Racial and gender representation in Robert Zemeckis's Film Flight

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).

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.

The role of gender is also discussed in terms of female gender biasness. Katerina Marquez is spending time out of work with his boss. Nicole Maggen, whom Whip meets on stairs in hospital, is found fighting for her life and freedom of choice. She has been taking drugs and is unable to pay for it. She is asked to do porn if she wants to get drugs. Hence gender exploitation is seen in the movie (Bradshaw, 2013). She is also unable to pay her house rent. Unlike situations where men are unable to pay rent, Nicole is asked by her house owner to do gender favors. She is harassed by her house owner and she is so pressured that she takes her luggage out of home despite her car does not start. She is at this moment rescued and helped by Whip who took her address in the hospital. Whip is unlike those that exploit gender and does not impose gender favor on Nicole. He gets emotionally attached with Nicole and asks her to help him quit drugs and alcohol. She needs to go to Jamaica with him but she could not leave city due to regular schedule of rehab and leaves him (Bradshaw, 2013).

Whip shows strong professional and emotional display. He does not accuse his dead flight attendant Katerina Marquez of drinking on flight. He could have done that based on gender pride but he shows his respect and love for the lady and admits his crime and accepts to prison for more than 5 years. Hence, he has shown a strong and positive gender role besides what is shown by other characters in the movie.