The Lego Movie - as a political satire.

We went with our grand kids to see "The Lego Movie", and enjoyed it. It is a kids' movie but there are enough references and one-liners from other movies and TV shows zipping past the children aimed at the adults that it is worth it!
The plot - an average guy (Lego character) is called to save the Lego world - think Frodo Baggins being pursued by the black riders, or Luke Skywalker evading Darth Vader, or Neo versus Mr. Smith, or Harry and He Who Will Not Be Named, all in plastic bricks. Also, add a Obi Wan-type figure, and Princess Leia or Hermione, and a sinister leader with minions of darkness.
What is the basic message? An average, unremarkable person with the help of a few friends can make things right. Obstacles and dangers can be overcome by the clueless yet pure of heart.
That's good if you want to stop there. But I think there was more.
This is a 'quest' movie, with little or no hidden message about our society and culture. This movie is not "Grapes of Wrath", "All Quiet on the Western Front", or "Of Mice and Men" - hey! it's a kid flick!
And yet, there were messages - those intended, and those that fit the times...
The evil leader of Legoland is President Bizness. Nothing subtle about that, typical Hollywood - business is evil, little people are good. On the other hand, President Bizness demands everything be done his way, or he sends the police after you. People all watch the same drivel on TV, in this case "Where's my Pants?". I don't know if this is supposed to be a sitcom or reality TV - does it matter? It's drivel, and ubiquitous. President Bizness also wants things to remain in the status quo, and is willing to do what is necessary to lock them in place. Prepare to release the KraGl!
The people of Legoland are to be sheeple, following exactly what the president says and loving it. Why else would the theme song be "Everything is Awesome"?
Which brings me to the messages that fit the times. Why do I think President Bizness and Obama are more similar than first appears? President Bizness is ruthless, hunting down people who oppose him using the police and technology reminiscent of the searchers in "The Matrix". Obama uses the NSA to capture and mine your telephone calls (and you thought George W was evil when supposedly he could subpoena your library card records. Hah! W was an amateur compared to Obama), Obama uses the IRS to intimidate (wouldn't Nixon have liked to have gotten away with that!).
The theme song is bouncy and cute, and easy to sing loudly (which they do, a lot). But similar to the song "The Woman in the Wall", the sinister undertones in this theme song are masked by the jaunty music and the happy faces. "Everything is Awesome" could easily be Obama's second term theme song, and he has the mainstream media sing it loud and happy! Pay no attention to what you see around you, because...Everything is Awesome, sing it, everyone! The economy - Awesome recovery, dude. Just because it is a jobless recovery, and more people have lost jobs than have been employed, pay no attention to an unemployment rate that falls only because people quit trying. Pay no attention to astronomical increases in food stamps, abuses of disability claims, corruption and graft in the stimulus bills, corruption and cronyism in handing out contracts to political donors. At least Halliburton actually delivered services and material to the government and the military - can't say the same for what Solyndra delivered, or the SEIU, or the teachers unions. Shovel ready jobs? They were jokes - saved or generated.
And take our foreign policy. Please. (Sorry, Henny Youngman) Think Benghazi, Arab Spring, Iraq and nuclear weapons. Everything is Awesome! Obama lied. People died. Syria and the bright red line. Iranian students slaughtered waiting for Obama to come through with the promised support. Leading from behind - someone please explain that one. In the business world, that was always the punch line for a joke - 'Which way did they go. I must find them. I am their leader.' But when Obama does it, wow! Is that awesome, or what?
Consider Obamacare. Everything is Awesome! Except, it's not. You would never know that if you listened only to the main stream media. Constitution! Constitution? We don't need no stinking Constitution. Please, Mr. Obama, please be a dictator. Thank you. Can we have some more?
Everything is Awesome!
Then we have the Veterans Administration debacle. President Obama campaigned that he would end the horrible things perpetrated on veterans. Not only has he not taken corrective action, it has gotten worse. Oh, and he is unaware there was any problem, not even a smidgen of a problem with the VA.
In the latest incident, President Obama negotiated with terrorists, the Taliban to release five (5) deadly killers for one army deserter. I'm glad for Bowe's family, that they know he is home safe. But a dangerous precedent has been set. The Taliban has been given legitimate status - they successfully dealt with the president of the United States. They are not the government of a country, but now they have status! The president has unleashed killers (not just illegal aliens - he did that, too) but men who have dedicated their lives to the destruction and death of America and Americans, wherever they may be.
Everything is Awesome...

I pray our country survives President Bizness.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad