While this might be blasphemous to some, I must admit that the original Red Dawn (1984) is lost on me. A précis of the film would be: Soviet forces invade the United States, and the Wolverines, a group of teenagers led by Patrick Swayze fight back against what Ronald Reagan deemed “the evil empire” only a bit earlier that year. The premise is silly, but makes sense in the uber-nationalism-driven 1980’s. It’s also a perfect example of 1980’s propaganda films that include Rocky 2-4, Rambo 2 and 3, Superman 3 and 4, etc.
The saddest thing is that 2012 brings us another version of Red Dawn. This time, Patrick Swayze’s post-pubescent / pre-adulthood character is replaced by a Marine returned from war (Chris Hemsworth). And while Thor might just be able to defeat any invading forces, I’m not sure that a single Marine could. However, this is not my biggest issue. That is reserved for the similar propaganda angle being hewn. Originally, the villains of the film were reportedly supposed to be Chinese, but this became a no-go given the massive Chinese film-viewing audience. Plus, given the economic power that China has become, it would be doubly foolish to alienate them.
At the same time, substituting North Korea for China is a bit precarious. First and foremost, in real life, China is a North Korea sympathizer, so it seems that the screenplay is alluding to China’s presence as puppeteer to North Korea’s puppet. Moreover, there is no other way that North Korea could invade the United States. This is not going to become the diatribe of an uber Patriot. Rather, it’s the diatribe of someone who remembers North Korea’s $1billionfailure to launch a satellite into orbit. We were able to do this in 1958. The Soviets were able to do this in 1957. Thus, in the original Red Dawn, it was at least conceivable that the Soviets were a threat. In 2012, North Korea is not, and is not even close.
And this all circuit back to China as their financial backers for this invasion. And if this is true, then isn’t Red Dawn 2012 propagating the same fear that the original one would have been? Given that China holds unbelievable amounts of United States currency, is exponentially producing products, and adding to their one billion conscripted soldiers, isn’t this new film alluding to the dangers that Asia poses to America?
And, isn’t this all a bit irresponsible? Does Hollywood really assume that a global film market will miss these references? And given the ubiquity of social networks, does Hollywood really think that Chinese censors and government officials won’t read that the villains in Red Dawn 2012 were formerly Chinese?
Red Dawn is not the ring leader here. The first time I noticed this ethnocentrism spreading into celluloid villains was in the remake of The Karate Kid, wherein the lonely American youth learns Kung Fu at a more advanced level than those who reside in the country of its origin, and for whom Kung Fu is a traditional practice. The premise is not only silly but ignorant and racist. Red Dawn 2012 appears to be more of the same rhetoric.
