If you’re not preaching the downfall of Trumpism at the hands of a strong, beautiful, independent (and morally perfect) female lead character, can you even consider yourself a big budget superhero action movie made in 2020?
According to early reviews of the latest installment of DC Comics’ cinematic universe, Wonder Woman 1984, the main supervillain is clearly modeled after our real world media’s main supervillain. Entertainment outlet Collider claimed Wonder Woman’s latest nemesis draws heavy inspiration from Donald Trump.
Oh what a surprise. And here's a spoiler alert: Wonder Woman defeats this Trumpian villian with heavy suitcases of mail-in ballots and a feisty team of multi-ethnic poll watchers who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. Right?
Of course, we’re kidding, (though that ending seems plausible.) According to Collider’s Matt Goldberg, Director Patty Jenkins’ sequel to the 2016 superhero filming starring Israeli-American actress Gal Gadot, “is a well-intentioned but sloppy punch against Trumpism.”
The film’s villain goes by the name of Maxwell Lord and is played by The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal. Lord is depicted in the film as a powerful and charismatic businessman who uses “mass media and conning others to amass more power.” Goldberg added that it’s clear that Lord is “distinctly Trumpian.”
The backdrop for the villain’s rise and his evil actions is a 1980s America, which Jenkins depicts as a world of “a world of excess, self-entitlement, and indulgence.” Oh right, just like how real world, 80s real estate tycoon Donald Trump gained power and influence in Manhattan decades ago.
After viewing, Collider described one of the main themes of the upcoming film as “the usual ‘America is built on greed and excess’ Hollywood refrain plus the tired corollary the 80s were the pinnacle of that.”
In August, Jenkins admitted as much to Screen Rant in August, stating, “Trump is definitely one of the people” that inspired characters in her upcoming film, but also clarified that be she found inspiration from many of those “kind of mavericks of business success that was big in the ’80s,” you know, those who went “on to be major players in our world in potentially questionable other ways.”
Though don’t get Jenkins wrong. She insisted that the film is “not about being political.” She told Screen Rant, “I don’t have an agenda to have a political message to send to the world. Everybody needs to look at themselves right now, and our politics, our belief system of excess.”
Ok, maybe, Ms. Jenkins. But when you admit you’ve modeled your main baddie after 80s businessmen like Donald Trump, especially in a climate when the entire media is out to tear him down, it seems like the typical Hollywood Trump bashing.
If we’re really going after excess, how bout modeling a villain after a Hollywood producer who makes movies deals with China, gets CA Governor Newsome to give him special privileges to keep making films while everyone else in the state is out of a job, and who enjoys assaulting women on the side?
