This year's most compelling films ditch fantasy to directly confront political oppression and resistance, mirroring global events from pro-Palestinian protests to rising fascism. Discover how 'It Was Just An Accident,' 'The Secret Agent,' and 'One Battle After Another' offer a raw, urgent look at our world.
The article highlights how recent cinema is moving beyond allegorical storytelling to directly engage with contemporary political struggles, drawing parallels between on-screen narratives and real-world events like the detention of pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. While previous films used sci-fi/fantasy buffers (e.g., 'Wicked: For Good,' 'Superman,' 'Zootopia 2'), this year's most impactful movies, according to the author, drop these buffers to offer urgent stories of fraught idealism and resistance to oppressive states. Three films are particularly singled out as a 'triptych' reflecting this trend: Jafar Panahi’s 'It Was Just An Accident,' Kleber Mendonça Filho’s 'The Secret Agent,' and Paul Thomas Anderson’s 'One Battle After Another.' These films, which have garnered critical acclaim, are praised for their immediate engagement with current global witnessing, much like a previous triptych ('Killers of the Flower Moon,' 'The Zone of Interest,' 'Oppenheimer') explored themes of genocide. 'It Was Just An Accident,' made clandestinely by Panahi in defiance of Iranian censorship, explores the trauma of former political prisoners confronting their alleged torturer, questioning individual versus systemic accountability, and offering hope through its depiction of children. Its narrative is inspired by Panahi's own imprisonment and stories from fellow political prisoners. 'The Secret Agent' is a paranoid political thriller set during Brazil's 1970s military dictatorship, following a professor targeted for criticizing corruption. It connects past threats to present-day concerns, with a coda featuring the protagonist's son reflecting on cultural memory and the re-emergence of authoritarian forces, a theme inspired by Brazil's recent political climate under Jair Bolsonaro. 'One Battle After Another' features Leonardo DiCaprio as a former revolutionary on the run from fascist forces in the US, struggling to protect his daughter. The film blurs the lines between past and present, suggesting that 'nothing's changed' regarding issues like migrant detention and militant counterinsurgency tactics. It also emphasizes the hope embodied by the younger generation, mirroring the sentiment in the other two films. All three films incorporate morbid and absurdist humor to cut through tension, inviting laughter at the pathetic nature of sinister forces while acknowledging the scary reality of living under oppression. Ultimately, the article argues that these movies, like the young activists on college campuses, offer a comforting sense of hope for the future, inspiring resistance and critical reflection.
