Exaggerated though it may be, Assassination Nation is a exploitative look into the current climate of internet toxicity. It examines everything from the dangers of sharing sexual content like sexting to the overreaction of mob mentality over anything and everything people might not agree with. As we are all aware these days are overrun with the professionally outraged who bitch and moan over every insignificant, minute detail as if their lives depend on it. Specifically this movie focuses on the pitfalls of being a young woman in the modern world of having next to no privacy. If it’s embraced like most young women do they often do so without a realization of the possible consequences partaking in a public online life, fair or not.
So often, as this movie embellishes, women must navigate a world of male aggression that often manifests itself through digital bullying or shaming. A boy will have intimate moments with someone and then showcase those interactions with the world as a childish means of embarrassing or “getting revenge” against someone they feel slighted them. As we’ve seen in reality and as the movie shows, it’s often a juvenile act committed by egocentric assholes with small dicks. That last part is just me assuming.😁
Unfortunately as with most teenagers who are dumb because they’re teenagers, boys and girls, never heed the warning signs and proceed head first into a world of unfair, unchecked judgement that so often leaves many deeply depressed or even suicidal. It’s the inability to go home and disconnect from the outside world that has created such toxic, inhumane treatment of one another; the anonymity of it all leaves the assholes of this world free to run wild with a keyboard and pent up virginity. It’s right there, all the time, in your hand just waiting for you to lose yourself in its digitally created, artificial reality where anyone can be anything they’re not. It amplifies the darker side of humanity who doesn’t have someone standing over their shoulders chastising them for their bad behavior.
Assassination Nation takes a look at what happens when the outrage culture is exposed as hypocrites with a single target to blame for their sudden outing. In the world of this film people lose their ever-loving shit. For the fate of four insignificant teen girls whose lives revolve around high school, the town’s sudden exasperation should absolutely worry them. But as they are pushed to their own extremes, they will surprise themselves as their limits are reached and they begin to push back against their aggressors. And that my friends is when the fun really begins.
This film is a dramatized look into yet another human innovation (internet) being torn down, pulled into the shit of this world by people who have heard the saying, “This is why we can’t have nice things” a few too many times. The internet can be a truly beautiful creation and it can be something so horrendous the limits of which are seemingly infinite and thusly never without its shortcomings because people will be people. It unfortunately asks the question of what would humanity be like if complete anonymity were a part of everyday life. After a lively exchange of righteous gun firing vengeance from the four main heroines of this deranged story, the leader sternly states, “This is your world, you built this.” She’s not wrong.
The score of this film is a lot of modern music that I just do not connect with so I can’t exactly say the film won me over there. I think however it’s a great example of the differences between the current and previous generations. There’s a disconnect there and sometimes it can be frustrating to put it mildly. I may be firmly in the millennial generation but so often I find myself on the outside looking in wondering just what the hell is wrong with the youth today.
For all their so-called acceptance they sure seem hellbent on being incessant assholes. Compassion is not a thing on the internet; sad but true. They contradict themselves so often it makes my head spin. They accept people of all colors and creeds but rarely do they hesitate to alienate anyone that may disagree with them in the slightest. Now to clarify I don’t mean when they alienate or callout racists or homophobes but rather someone who simply doesn’t agree on the more superficial aspects of life on the internet. If you don’t like Beyonce, prepare for a bunch of people demanding you kill yourself. This is just an example but you get my point. It’s harmful behavior over trivial things from people who think their actions online have zero consequences. Time to wake up, dickheads.
Right the movie… it’s overtly violent, sexually explicit, ridiculously over-the-top and at times its message can get lost in a muddled pile of obnoxious music and girls who use the word ‘like’ far too often (Seriously, please stop using the word ‘like’ after every other word. You sound like a moron.) but overall it’s a darkly entertaining look at the times we’re living in, for better or worse. Worse, mostly worse.
P.S. – Please keep in mind everything here criticizing the youth, among others, calling them assholes, among other things, was all written by someone who is in fact an asshole himself. Basically don’t take this shit too seriously, I certainly don’t.
Rated R For: disturbing bloody violence, strong sexual material including menace, pervasive language, and for drug and alcohol use – all involving teens
Runtime: 110 minutes
After Credits Scene: No
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime
Starring: Odessa Young, Hari Nef, Suki Waterhouse, Abra, Bill Skarsgård, Joel McHale
Directed By: Sam Levinson
Out of 5 Nerdskulls
Story: 4/ Acting: 3.5/ Directing: 3/ Visuals: 4
OVERALL: 3.5 Nerdskulls
Buy to Own: This is a take it or leave it for me. See it and judge for yourself.
Check out the trailer below:
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