Sunday, March 18, 2012

John Carter

昨天看了这部电影,节奏好,剧情也有创意。故事说一个一直寻觅黄金洞的前军人,John Carter,在一次神秘意外中被传送到火星去。火星上,有两个城邦在打仗,而John Carter为了拯救被欺压的一方,奋勇作战,成了Tharks部落和Helium城的英雄。他娶了漂亮的公主为妻,却在当晚被意外传送回地球。故事的结尾他又回到了火星。好莱坞电影不失其一贯的创意--寻宝,火星和穿梭,配合得天衣无缝。

可是,我并没有单纯享受的喜悦。一如往常,美国电影的特色是英雄主义。电影之中肯定有一个拯救地球的英雄,肯定有被欺压的弱势族群,或野人,或愚蠢没文化的外星人。同时,会有邪恶势力在企图掌控地球,这股势力可以是被权力冲昏头的军人,科学家,病毒等等。故事的方程式非常简单,英雄伸张正义,消灭了邪恶,从此大家过着幸福快乐的日子。
这样的故事,让我联想的是英国人在统治马来亚的时候,他们那种白人自我感觉良好的可憎态度。那时候的西方人,是觉得亚洲是第三世界,是文化粗俗,人民愚昧,生活困苦的弱势群体,需要他们的拯救才能脱离苦海。美国人在入侵中东国家的时候,不也是这样的想法吗?

然而现实中,那只是盖在利益上的面具。现实上不如电影,没有所谓善与恶。历史纠葛使战争的对错难以区分,战争之中的英雄,对胜利的一方是骄傲,对失败的一方永远是痛苦。只有人民群起反对战争的力量才显得真挚。战争之后,又要经历多久的动荡才能让社会恢复太平?痛苦永远不会完结在炮火停息的那一刻。

因此这样的电影,只当娱乐看待固然好看,但它被创于美国人之手,就不得不让我不屑。它就像思路简单的童话故事,我没有共鸣。

2 comments:

  1. Indeed, your post makes me ponder about how superficial american movies are. With regard to movie like John Carter that involves sci-fi and war, I think Hayao Miyazaki's work is arguably the best. Unlike western movies (Disney for example), his animations manage to portray themes like war and environmental pollution without the use of protagonists and antagonists. His work doesn't show the good nor the evil, because in reality it all depends on one's perspective on the situation. The deeper meaning of such solemn themes is impeccably conveyed in such implicit manner that the audience are left contemplating on their own. Such a void in the story line puts the ending of the movie in the hands of the audience. And that's the kind of movie that I have 共鸣.

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  2. I have 共鸣with your comment:)and that is the reason why I love Hayao Miyazaki's animations too!

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