Is X-Men First Class Racist AND Stereotypical? [DARWINISM]
June 8, 2011 Posted in Entertainment, Movies, WTF
WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Thanks to my buddy’s Optimum Rewards card, I was able see a late night screening of X-Men First Class last night. For those who are familiar with the film’s premise, you might be wondering how in the world it’s racist AND stereotypical? Sure, it addresses racism, but how can it be racist itself when it’s about a young boy who overcomes the friggin’ Holocaust to kick some ass and bend some metal? For those of you who’ve seen the film, you know EXACTLY which scene I’m talking about.
In it, Sebastian Shaw (played by Kevin Bacon) and his deadly lackey duo of Azazel and Riptide infiltrate the CIA’s secret research facility to convince the young mutants recruited by Charles Xavier (Professor X) and Erik (Magneto) to join them in their plans to destroy the human race. The recruits consist of Banshee, Havok, Angel, Mystique, Beast, and Darwin, the last character of whom is a black dude. The point of Sebastian’s rant was on par with Magneto’s diatribes in the previous films – that humans fear the unknown, they fear change, they will NEVER accept mutants, and they will seek to eradicate us. The scene is poignant for its contrast to the earlier exchange between he and a much younger Erik in Nazi Germany.
Anyway, at one point, the camera’s in fairly tight on Sebastian’s face as his speech grows more intense and he says something to the effect of, “We all know what it feels like to be enslaved”. Just as the ‘d’ in ‘enslaved’ slips from his mouth, the shot cuts to a close-up of Darwin for what could be the most awkward moment in movie history. Just about everyone in the theater gasped or was like, “what the f***!?” There were some chuckles, some indignant / huffy reactions. It took a good minute or so for everyone to really process and work through what the hell just went down. Then, just as everyone got settled back into the storyline, f***ing Darwin DIES thus perpetuating the insane movie stereotype that the black guy always dies first. Un…real.
Sure, we’re probably reading a little too much into it, but… man, for a movie about overcoming oppression, battling stereotypes, and educating others about the perils of discrimination, X-Men First Class sort of falls into the class it’s trying to enlighten. According to Wikipedia, Darwin (whose real name is Armando Munoz) is half-African, half-Latino, so should we be half-offended? Part of me understands what the director was going for (making the connection to real world segregation/oppression), but it just seems out of context and jarring. Like, why is HE singled out?
As for Darwin’s “death”, my gut told me and is still telling me that he will come back as a being of pure energy as he did in the comics (NERD ALERT), but jeez, at least knock off some other supporting character first. If only the director / producers could be there when everyone groaned after his demise; the tension was palpable.
What do you think? Let us know in our poll & comments section below.
CLICK THE PIC TO SEE THE ANIMATED GIF
This guy knows what I’m talkin’ ’bout.
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For so many years we as Americans have had to bare the oppressive imagery and offensively patronizing tone of Hollywood. The directors, actors, filmwriters, editors and the like who have collectively portrayed racial supremacy and perpetuated the hatred the people that are affected by it. I pray that our creator takes the greatest consideration when it comes to your final disposition.
That is all..
wow.. heavy man on the darwin comment from the movie. will need to see it to fully absorb.
Darwin didn't even make it into the movie poster. I guess they figured if they had to kill someone it might as well be him. I do think Kevin Bacon delivered that 'Enslaved' line nicely, being that Shaw was a former Nazi. It was like he wanted unity but couldn't help having those old Nazi habits come through. That moment told Darwin that 'this guy is full of crap'. I kept hoping Darwin would come back later in the movie too. Don't think the movie was 'racist' but I am tired of seeing stuff like that.
The whites will say no because "racism doesn't and never has existed"
hahahaaha so fucking n sadly true
Racism never existed for whites? Say that to the Jews that were enslaved and exterminated in the concentration camps!! Narrow minded views such as that are the reason that racism still exist!! I say pick up a history book and read up on sh*t before you make dumbass comments!!
Racism does and did exist for 'whites'. Isn't it interesting though how Americans define each other based on color? Racism for 'blacks' is a more common issue today than for any other member of this country. Color is used to separate…and it's worked.
Racism didn't only apply to the blacks.
Stop being so ignorant and go read some history books.
…but racism is a more recent topic for African Americans in this country than anyone else. It's amazing to me how people have difficulty understanding why African Americans would be disturbed at the constant reminders of being enslaved and the messages sent through film about being killed…once again…by a white man.
Wait…. the scientist working for the Nazi, who is the evil guy, says something to the black dude about slavery and that's a problem? Arent the bad guys supposed to be…… you know….. evil?
People are making such a big deal about the "Darwin" thing, and it's true. I didn't see it so much as racist, being a black man, just some white guy German Nazi lording it over a bunch of kids, particularyly minority ones, an experience that I've learned to live with, exactly as shown in the movie, so I see it as real. But, it is Hollywood, and California is probably America's most racist state, and as always, black guys go firs, so let Shaw be Hollywood. With the exception of Emma Frost White Queen, all of Shaw's victims or "followers" didn't fit in. Riptide, the Spanish guy (literally, not a Latin American who calls himself "Spanish," Spanish people come from Spain) didn't say one word. Azazel is some kind of weird demon mutant, and Angel is an angry black woman (stereotypical.) I saw the documentary where Stan Lee actually said that Prof X is MLK, and Magneto is Malcolm X. The movie was screwed up in those respects, and I'm surprised no one said anything about how women were treated.
