If you’ve seen Pacific Rim, you know that one of the major themes of the movie is how important it is for people from all countries to band together when there’s an apocalypse that needs cancelling. Well, according to an op-ed published in the PLA Daily, the official publication of China’s People’s Liberation Army, that’s just a red herring. The real message of Pacific Rim? “Amurrica!”
Writes Chinese military official Zhang Jieli:
“Hollywood has always been the best American propaganda machine… The decisive battle against the monsters was deliberately set in South China Sea adjacent to Hong Kong. The intention was to demonstrate the U.S. commitment to maintaining stability in the Asia-Pacific area and saving the [sic] mankind… Soldiers should sharpen their eyes and enforce a ‘firewall’ to avoid ideological erosion when watching American movies. More importantly, they should strengthen their combat capability to safeguard national security and interests.”
In the piece, which has since been picked up by pretty much every major state media outlet, Zhang also accuses Ice Age and the James Bond movies as pushing “American values and global strategies.”
Excuse me. James Bond? He doesn’t even go here!
Not that Hollywood movies aren’t a bit “Rah rah America! We’re going to save the entire world because we’re awesome like that!” from time to time (Exhibit A). But Pacific Rim being insidious American propaganda when most of its characters, including the guy who spearheads the whole “saving the world” thing, aren’t even American? C’mon.
But by all means, watch out for Ice Age.
(via: Deadline; eagle photo by Pen Waggener)
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