Y'all see the clips for this new movie starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon? I believe it's called "Invictus."
I haven't read anything about it, just saw the trailer a few times, but I've already made up my mind about its gist. Yep, I was able to glean the entire point of the movie from a few 30-second trailers.
White people save the world, again.
I don't know anything about South Africa's rugby (thanks Darth) team, but from what I do know about South African history and the movie business, I think I can make some accurate guesses. The movie will focus on the period right after Nelson Mandela took office as South Africa's president following the decades of horrible apartheid. It will show how he struggles to move his country past its brutal history in the face of resistance from a small minority of evil whites and black folks bent on revenge. He will also combat corruption and incompetence by black folks.
To move forward, he will lean on a white rugby player and his teammates who will serve as symbols of virtue and perseverance for the country. The players will initially be concerned about playing for what is now a "black country" but will overcome their prejudices, learn to love their fellow man, and possibly get some nookie. (Not black nookie though, that would be too much.)
Morgan Freeman will provide us with some great, if general, Mandela quotes designed to inspire without challenging the status quo and we will all go home happy about the world.
The End.
How can I be so sure about the way this movie will play out? Well, let's just say I've see it all happen before.
I'm what you might call a connoisseur of "White People Save The World" cinema. It doesn't matter that "Invictus" was partially masked as a movie about a black hero and a black country. I could tell immediately from the incredible amount of time Matt Damon spends on screen during the trailer that this was going to be another movie about the glory of white folks. I have a special sense about these things.
Not to mention that Morgan Freeman, the Magical Negro to rule all Magical Negroes, is one of the co-stars of the movie. When was the last time you saw a Morgan Freeman movie where he wasn't a Magical Negro? I think you would have to go all the way back to "Brubaker" and then he was the Crazy Negro, which is basically the Magical Negro on steroids. Freeman has driven Miss Daisy, he played a milkmanesque God to Jim Carrey's Bruce Everyman, and he was the HNIC when the world ended thanks to a meteor. If you need a Magical Negro, Morgan Freeman is who you call as long as you don't have any fertile, young granddaughters hanging around.
It was really smart of them to market this movie as a way of giving us the story we didn't know. I mean, don't most Americans already know all there is to know about Nelson Mandela and what he went through? I'm sure Mandela'sstory has been the focus of dozens of movies. Who needs that rehash when there is a better story about white people saving the world. That's the real story no matter what the circumstances may be.
Isn't it amazing how you can find examples of white people saving the world in every situation in world history? I wonder how the rest of us managed without them. And God forbid they should die out one of these days, or go off into space, the entire social structure would collapse. Good thing we have Hollywood to remind us of exactly how wonderful white people are, or we might get restless and take them for granted.
It's good to know who is the master of our fates and the captain of our souls.
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25 comments:
The question is, will you watch the movie?
Nah. But, I don't watch many movies anyway.
It's not about soccer, it's about rugby. South Africa hosted and won the rugby world cup in 1995. They also won the latest one in 2007. They are one of the biggest powers in international rugby along with New Zealand, Australia, England, and France.
In soccer they are not a big nation, even when compared to fellow African sides. There it is Brazil, Italy, Germany, and Argentina, France. For Africa the tops are Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Anyway, I think the movie looks great and I do think it's a true-ish story. It's a fact of history that the rugby national team was white so what is there to complain about?
I would not be surprised if your summary is probably pretty accurate. I'm not planning on seeing this movie. Or "The Blind Side" either--yet another movie in this general genre, with a little "Magic Negro" sprinkled in....
I actually read the book "The Blind Side."
And, while the book wasn't too heavy on Magical Negro behavior, it's obvious that the movie went all out.
I would recommend reading the book, it's interesting.
See, I was starting to read your post, and then when I saw the talk of white people saving the world, I thought I'd say something witty about how Blacks can at least be magical negros.
And then you went and beat me to it.
Ah, well, my wife probably woulda slapped me for trying to make witticism out of that anyway.
As for Morgan Freeman, I think the only times I remember him being a "normal" guy in recent years was as a crime boss in "Lucky Number Slevin" and as Alex Cross in, what was it, "Along Came a Spider" maybe?
Deacon
Wasnt Morgan a normal prisoner in the Shawshank Redemption? Or how about being a normal president in Deep Impact? How normal was he as a police chief in Gone baby Gone?
You guys need to get out more often. :)
Lil' man,
This isn't about white people saving the world, it's about white liberals ready to submit or disperse. Come on lil', keep it real.
