I just finished watching Battle los Angeles, and let me tell you, what a downer. It has been a while since I've felt so discouraged for being a human being. Throughout the whole movie there is a prevailing sense of loss and disempowerment, rectified only by the powers of teh military. From the first, the characters in the military, like most films about war, are idolized as these calm-in-the-line-of-fire, unified fighting force, dodging bullets and jumping barricades without tiring or becoming discouraged. There is the odd soldier who loses his head, but fortunately for him there is always one superhuman commander to snap him out of it nearby. I noticed how the military is given a difficult task of heading out to retrieve civilians from behind enemy lines, while the civilians are holed up helplessly in the police station. It shows me that we shouldn't have faith in ourselves, that we should instead rely on the gross power of the military instead of our own skills, cunning and innate survival instincts to defend ourselves. And if we look at the one exxample of a civilian trying to act for himself, take matters into his own hands, we see he is gunned down after grabbing a rifle and taking charge to fight for his survival. He is mortally wounded and dies a slow death. Does this mean that the military's supiroir training is getting them beyond the survival of the civilians? Possibly. That I could understand. They have tactics and strategies to use in battle which have been refined through generations of military intelligence. However, human beings all have a survival instinct that kicks in and generates reportedly superhuman abilities. When people are left to their own devices in a survival situation, they've been known to accomplish astonishing feats. Such as the ever-popular tale of the woman lifting a car off her child. Or the skiier who survives seven days buried in an avalanche. The fact is that when people are left to themselves, they realise that noone is there to help them and so fear does not factor in to the equation. Instead, their necessity for survival allows them freedom to accomplish surprising things. In a pinch, a human is powerful in their instinctive reactions and actions. But this movie doesn't portray an ounce of that except for in the military characters, and even then, only the ones in charge.
There is a commander with loads of experience who is necessary for leadership and wisdom, yes, but he is so idolized by his peers that they lose faith in themselves. they are always looking to him as a saviour and rely on his tactics alone. Sure, a chain of command is important. However it is not the only crutch. This movie tells me that in a disaster situation, I should hole up, not think for myself and simply wait for the all-powerful military to come on by and rescue me, for they have training and guns, which are essential for success. Well in this film, when things seem like they're too much, and the forces dont believe they will make it through, there is always one soldier who finds it in himself to dole out a motivational speech to his troops and people, showing them there is hope. When really, for lack of needing to look up to someone for guidance, he was free to realise that fear is unnecessary at this time, which opened up his thoughts to planning and strategy, motivating him to action and freeing him from the clutches of that feeling of helplessness. All it takes for him is to look around and see that there are people in need, sees his innate potential to help, and acts on it. So, because he's human like everyone else, don't we all have that power within us?
This movie seems to suggest, like many other military films, that the human being is only powerful when in a percieved position of authority, that the individual, especially without the sidecick of firepower, is hopeless in such a situation. This is narrowing our perception of what is possible in a crisis situation, and discourages free thinking. I hope that if we are ever in a position of helplessness, we will climb out of the hole of fear and helplessness. That is all I see in this film. It makes sense, that because of military strategy garnered through training, the military has a supirior hand in combat, but it is composed of humans just like us, who, though refined by training as well, are motivated by love for life and a necessity to survive and continue that life. They have the same emotions and reactions to situations seemingly hopeless as we do. They are human. The commanders progress in the ranks alone did not teach him that fear can be supressed and a hopeless situation overcome, rather it was the pursiut of survival and the realisation of the fragility of fear that got him through tight spots and advanced him to the ranks where he is at. He succumed to his own will for survival, and a need to keep those around him alive, surrendered to that instead of fear, and came out on top.
He realises his own human potential. This through the faith from the people around him. They send him their hope and it is this that leads him to realise that he has power. their encouragement, not arms and strategies. We see that the drive to success was rooted not his medals or his rank, it was his belief that he has the potential to change the lot of the pepole around him. He disregarded fear and his own life, and in doing so, successfully came out of a dire situation. So we can ask ourselves how we would act if we all did that. How would we function if we had faith and hope in all those around us? It would mean that we would all have encouragement and empowerment to do amazing things, would it not? This would lead us to accomplish amazing acts, all of us. To realise our own power and potential rather than waiting around for someone to save us is the path to survival, not having weapons, military training or a superior number of combatants. I will not be led to believe I need the military to survive a crisis situation. Sure, at oods, there may be some situations where the military is an essential tool for success, but that will not stop me from realising my own power and potential and using it to increase my chances, as well as those of those around me, for survival.
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