Bertolt Brecht
" Art is not a mirror to hold up to society, but a hammer with which to shape it. "
The level of malicious ignorance from the other reviews pale in comparison to the frustration I face when witnessing others blindly blinker out the shining light in their eyes.
*SPOILER ALERT*
In order to truly enjoy this movie you need to understand the subtext. A good piece of art demands more of the audience than the artist is willing to indulge. True art demands that it elevates others to the same plane of consciousness. Creating an environment that allows others to cultivate the ideas, creativity and compassion to lead us into the next day.
"...don't trust any other light other than the one that you hold in your hand."
That is the subtext for this movie. The struggle between light and dark is the fight between personal exploration and submission to institutions. In this particular movie the darkness comes from the fear that comes with not understanding how our lives manipulated almost to the point of technophobia. From birth we're taught not to question the amenities provided to us through such infrastructures.
Yeah, sorry, this is a humanist argument. I understand if this review already makes you feel uncomfortable but it bares getting through. This will be hard but there's a light at the end of the tunnel, promise.
Alright let's start with the most obvious part: light versus dark. Light good, dark bad. Jaswinski draws some very clear parallels between our human dependence upon the infrastructure of hydrocarbon energy (oil) and the necessity for innovation required for the future (solar powered flashlight). The allusions to the oil based infrastructure can be seen in the dwindling supply of gas tanks, subsequent failing generator and the last ditch hope in the Chevy nearing the end. The fear generated by the imposing danger of the darkness is only associated with the characters' reliance on outdated and obsolete machines such as the generator and truck. While it might be construed that these were offered as the last hope for this small group of humanity left, they both ultimately failed leaving the characters to question whether or not they even existed.
On top of demonizing the use of our trusted friend oil, Jaswinski also sheds some light on the subject of faith. In particular, our intangible faith in the institution of religion. Just like the generator and the truck, the church offers the last refuge of hope for James. The fire in those candles represented hope that he would find his mother, that he would be reconnected with those feeling from his flash back. But those candles too were a false hope, the shadows over took the surrounding statues of emotional solace corrupting what looked like a refuge into a spot where they could lure first James and then Luke into their folds. James survives due to the ingenuity of Briana. As this was her spot to protect herself, she set those candles up that eventually saves James.
Woah, woah, woah, so is this some crazy conspiracy going on here? There's no way these life altering materials can run out though right? We don't live on a mysterious island, perhaps named Roanoke, do we?
Only a nut case would draw that sort of conclusion.
Paul's character represents the knee jerk reaction people have when they are first engaged into thinking critically about our societies' dependence on such institutions. It frightens and confuses people trying to maintain their self identity.
Look at it this way. If a stranger were to walk up to you and tell you that the life you have been living has been a lie, you'd probably try to sit as far away as you could from the creepy guy on the other side of the bus.
This is Paul's character he has a lot to say if you actually listen to him. If you write him off as a conspiracy theorist you might protect yourself from thinking, but maybe he won't save you from the impending darkness, like he did with James.
I think therefore I am. I think I exist.
While Jaswinski paints a bleak portrait of our dark reality the path to clarity is often in front of our face. What do you know greater than the back of your hand? According to Jaswinski the power to fight darkness is all at our finger tips.
"...don't trust any other light other than the one that you hold in your hand."
From the hearth of gods, Prometheus not only granted us the gift of fire but the gift of the ability to make fire. Human invention and creation of other technical advents are the only thing that has protected us from darkness. The power to assert your own existence in this world therefore is not determined by our ability to believe we exist but our necessity to create something which proves our existence.
Jaswinski makes numerous allusions to power of light creation based purely on human ingenuity from Luke's tribulation with the torch to Briana's chamber of solace in the church. The most striking allusion to this is Briana's solar powered flashlight. While the institutions around our characters are crumbling, it is the sun which returns at the end to power Briana's flashlight and lead them into the the credits and into the future. The flashlight is used two-fold: it illustrates capacity for human innovation to overcome any adversity(darkness) and the immutable laws of nature. The sun redeems our Adam and Eve at the end leading our characters into the next day with the knowledge that harnessing the sun when its out during the day will lead to protection even during the darkest nights.
Sheesh, no wonder these reviews are short and superficial. Thinking is long and hard.
