This is less a review than an observation that resulted from watching Hero with the Red Queen today. Movies have played various roles throughout my life, some teaching lessons in loyalty, others in humility, still others how to avoid taking myself or my lot in life too seriously. I think that a good many of lifes lessons, for me anyway, have come by way of the rather pointed morality found in film. I’ll not say that all my beliefs have come through the films I’ve enjoyed in my lifetime, many have instead come from the books that I have been lucky enough to discover throughout my days on this strange, wonderful world we live in.
Hero is a film about vengeance, sacrifice and above all, the unifying idea of good over evil. A warrior of unequalled ability travels to the kingdom of a evil king hellbent on conquering all who oppose him. It is a story as old as time and nothing in this particular film can be considered novel. Where this film got me thinking was in the similarities the events in Hero have to current events. For many people, here in the US and abroad, George W. Bush symbolizes all that is wrong with the world. Many consider him a power-drunk despot hellbent on conquering all who oppose him. This simple comparison is what made me rethink my current political agenda, which is to say, a hope, wish, desire to see anyone but Bush ascend to the most powerful seat on the planet. Upon further review, I don’t think it is Bush’s warmongering ways that turned me off to his presidency, but his religious zealotry that pushed all the wrong buttons with me.
But I digress. Hero details a warrior’s struggle to get close enough to the king to assassinate him. One of the assassins he must battle in order to get the tools he needs to seek an audience with the king opens his eyes to the nature of good vs evil. The assassin tells the warrior that he once wanted the king dead but was enlightened by his studies. This enlightenment was caused by two simple words. Two words that pushed him to rise above his singular pursuit of the king’s death. Our Land. He went on to explain that sometimes, for the greater good, evil must be done. In this case, the evil king, through his warring ways, would unite seven kingdoms in pursuit of the greater good. One people, one language, one future.
Thats when bells started ringing in my head.
Many who read my missives will already know much about me and my beliefs… but for the uninitiated, here are the basics:
-I believe in higher power, but do not subscribe to a particular religion. Religion was created by man and man being the unparralleled moron that he is, created religions that continually defy the very laws that govern their beliefs.
-I believe war is not only inevitable, but necessary in order to preserve the laws of civilization. I am a zealot when it comes to killing in the name of peace.
-I believe in honesty. Brutal, soul-scorching, steadfast honesty. If the truth hurts, call me a masochist for honesty.
Don’t get me wrong, I still think Bush is the wrong man for the job. Unfortunately for the world, the options we have are limited. Kerry isn’t strong enough to unite this country, much less promote peace through superior firepower. As much as I hate to admit it, Bush is the only viable option we have to rectify the problems that he created.
My father once said that the lesser of two evils is the evil you are familiar with. In this case, I would rather see four more years of Bush’s inept leadership than four years of the unknown.
killing for peace is like fucking for virginity
When you have to use a flippant cliche to communicate an idea, chances are you’re less able to argue your position clearly and rationally.
Maybe you’re intelligent, I don’t know, but from your comment, I’m gonna take it on merit that for you, wisdom usually is found on bumper stickers.
Since you seem to understand bumper sticker wisdom better than anything I could throw at you, here’s a good one for you, “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt!”
Bwaha!
Believe me – I’m no big fan of Kerry. But all I can focus on is the fact that the next president will not only influence the country for the next four years, but easily for the next 30-40 years. 2-3 Supremes are itching to get out, and at 70-85 years old, can you blame them? When it comes to choosing a President that’s going to select the arbiters of our country’s laws, I feel better with Kerry than with the party that put Thomas and Scalia on the bench.