Don't ya just love white liberal condescension?
Hey, I love Morgan Freeman! He's backup in case James Earl Jones dies. And I think they're grooming Dennis Haysbert to take over later as Head Magical Negro in Charge since he's been doing so good with the warm fuzzy Allstate ads. I mean it's not like they can use Samuel L Jackson, but I think his motherfuckin' insurance ads would be motherfuckin' awesome (plus, HE saved the white girl *and* her deadbeat white trash husband in Black Snake Moan!).
Pistolette
Right on.
Samuel L. Jackson can't be a Magical Negro. He's too loud and abrasive, although he gets along well with white people not named Ben Affleck. Samuel is unpredictable, and white people like their Negroes predictable.
Tit for Tat
I thought about Morgan in Deep Impact. He was the president when the world was destroyed by a meteor and he loved the country so much he refused to go to his secret bunker and instead made room or more white people.
That is the ultimate Magical Negro behavior.
Big Man
Really? Then how did he survive and give his great magical Negro speech at the end? You know the one about overcoming all obstacles.
Im curious, if your country is that racist and nothing is changing, why do you stay?
One
Maybe I'm remembering Deep Impact wrong, but if I'm not mistaken Morgan Freeman gave his great speech right before the meteor came and destroyed the planet. His speech was basically "Yes, we're all going to die, but be happy about it. Look, I love you all so much that despite the fact that I'm the president, I've decided that my safety is unimportant. I'm here to die with you."
But, it's been a while since I saw the movie so I could be wrong.
I'm curious Tit for Tat, where exactly have you read that I feel like the country isn't changing? And please define "that racist." Then tell me where I should go if I would like to escape racism. Finally, explain to me if it's your common response to flee problems or solve problems.
Thanks a bunch.
"White people save the world, again [movies]."
It's imperative for their own sanity, and morality, to offset what everyone knows: They pretty much single-handedly created the means by which this world may be utterly destroyed.
BUB!!!!! This is a very funny and I'm sure accurate post!!! Now if only A.I. we a Magical Negro.....
correction "were"
Shock Therapy
Given the fact that you used a nickname for me damn near nobody outside of a select group knows about, you need to hit me up by email to let me know who you are.
Big Man
Actually I remember it was the white kid who discovered the meteor who gave up his spot. You know, people in power arent so quick to be that magnanimous. Morgan was the president so that was pretty consistent. ;)
My overall impression by many of your posts is that of, well for lack of a better word, "Whiner". Though I have been known to misread words on a screen before. Id be curious to know if your posts are meant to "fix" the problems you see, or complain about the inequity of the world?
Oh, by the way, youre welcome.
I can't control your perception of my writings.
I write what I write. If you see it as whining, good for you.
Since you're the one who regularly "whines" about how Christians behave towards non-believers, and how black people "blame" all the good white people, I guess you would know about whining.
Glad to be of service.
LMAO
Two peas in a pod.
So when are you inviting me over for some Holy wine. ;)
I really don't understand what all the fuss is about here. I mean, wouldn't y'all be complaining even louder if there was never a black actor cast in these positions of magicalness?
Invictus seems like a fantastic movie about post-Apartheid SA and the effort to integrate the two societies. In one of the longer previews it shows some of the rugby players looking down with contempt at the whole equality for blacks thing. And Mandela is shown lamenting how the whites root for SA while the blacks root against them.
Really what's the problem here? Would you prefer if they didn't make the movie? Or if they cast a black actor for Matt Damon's role even though there were no black players on the team back then? (surely due to the segregation.)
Darth
I would have prefefred if they didn't choose to make a movie about post-apartheid South Africa that explored the various issues from the vantage point of a white rugby player.
Tit for Tat
Sorry, I don't drink.
Fair enough BM, but seems to be that the movie-watching public from all across the globe will get something out of it, even if the vehicle for the something is imperfect.
I know in France they're pretty psyched about this movie and I am too. I don't know very much about post-apartheid SA and it seems to me the movie is going to portray things as they really were, I mean the tension n all.
It'd be a much tougher sell if it were Will Smith playing a wannabe rugby player or something.
Big Man
You dont drink, Jesus, that explains everything. ;)
FYI, Tit for Tat, I was being light, not so much serious...and besdies, I haven't seen a lot of Morgan Freeman-related movies lately. But I was also focusing on most recent work. "Shawshank Redemption" and "Seven" and flicks like that were back in my college days or shortly thereafter if I recall. Can't really qualify those as "in recent years" in my way of looking at things.
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