The Politics of Big Fantasy: The Ideologies of Star Wars, The Matrix and The AvengersBringing critical attention to a particular set of science fiction and fantasy films--Larry and Andy Wachowski's The Matrix, George Lucas' Star Wars saga, and Joss Whedon's Avengers--this book utilizes a wide-ranging set of critical tools to illuminate their political ideologies, while also examining any resistant and complicating turns or byways the films may provide. What they all have in common ideologically is that they--or at least the genres they belong to--tend to be regarded as belonging to politically conservative frames of sociocultural reference. With the Star Wars saga, however, this idea is shown to be superficial and weak. |
Contents
Preface | 1 |
Abbreviations | 4 |
Why So Serious? | 5 |
Nationally Assembling Joss Whedons Exceptiona lThe Avengers | 25 |
Tragedy and the Dark Plague of the Politics of Fear in George Lucas Star Wars | 67 |
Emancipating the Mediated Life from The Matrix | 132 |
Chapter Notes | 179 |
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| 213 | |
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12 Monkeys Alien Alternate Americas American Anakin AOTC appears argues audience Avengers Batman Battlestar Galactica become Blade Runner Booker Captain America character Christian cinema cited claims classic trilogy Clone comic book complex Count Dooku critical critique Crusade Against Evil Cylons Dark Knight dark side Darth Vader dehumanization depiction dystopian echoes Empire entertainment fact fear George Lucas hero human ical ideological instance involved Jedi Council Jedi Master Jedi Order Jewett and Lawrence John London Luke Mace Windu Manichaean Marvel’s Matrix Matrix Reloaded ment Miller’s moral Morpheus movie movie’s myth narrative nation Obi-Wan offers ofthe one’s Padmé Palpatine Palpatine’s particularly Philosophy political popular culture potential prequels questions Qui-Gon reading religion religious Republic ROTS saga scene science fiction film sense Sidious significant Sith Skywalker Star Wars story suggest superhero Superman texts theme tion tragedy tragic University Press violence visual Wachowskis Watchmen Whedon’s Yoda