By According to a statement in People’s Liberation Army Daily, Zhang Jieli (a PLA officer), wrote that Hollywood uses movies as a way to convey American propaganda to the world. Sure big Hollywood films could have big ‘Merican undertones, but his chosen example, Pacific Rim, is a bit off that mark.
Jieli claims that Pacific Rim‘s big fight in Hong Kong was a ploy to help invoke the idea that Big ‘Merica can save the day:
The decisive battle against the monsters was deliberately set in the South China Sea adjacent to Hong Kong. The intention was to demonstrate the U.S. commitment to maintaining stability in the Asia-Pacific area and saving mankind…Soldiers should sharpen their eyes and enforce a ‘firewall’ to avoid ideological erosion when watching American movies. More importantly, they should strengthen their combat capability to safeguard national security and interests.
While his points seem a bit misguided, it’s hard to fault the man for seeing a problem. Pacific Rim performed gangbusters in China as it made over $100 million (and made a sequel more likely), and since it’s the first big Hollywood film to do so, the Chinese military could be justifiably fearful that their influence is being endangered. But Pacific Rim, really? That film is the embodiment of unity.
It’s helmed by a Mexican director, filled with diverse actors and nationalities, and the whole point of the Jaegers was that the world needed to pool their resources in order to fight a bigger enemy. For once, America alone wasn’t enough. And besides, Pacific Rim‘s got plenty of other problems. Like, what happened to all of the women? What do you all think? Think Pacific Rim was propaganda?
[via THR]