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Are you guys put off by patriotism in movies?

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Thriller

Thriller

Member
Two days ago a friend of mine asked me to see Patriots Day in the Cinema. I didn't really want to go because I don't like being force fed all this 'Murca is the greatest.

It could very well be that someone doesn't care, either because of how intense their heart is glowing or because of the sheer volume of eagle tears streaming down their cheeks or that you just don't care in general.

We saw the movie (and it was entertaining) but I was wondering if other people are somehow put off by all this patriotism and which movie has the highest patriotism level?
.
 
Oppo

Oppo

Member
I can tell you that as a non-American, I roll my eyes every time I see a slo-mo american flag waving in a movie.

Canada's patriotism is locked in a small vial in the basement of a Bank of Montreal somewhere I think. Everyone gets a microdrop on Canada Day and back into the vault it goes.
 
T

TheOfficeMut

Unconfirmed Member
I certainly am. I didn't mind it years ago but the longer I've had to sit on the idea of patriotism, the more movies concerning it and specifically American idealism became unappealing to me.
 
J

Jackpot

Banned
Yes. Every country is so tarnished by their actions in real-life it's literally impossible for me to accept flag-waving BS.
 
S

snacknuts

we all knew her
I'm an American who is put off by patriotism in general. I certainly don't enjoy seeing it as a selling point for a movie.
 
T

Transhuman

Unconfirmed Member
Can_you_put_the_President_s_speech_in_Independence_Day_in_the_right_order_.jpg
 
D

Downhome

Member
I love patriotism in general, for the people of all nations. I'm proud to be from where I'm from. To me it's no different than folks being fans of their favorite sports team and how they rally behind it.

Now I do hate those very, very cheesy patriotic moments though. That doesn't have anything to do with the concept though. I hate/love those cringeworthy cheesy moments no matter the subject matter.
 
Sinfamy

Sinfamy

Member
Not American, it makes me roll my eyes and yawn.
It depends though, there's good patriotism like in The Great Escape, and then we have Micheal Bay patriotism.
 
N

Neidii

Member
Yeah. Patriotism is silly most of the time. As a non american the whole slow-mo flag thing you see sometimes makes me roll me eyes
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
In certain movies its done well but most times its just lazy and masturbatory. Aka if its a Michael Bay movie or anything about the military that just pretends they're fucking awesome and the bad guys are all monsters.
 
S

Sgt. Kabukiman

Banned
I remember seeing Armageddon and Independence Day in theaters in France back in the 90s and that was quite an experience. People were laughing out loud at every forced display of patriotism. I was too young to understand why everyone was laughing during these parts so I thought they were losing their minds.
 
I

Inferno313

Banned
Depends. Patriotism in a militaristic context? I.E. Any Michael Bay movie. You betcha. We shouldn't be glorifying war. Patriotism when it comes to a celebration or respect of the people of america, or any nation? Something like a Rocky film, for instance. Sure, go for it.

Nothing wrong with being patriotic for your country, as long as your patriotism lies in the people and communities of the country, and not the institutions of power.
 
H

Hexxen-Panda

Member
Yeah, as a non-American, it's always distracting whenever a war movie seems like it's trying to get cheers from an American audience. One example that comes to mind is American Sniper and Pearl Harbour, which felt almost masturbatory in their patriotism

It's fine though, if it's handled with some self-awareness or sensitivity. Some good examples would be Saving Private Ryan/Band of Brothers.
 
J

JonnyDBrit

Member
It depends on the execution, for me.

I love the character of Captain America, and his breed of patriotism - the ideals and betterment of the nation, over the reality of its people and political players - is a kind I can quite get behind. It's an aspirational kind of patriotism, and broadly applicable.

In contrast, I was really put off by the trailers for London Has Fallen, and most of what I've heard about that movie since bears that concern out. A film that's fairly patriotic for the USA at the expense of pretty much everyone else, and so subsequently just feels rather mean, almost silly as that statement may sound.
 
bengraven

bengraven

Member
What true, non-Commie American would be? There's not enough American flags in movies. If there's a shot in your film and something isn't red, white, and blue you're less American than the illegal guys who pick my crops.
 
S

StayDead

Member
I don't hate it, because it always makes me laugh, especially in films.

I find it hilarious that people feel pride over some lines in the sand.
 
S

Saganator

Member
It's ok in *some* films but most of the time it's cheesy and makes me feel like I'm watching propaganda. Not a big fan of nationalism.
 
