Recently, Elon Musk had a great impact on social networks when he spoke about the filmGladiator 2. When he published a meme suggesting that, although the film’s visual design was impressive, the script left something to be desired, Musk didn’t hesitate to respond with a political statement. The owner of X (formerly Twitter) wrote: “Wakeful lies kill art.” His statement was promptly met with a wave of criticism and provocations from Internet users, who questioned his opinion and even his understanding of the film.
Although Musk has not explained in detail what aspect of the film he considers “woke” (a term that usually refers to overly progressive or politically correct behavior), his remark is confusing. It is not clear whether the entrepreneur actually helped the film or was merely responding to popular criticism of it. His response, without a solid justification, left many fans of the film and the general public baffled.
The reaction to Musk’s comment was immediate and negative. Several netizens felt compelled to correct the entrepreneur’s view on the film. One commented: “I’ve never seen this guy understand a single movie he’s watched. How could a movie about a straight white guy, with little to no role for women and minorities, be ‘woke’?” One reviewer points out that, contrary to what Musk suggests,Gladiator 2It does not present elements that, at first glance, could be considered politically correct or excessively progressive.
Other fans joked about Musk’s portrayal, with one joking: “The only remotely political message fromGladiator 2is that emperors are evil and the rich plutocrats who whisper in their ears are even worse… oh wait, now I see why He’s angry.” Another internal comment: “‘Gladiator 2′ has not awakened, sir. In fact, it is a traditional representation of masculinity.”
A discussion was deepened with more than one argument that the film’s background did not fit into a “woke” concept. According to him, the story ofGladiator 2is about a warrior learning to love and improve the empire he grew up hating, while also being the protégé of a freed, queer, entrepreneurial African slave who tries to destroy it through the chaos of a public rebellion. This netizen states: “It’s hard to call this plot woke.”
The controversy surroundingto Gladiator 2It’s not just about criticizing Musk. The film also discusses representation and dinner parties, which, to some, seem to be part of a more inclusive movement. Fred Hechinger, one of the actors in the sequence, recently downplayed the attention given to same-sex kisses in the film. This is also a bout of speculation, with Denzel Washington, who plays Macrinus, claiming that he had kissed a fellow cast member at a dinner party, but that part of the film was later cut.
Ridley Scott, the director ofGladiator 2, entered into a controversy saying that this type of dinner was “besteira” and that the actions had not happened at any time, but were not planned. Washington, in turn, walked back our comments, stating that the episode had been exaggerated and that a kiss dinner was merely a symbolic gesture of camaraderie.
While discussions aboutGladiator 2continue on social networks, the film, together withWicked, do not cause the same cultural impact as the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon of last year, which together withBarbieyOppenheimerin an unprecedented bilheteiras event. However, the sequence ofGladiatorIt is shown to be a great success in films, with major hits recently confirmed, or which attests to the public’s interest in the film and in the discussions around its messages and representations.
AlthoughGladiator 2was a commercial success, as controversial arguments about the political message and criticism from Elon Musk showed that the film is far from being unanimous. In an increasingly polarized world, opinions about who is or is not “woke” continue to divide audiences and public figures. However,Gladiator 2seems to continue its journey on the canvas, regardless of the controversies surrounding its message and its cultural impact.