" Art is not a mirror to hold up to society, but a hammer with which to shape it. "
The level of malicious ignorance from the other reviews pale in comparison to the frustration I face when witnessing others blindly blinker out the shining light in their eyes.
*SPOILER ALERT*
In order to truly enjoy this movie you need to understand the subtext. A good piece of art demands more of the audience than the artist is willing to indulge. True art demands that it elevates others to the same plane of consciousness. Creating an environment that allows others to cultivate the ideas, creativity and compassion to lead us into the next day.
"...don't trust any other light other than the one that you hold in your hand."
That is the subtext for this movie. The struggle between light and dark is the fight between personal exploration and submission to institutions. In this particular movie the darkness comes from the fear that comes with not understanding how our lives manipulated almost to the point of technophobia. From birth we're taught not to question the amenities provided to us through such infrastructures.
Yeah, sorry, this is a humanist argument. I understand if this review already makes you feel uncomfortable but it bares getting through. This will be hard but there's a light at the end of the tunnel, promise.
Alright let's start with the most obvious part: light versus dark. Light good, dark bad. Jaswinski draws some very clear parallels between our human dependence upon the infrastructure of hydrocarbon energy (oil) and the necessity for innovation required for the future (solar powered flashlight). The allusions to the oil based infrastructure can be seen in the dwindling supply of gas tanks, subsequent failing generator and the last ditch hope in the Chevy nearing the end. The fear generated by the imposing danger of the darkness is only associated with the characters' reliance on outdated and obsolete machines such as the generator and truck. While it might be construed that these were offered as the last hope for this small group of humanity left, they both ultimately failed leaving the characters to question whether or not they even existed.
On top of demonizing the use of our trusted friend oil, Jaswinski also sheds some light on the subject of faith. In particular, our intangible faith in the institution of religion. Just like the generator and the truck, the church offers the last refuge of hope for James. The fire in those candles represented hope that he would find his mother, that he would be reconnected with those feeling from his flash back. But those candles too were a false hope, the shadows over took the surrounding statues of emotional solace corrupting what looked like a refuge into a spot where they could lure first James and then Luke into their folds. James survives due to the ingenuity of Briana. As this was her spot to protect herself, she set those candles up that eventually saves James.
Woah, woah, woah, so is this some crazy conspiracy going on here? There's no way these life altering materials can run out though right? We don't live on a mysterious island, perhaps named Roanoke, do we?
Only a nut case would draw that sort of conclusion.
Paul's character represents the knee jerk reaction people have when they are first engaged into thinking critically about our societies' dependence on such institutions. It frightens and confuses people trying to maintain their self identity.
Look at it this way. If a stranger were to walk up to you and tell you that the life you have been living has been a lie, you'd probably try to sit as far away as you could from the creepy guy on the other side of the bus.
This is Paul's character he has a lot to say if you actually listen to him. If you write him off as a conspiracy theorist you might protect yourself from thinking, but maybe he won't save you from the impending darkness, like he did with James.
I think therefore I am. I think I exist.
While Jaswinski paints a bleak portrait of our dark reality the path to clarity is often in front of our face. What do you know greater than the back of your hand? According to Jaswinski the power to fight darkness is all at our finger tips.
"...don't trust any other light other than the one that you hold in your hand."
From the hearth of gods, Prometheus not only granted us the gift of fire but the gift of the ability to make fire. Human invention and creation of other technical advents are the only thing that has protected us from darkness. The power to assert your own existence in this world therefore is not determined by our ability to believe we exist but our necessity to create something which proves our existence.
Jaswinski makes numerous allusions to power of light creation based purely on human ingenuity from Luke's tribulation with the torch to Briana's chamber of solace in the church. The most striking allusion to this is Briana's solar powered flashlight. While the institutions around our characters are crumbling, it is the sun which returns at the end to power Briana's flashlight and lead them into the the credits and into the future. The flashlight is used two-fold: it illustrates capacity for human innovation to overcome any adversity(darkness) and the immutable laws of nature. The sun redeems our Adam and Eve at the end leading our characters into the next day with the knowledge that harnessing the sun when its out during the day will lead to protection even during the darkest nights.
Sheesh, no wonder these reviews are short and superficial. Thinking is long and hard.