Fantastic Beasts and its veiled messages


First we must recall on the subject is that there is no more cinema as an art or even just a product in the (post)modern world. With the beginning of first decade of the 00's (although certain obvious processes can be observed since the late 60's), the worldwide cinema in the most part must be considered as a subtle artistic propaganda. What is more, its unique feature is that a viewer himself has to pay for watching.

Accordingly, the analysis of latest most promoted movies means the disclosure of agenda issues of global hegemony. In this context, the Fantastic Beasts sequel based on the fairy tales by J. K. Rowling is interesting not only in itself, but also in comparison with books and films of the main cycle.

If the movie about Harry Potter is quite simple in terms of pledged codes - a purely anti-racist theme with the protection of "poor muggles," then the Creatures are much more multidimensional. Here we have geopolitics, family values, world domination, initiation and the struggle with "right-wing populism." Well, in order. We offer our analysis of the movie.

The main (anti)hero - Grindelwald - is a white sorcerer who fights for the purity of magic blood and the dominance of thoroughbred magicians over the world. In so doing, he announces that all is being done in the name of freedom and defense against nuclear warfare, which sooner or later will be solved by insolent muggles.

It's not hard to guess in this character a parody of someone between charismatic right-wing leaders of XX century and the current American president. At the same time, modern right rhetoric was almost verbatim transferred into the legendary of this fictional world. Since the character is negative, this provokes a viewer's further subconscious suspicion to such expressions. No matter how right a statement of a right-wing politician could be - it will trigger associations in the viewer's head. "I've heard this before..."

Triggering the uprising of supporters of the purity of magic blood via a "provocation," Grindelwald outlined a fire circle around himself, and only true supporters could pass into through a fire line. It is a pure reflection of an order initiation ceremony - a special trial to enter an organization possessing a secret knowledge. Thus, the plot refers traditional initiation practices to the forces of evil.

It was very interesting to find out a tendency in modern cinema and animation that one Russian liberal noticed - it is a diminution of the role of romance, interpersonal relations against the backdrop of a growing concentration of attention on family relations, whatever what this means. Yes, indeed, the entire plot line is spinning around one character and his searching of own roots. During this search he got into the "paws of evil," because the main (anti)hero is a bearer of blood values and knowledge of the origin. The main idea - "the search for own roots will turn you to a wrong way."

Not to mention that Grindelwald wears a sort of hairdo, that are popular among right-wing :) 

Like a cherry on a cake in this cinema: the main fantastic creature of the film - a cat-dragon from China, although powerful, but easily tamed and saddled by the forces of tolerant good. What does it mean - let everyone decide for his own.

Finally, repulsion of the first blow of intolerant "evil" can only be achieved through the intervention of the immortal alchemist, whose figure again suggests the viewer to internally consider the possibility of "immortalism."

In general, if you like the Harry Potter world, if you like its atmosphere, there is no reason to refuse watching the Fantastic Beasts sequel. One you should is to learn detecting and separating propaganda elements. 


original by Zentropa Ukraine

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