Critical analysis of Flight and Denzel Washington's representation of race and gender

Flight Denzel Washington

Flight

Theses Statement

Flight Denzel Washington's canon for the way it represents race and/or gender

This report is compiled to critically analyze film 'Flight' directed by Robert Zemeckis casting Denzel Washington as a lead role. The report analyses how gender and race are discussed in the movie and what are gender and racial lessons communicated in the movie.

The movie Flight is directed and launched in 2012. The movie is of action genre and is a drama film. The main character in the movie is Denzel Washington with his distinguishing voice that is a symbol of deep emotions and sentiments. The movie is first attempt of Robert Zemeckis to make an action movie after he made Cast Away and What Lies Beneath a decade ago. The movie got nominated for a couple of Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay (Bradshaw, 2013).

Flight

The story of Flight revolves around an airline captain who uses recreational drugs. Whip Whitaker, the captain; played by Denzel Washington. The movie depicts how the use of drug and alcohol destroyed the life of a professional and brought danger to lives of many as the plane went out of control at a point. The movie is an action drama film. It is nicely balanced between suspense and sentiments as the story moves on. New characters are introduced as the movie proceeds. Mr. Whip moves from airline to hospital as a patient to prison. There are twists and turns in the movie that are decorated with action scenes in bar and in prison. The action is also mixed with occasional romantic scenes of Mr. Whip with women in airline and patient in hospital.

Representation of Race

Mr. Whip is the role of a black pilot. Denzel was the best choice to play it. Somehow it is felt that drugs and black people are becoming synonymous in Hollywood movies; where there are drugs there are black people involved! Mr. Whip even loses his job for his habits and is missing the family life. The broken black families were once rare on movies but the family values of blacks are differently filmed today (Tookey, 2013). Whip got a black attorney who does his best to save Whip from the prison. At point it is felt that the black attorney is helping Whip not because of professional or racial favor but because it is in best interests of the union to save the pilot. However series of other black people's entry shows that the race is somehow highlighted in the movie. Before presenting in the court, Mr. Whip is protected by a black man who guards him for night. Mr. Whip's crew member Margaret Thomason is also a black woman who helps him a lot in the rough flight as well as in the situation where state lawyers are investigating him for using alcohol and recreational drugs. Hence it feels like Whip is surrounded by black people that have aimed to support him and save him from lawsuits (Bradshaw, 2013).

Representation of Gender

Hollywood has been increasingly using gender as a source of fun and entertainment. Women are used as recreational subject in Flight too. The movie does not depict gender as a primary matter but used it for depiction of time pass activities. However, the movie has depicted the emotional attachment between genders and the loyalty that exists between lovers. The male gender in the face of father is also pictured. Mr. Whip meets his son after quite a while and wants to spend time with him rehabilitant and improving his health and behavior.