This whole entry probably suggests more about me than it does about the failings of any of these particular films (granted I have not even seen the entirety of A Few Good Men, but don’t really think I need to to make a judgment like this), but I have the strangest feeling that there are many more people who feel exactly the same way that I do about this. I mean, let’s be honest.
The point is that each of these clips left me with the same exact feeling: this hero sucks. He’s whiny, he’s moralizing, and he takes all of the fun out of wanton greed and careless self-absorption. This wouldn’t be such a problem (let’s face it: lots of movie protagonists are like that) if they weren’t placed against such commanding leading men as Jack Nicholson, Denzel Washington, and Michael Douglas. I’d give you more background and justification on these, but let’s face it, you’re reading a movie website. You can probably guess the endings of most movies based on their posters (not that it takes a rocket scientist to do that), but it goes a little something like this. Annoying, naive, unlikeable guy meets cool guy, then informs cool guy that what he’s doing (insert cool thing here) is wrong. In the end, annoying guy wins, and I'm left tremendously disappointed.
Or maybe it isn't just some weaselly little guy. Maybe it's Batman. Or possibly some one who's moralizing about engaging in absolutely obscene, destructive actions of social destruction. They're the naysayers. The doubting Thomases. The meddling little morons who, every time you had a great idea like jamming hypodermic needles through the ends of your nerf darts, would say that it wasn't such a good idea, and then would tell on you if you did it anyway. And all too frequently, these are the characters that we're supposed to sympathize with.
The purpose of these clips isn’t to make you say that morality and social boundaries are wrong. They are, unfortunately probably necessary. But there’s something very, very wrong with the way that Hollywood is trying to educate us (as it constantly is) if you always walk away thinking, ‘it would have been better if the cool guy had smashed the good guy’s face in with a rock.’ Just saying.
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Michael Douglas - Wall Street
Jack Nicholson - A Few Good Men
Denzel Washington - Training Day
Daniel Day Lewis - Gangs of New York
Robert De Niro - The Untouchables
Al Pacino - Dick Tracy
