Megalopolis: A Film of Warning or a Reflection of American Society?

The Fundamentally Political Idea

Francis Ford Coppola’s new film, Megalopolis, is not a political film, but it does contain a fundamentally political idea: that the United States is facing a dangerous societal dilemma. The plot, with its fantastical elements of a dreamer who wants to rebuild New York and faces great difficulties and problems in doing so, only to see his dream collapse, is applicable to America as a whole. The director did not invent the details of his idea, but rather formulated the imaginary aspect of it that can be easily translated into reality.

The Audience Does Not Complain

Technically, it is the film of the year so far, regardless of how half the critics received it, and how viewers will receive it when it opens commercially next month. It suggests reality, rather than adopting it, so we shouldn’t judge the film even on the realism (or unreality) of its vision. But “Megalopolis,” at the same time, is not the only fantasy film that has gone astray. American cinema has changed its diverse direction over the past 20 years and has confined itself to a series of fantasy series. Even those produced for a smaller audience have, in many cases, become disconnected from what we might call reality. They hover around small topics that they translate into easy images instead of delving into their various meanings. At the same time, animated films have also fallen into the series method and become part of the machine that does not seek innovation or difference.

A Comparison to “Deadpool & Wolfverine”

In its 20th day of release worldwide, the comic book movie “Deadpool & Wolfverine” has surpassed $1 billion worldwide. Roughly calculated based on today’s average ticket price, the number of people who saw this worthless movie, in addition to satisfying the entertainment enthusiasts with the necessary comedy-oriented scenes, is between 50 million and 65 million people.

What this means is that there are a lot of people who have been drawn to seeing two superheroes in front of them to see how they will face off and work together against their enemies. In doing so, they have experienced two hours of endearing absurdity. Unlike Megalopolis, which will only miraculously garner 33 million viewers worldwide, Deadpool & Wolfverine has no social messages or symbols that reflect its desire to even remotely raise the stakes.

Art and Entertainment

American cinema, and in every country with a large population (such as Egypt, India, and France), has witnessed a continuous tradition of films that did not claim to have intellectual content or to deal with reality in one way or another. But the biggest difference between today’s cinema (in its entirety) and yesterday’s cinema is that it accommodated all types of films, including fantasy films about “Captain America”, “The Ghost”, “The Shadow”, and “Captain Marvel”. Yesterday’s pioneers, until the early eighties of the last century, could watch major productions of several types, from drama to comedy, from police to westerns, passing through science-fiction films (actual, that is, those imaginary based on some science), horror, romance, musicals, historical films, and works adapted from literary novels.

A Glimpse into the Past

To make the pattern clear, we can go back to 1974 (50 years ago) to see some of the American productions of that time: Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather II,” “Gangsters” and “The Conversation” (also by Coppola, which is currently being re-released for its 50th anniversary), Roman Polanski’s “Chinatown” (police), Tobe Horror’s “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (horror), Alan J. Pakula’s “Parallax View” (political thriller), Sam Peckinpah’s “Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia” (western), and Bob Fossey’s “Lenny” (musical). Each of these models deserved artistic status and did not skimp on the usual entertainment for the mainstream audience.

The Situation Today

The situation includes the fact that actors have been finding a lot of different roles instead of having to stick to one type to ensure their success, as was the case with Chris Hemsworth (The Avengers), Paul Rudd (Ant Man), Scarlett Johansson (The Avengers and Black Widow), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), Tom Holland (Spider-Man), Chris Evans (Captain America), Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man and The Avengers) and not to mention Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, along with a large number of other actors.

The unfortunate thing is that these people are unable to change the genre towards a realistic film or an actual drama because it is often inevitable that the actor will fall with the fall of his film, and this confirms that today’s stars are doomed to effects cinema while the audience itself does not care about them if they try to change.

Conclusion

Megalopolis is a film that tries to warn us about the dangers of a society that is increasingly disconnected from reality. However, it is clear that American cinema has taken a different path, opting for fantasy and entertainment over substance and intellectual content. The stars of today’s cinema are trapped in a system that prioritizes effects and special effects over storytelling and artistic value. As a result, we are left with a cinema that is devoid of meaning and purpose.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the main idea behind Megalopolis?

A: The main idea behind Megalopolis is that the United States is facing a dangerous societal dilemma and that we need to wake up and face the reality of our situation.

Q: Why do you say that American cinema has changed?

A: I say that American cinema has changed because it has become increasingly focused on fantasy and entertainment, rather than substance and intellectual content. The films being produced today are more concerned with special effects and spectacle than with telling meaningful stories or exploring complex themes.

Q: What is the impact of this on the stars of today’s cinema?

A: The impact of this on the stars of today’s cinema is that they are trapped in a system that prioritizes effects and special effects over storytelling and artistic value. As a result, they are unable to change the genre towards a more realistic and meaningful type of film, and they are often doomed to fall with the fall of their film.