K

kurahador

Member
As non-American, absolutely. Surely there are more classy and subtle way than slow-mo, close up of a waving flag and followed up by a trumpet.
 
E

eizarus

Banned
Nope don't like it. Isn't the fact that these soldiers or agents are doing xyz for their country enough? You don't have to try and move the audience by going propagandistic about it.
 
C

Caelus

Member
There are movies like Glory that make me feel a different sort of patriotism, and this is fairly American specific, but I feel that the groups of people that make America worth it are the very same groups that have been downtrodden for more than a century.
 
A

autumnleaf

Member
It might not be quite the same thing but while I love Spider-Man 1 and 2 but its hard to watch the New Yorkers standing up to the villain scenes.

And don't get me started on Spidey running in front of the biggest American flag you've ever seen in 3...
 
A

Auctopus

Member
I've recently mentioned this in the "Movies I've Just Seen" thread but...

London Has Fallen has a sickening amount of Patriotism (American) ((I don't know if we can say we're put off my by patriotism of other countries)) that borders on the psychopathic.

I'm not going to explain the whole film but there are examples throughout, some top examples:

-
Opens with gratutious footage of a drone strike on a wedding.

-
Based around a state funeral in London where all world leaders are gathered to pay their respects to British PM. Every official is brutally blown up or murdered except for the President of the USA.

-
Gerard Butler's character spends the latter half of the film bossing around SAS and saying how useless British intelligence is and how if he was in charge of London, this wouldn't have happened.

-
Propagates isolationism and racism by telling one of the terrorists to go back to "Fuckheadistan".

There's plenty more examples and it seethes through the veins of the film, a completely different beast to Olympus Has Fallen.
 
K

kinoki

Illness is the doctor to whom we pay most heed; to kindness, to knowledge, we make promise only; pain we obey.
Cepheus said:
American patriotism, yes. It genuinely scares me.
Click to expand...

Put me down for that as well. That kind of patriotism just looks like something terrible is about to happen.
 
30yearsofhurt

30yearsofhurt

Member
True story.

I'm Australian.
I was given free tickets to see Independence day back in 1996 (?).
I went with my brother and we laughed ourselves silly.
Especially the Presidents speech. So bad it was hilarious.

At around the same time two of my friends were in Atlanta for the olympics doing security.
They went to see Independence day and laughed themselves silly too.
Except when the President made his speech.
Everyone else in the cinema started to cheer and gave a standing ovation.
They say they were deadly silent and genuinely scared for their safety after that.
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Auctopus said:
I've recently mentioned this in the "Movies I've Just Seen" thread but...

London Has Fallen has a sickening amount of Patriotism (American) ((I don't know if we can say we're put off my by patriotism of other countries)) that borders on the psychopathic.

I'm not going to explain the whole film but there are examples throughout, some top examples:

-
Opens with gratutious footage of a drone strike on a wedding.

-
Based around a state funeral in London where all world leaders are gathered to pay their respects to British PM. Every official is brutally blown up or murdered except for the President of the USA.

-
Gerard Butler's character spends the latter half of the film bossing around SAS and saying how useless British intelligence is and how if he was in charge of London, this wouldn't have happened.

-
Propagates isolationism and racism by telling one of the terrorists to go back to "Fuckheadistan".

There's plenty more examples and it seethes through the veins of the film, a completely different beast to Olympus Has Fallen.
Click to expand...

That single shot action scene at the end was decent though
 
C

Coxy100

Banned
Nerfgun said:
I can tell you that as a non-American, I roll my eyes every time I see a slo-mo american flag waving in a movie.

Canada's patriotism is locked in a small vial in the basement of a Bank of Montreal somewhere I think. Everyone gets a microdrop on Canada Day and back into the vault it goes.
Click to expand...

This.
 
A

Albino_Yeti

Member
30yearsofhurt said:
True story.

I'm Australian.
I was given free tickets to see Independence day back in 1996 (?).
I went with my brother and we laughed ourselves silly.
Especially the Presidents speech. So bad it was hilarious.

At around the same time two of my friends were in Atlanta for the olympics doing security.
They went to see Independence day and laughed themselves silly too.
Except when the President made his speech.
Everyone else in the cinema started to cheer and gave a standing ovation.
They say they were deadly silent and genuinely scared for their safety after that.
Click to expand...
Scared for their safety because the audience reacted to one of the most hype speeches in movie history? Wut
 
G

Glendemonium

Member
When it's done in a hammy way, like most of Michael Bay movies and army themed, yes.

Hollywood has been selling the idea that patriotism as a religion and not something deeper.
 
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