "Above all, stay alive. You have no idea how important you are."
Back in our world, we are living in difficult times. Life is hard. Sometimes it is hard to know what's right, and it is often hard to do what's right. It can drag you down. It's easy to step onto the slope that takes us into a zone of indifference to the world around us. My wife and I were just talking about this the other day. We are frustrated about some of the things going on in our country and world. And now, more than ever, we feel like we have no control, no voice to express our disapproval...
Then we realized... now, more than ever, we must express our voices and opinions and we must act. We must do what we feel is right and stand up against the things that are wrong, against the Terminators (of freedom). Sounds cheesy, I know, but I couldn't resist.
John Connor's words to his people brought optimism and encouraged his followers to always maintain some control over their lives so they could act and do what's right.
Some of us may feel that, like the human resistance in Terminator, The Matrix, and Star Wars, that we are being taken beyond our limits of what is acceptable and what is expected as a human being and an American. For you I say, "Stay alive. You have no idea how important you are." We will rise above - perhaps higher than we previously thought we could - and we will overcome the challenges facing us.
3 comments:
I don't feel very important these days, but I'll do my best to stay alive in the off chance that I am. Thanks for the post!
Aaron liked it too! You should talk to him about it. I think his comments on the movie were lost on me since I had not seen it & am not a Terminator follower.
Haven't seen terminator, much to scott's dismay. We saw T2 on our honeymoon, that should have been my first clue. But I do agree that apathy is a problem. I find myself even thinking that I can't change it so why bother. But I think that sometimes you have to do it for yourself and your children because your actions and words determine how your kids will act and think. Funny because I was just watching the matrix and wondered if I would be the person content after knowing the truth or would I fight to regain what I'd lost? And then I think it's happening all around us, but like the frog in the boiling water, it happens in such minute degrees that I am growing used to it and even accepting. Scary. Dan, you have a gift for making me think! Maybe that is why you do the school paper-or because you do the school paper you think about these things more!
Dan, well written and Conners words are right on, however I must tell you that the new Star Trek movie is a much better flick.
That said, we all must all continue to fight the fight, more today than ever. Our new administrations need to have the government
control all aspects of our life through their socialists policies continues to grow on a daily bases.
PS Glad to hear Eli is doing better, what a scar, may God speed his recovery.
Uncle Bill
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