"The Kingdom" starring Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner draws inspiration from the 2003 compound bombing in Riyadh. It unfolds a vicious terrorist attack on Saudi compound housing employees of an American oil company. Unsurprisingly, it is yet another one-dimensional Hollywood movie where "Arab Land" is portrayed as an unwelcoming environment of harsh deserts full of fanatically religious or nationalistic terrorists.
In Hollywood’s epic battle between good and evil, it has always been the all American hero saving the day from the villains; weather these villains were Arabs, Russians, Japanese or even Germans. In this post 9 11 world Arabs and Muslims make some of the best generic villains. They are not portrayed as humans and so it is apt to demolish them without a single drop of guilt.
Some might argue they are in away portraying the truth, because after all, most of the Arabian Peninsula is a harsh desert and it holds a lot of anti American extremists. Does that mean that all Arabs are oil billionaires, sheiks, religious fanatics and belly dancers? Many people are inclined to believe that Arabs are hooligans from the 10th century, who like to see Western blood flow. They are portraying a tiny portion of the truth and that’s what generates all those stereotypes.
Of course this is all a mere act of psychological warfare by Hollywood and part of the political agenda. Jack Valenti said: "Washington and Hollywood spring from the same DNA". Indeed, movies do have that prevailing effect on public opinion without people even realizing it. If all those blockbusters don’t instill enough fear from Arabs and Muslims, then another season of 24 will do! Without a doubt, Hollywood and Washington reinforce and react to one another.
Frankly, this is getting far too boring, predictable, and upsetting. Fine, they can reflect the "Arab violence" towards America, but what about they also show some of the American violence towards Arabs in Iraq and Afghanistan for a change.
Ps: I highly recomment watching "Reel bad Arabs" documentary (here)
In Hollywood’s epic battle between good and evil, it has always been the all American hero saving the day from the villains; weather these villains were Arabs, Russians, Japanese or even Germans. In this post 9 11 world Arabs and Muslims make some of the best generic villains. They are not portrayed as humans and so it is apt to demolish them without a single drop of guilt.
Some might argue they are in away portraying the truth, because after all, most of the Arabian Peninsula is a harsh desert and it holds a lot of anti American extremists. Does that mean that all Arabs are oil billionaires, sheiks, religious fanatics and belly dancers? Many people are inclined to believe that Arabs are hooligans from the 10th century, who like to see Western blood flow. They are portraying a tiny portion of the truth and that’s what generates all those stereotypes.
Of course this is all a mere act of psychological warfare by Hollywood and part of the political agenda. Jack Valenti said: "Washington and Hollywood spring from the same DNA". Indeed, movies do have that prevailing effect on public opinion without people even realizing it. If all those blockbusters don’t instill enough fear from Arabs and Muslims, then another season of 24 will do! Without a doubt, Hollywood and Washington reinforce and react to one another.
Frankly, this is getting far too boring, predictable, and upsetting. Fine, they can reflect the "Arab violence" towards America, but what about they also show some of the American violence towards Arabs in Iraq and Afghanistan for a change.
Ps: I highly recomment watching "Reel bad Arabs" documentary (here)
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