White Queen wasted no time getting that Ice! To me the movie was a period piece and reflected that on all fronts. That is how it was back then, and I'm glad they showed things for what they really were at those times. As far as Angel being mixed race (actual term mulatto or mestizo) is a moot point, back then one drop of black blood made you black. No in-betweens. America, drop the post-racial there is no discrimination crap. Things haven't changed, it's the same old crap with a new wrapping. It's 2011 but we might as well be in 1911.
Yeah my dad told me there was a paper bag test. If you were darker or the same color as a paper bag, you were black.
No eweezee you are partially incorrect. The paper bag test was that if you were darker than a paper bag, you were black.
agree
Did anyone get the latest RIA (Racism in America) version? We were using 1.0 but we have upgraded to 2.0 following the last presidential election
RIA 2.0
Specifications: ITS GREAT, ITS NEW, ITS ADAPTS EVEN BETTER THAN DARWIN! ;)
The new color-blind ideology does not, however, ignore race; it acknowledges race while ignoring racial hierarchy by taking racially coded styles and products and reducing these symbols to commodities or experiences which whites and racial minorities can purchase and share.
Embracing a post race, color-blind perspective provides whites ( and non-whites) typically the educated ones, with a degree of psychological comfort by allowing them to imagine that being white or black or brown has no bearing on an individuals or groups relative place in the socio-economic hierarchy
The reason he was singled out for the “We all know what it feels like to be enslaved” comment is because black people have a history of enslavement and oppression in this country. Is it really that hard to figure out? I swear liberals get off on playing dumb and then acting all offended when someone points out the bleeding obvious.
It was disappointing to see the black super hero die (or exit) so early, in what appears to be his death. I think the real issue is that fact that this is a movie. That means, it is based on the creative means and autonomy of writers. So, whether or not he comes back (in another movie) is a mute point. As the impact, affect of this movie has happened–in real time. I guess with that autonomy the writers could have easily had him show up towards the end of the movie…to help others. The disappointment for me, does not have me point it to racism or anything…it stems from the platform that was not used, which could have contributed to a positive message of strengthening unity and race-relations that is so much needed in our country.
you meant *moot point. learn the phrase before you use it
It was a racist movie. The discrimination should have been avoided.
When people make ridiculous pointless comments about racism… like this article…. it actually puts back the real cause. You admitted yourself you think the director was making a point… and perhaps in fact that was what sparked Darwin into making his move.
And as you pointed out it's likely that he's not dead, because of his powers.
But I suppose it helps attract attention if you claim racism.
Boring amateur and misguided.
Well, what's wrong with being a stripper?
Read the history fo the mutant. there is actually a chance he is just, for now, a being of pure energy. The parallel was intentional but not racist or hateful. They combined the Cuban missile crisis and other REAL life elements to create a more dynamic world. Multiple factions and views that seem similar but are worlds apart. The other thing is Darwin is one of the "Lost X men" that never really took off in comic. Ironically some of the most powerful (like in Sway's case) were never kept, manipulating time and space and in his case pretty much being un-killable. By the way the artist made him black in the original comics. so. no.
It wasn’t racist. He was trying to play to a sense of hatred he assumed Darwin would have for slavery to get him to join him. The fact that Darwin stood like a strong character and did the right thing should be seen as a huge positive.
As an aside, I’d say that this is clearly the best picture in the franchise.
The movie is racist, especially considering how he died first, was a taxi driver, the other brown skinned chick was a stripper and was the first to turn her back on everyone. Seriously….it was racist buddy.
I don't think the black guy dies first all the time but they od always die the worst way. Ex. Dawn of the dead the black guy gets ripped apart by zombies
Hollywood was always racist, the black guy WAS THE FIRST XMEN to die not the mother of magneto as some other fool said. He wasn't in the movie poster AT ALL.
All white X-MEN cast 20 minits into the movie. the morons that say it wasn't racist are ether dumb or racist themselves possibly both.
Is this guy trolling? This is the stupidest sh*t i’ve ever heard. That scene was supposed to make the audience sad. Christ some f*cking people are retarded.
Although that scene may have been meant to make the audience sad (in your opinion-which could be right…or it could be wrong), it definitely caused some negative emotions in the audience that stem from the constant images of African Americans dying a horrible death, dying first, racist imagery, etc. I guess you'd have to be on that side of the coin to truly understand.
Also…how long did you see an African American on the screen in the movie…that's significant as well.
I do agree, however, that some people are retarded. I just wonder if you're talking about the people expressing their views or the people that caused this mess.
The good guys all white. Bad guys a Nazi and the white queen leading all the non-white mutants.
My big beef is how is a sell spawn who believes the world belongs to him be a lackey?