Javier Bardem Oscars speech: Palestine freedom call sparks debate, best picture winner "One Battle After Another" criticized

Javier Bardem's outspoken political statements at the Oscars, calling for an end to war and freedom for Palestine, have sparked widespread discussion, highlighting a perceived reticence among other stars and the Academy's tendency to favor films that appear bold without being truly so, as exemplified by the Best Picture win for "One Battle After Another."

The Spanish actor's declarations on stage at the Dolby Theatre, while announcing an award, stood out in a room where many attendees remained silent on pressing global issues. Young actor Hannah Einbinder remarked on Bardem's courage, stating, “I really appreciate his voice in a room like that, where literally no one else said anything.”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which oversees the Oscars, has a history of selecting films that project bravery without necessarily embodying it. This trend is evident in the decision to award "One Battle After Another" the Best Picture Oscar this year.

Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" depicts a conflict between the Far Left and the Far Right. The film centers on Pat, portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio, and Perfidia, played by Teyana Taylor, who are part of a revolutionary group called the French 75. This group believes that violence is the means to achieve change.

During a mission to rescue immigrants from a detention center, Perfidia insults the commanding officer, Steven, played by Sean Penn. Steven later apprehends her as she is about to commit a crime. He releases her in exchange for a promise of sexual favors.

This encounter leads to the birth of a daughter. Following her birth, the three main characters, Pat, Perfidia, and Steven, embark on separate life paths.

On the surface, "One Battle After Another" presents itself as a saga of activists fighting against xenophobia, racism, and right-wing hatred. The script appears to champion characters who risk their lives to oppose injustice. Their antagonists are also depicted as repulsive figures.

Steven, for instance, is quoted as saying, “You want to save the planet? You start with immigrants.” However, beneath the film's energetic music and grand scale lies a lengthy display of superficiality and what the article describes as lazy liberalism.

The film moves rapidly between militant scenarios and catchphrases. It fails to engage seriously with the complex issues faced by the activists it portrays.

Instead, the film caricatures the activists, presenting them as somewhat foolish individuals. Their reliance on liberal vocabulary is noted, but without any nuanced or in-depth examination of their political ideologies.

The core message of "One Battle After Another" is presented as: the Right are evil, the Left are well-intentioned, but let's make fun of them. This approach is likened to the "both sides are equally bad" stance often adopted by centrist liberals in real life. This stance is seen as a way to avoid antagonizing anyone or when one has not sufficiently studied an issue to take a firm position.

The child born to Perfidia and Steven is interpreted as a metaphor for this centrist stance. The child symbolizes hope for the future, though her political leanings are not revealed until the end of the film. The writer seems to suggest that because Perfidia is Black and a left-wing activist, and Steven is white and a hate-mongering status-quoist, the offspring of their union will somehow turn out alright.

While the film may appear to confront the anti-immigrant establishment associated with figures like Trump, it is seen as safeguarding itself by trivializing the critics of that establishment.

The Best Picture Oscar win for "One Battle After Another" is not surprising, given the Academy's history of making similarly cautious choices. Twenty years prior, when Ang Lee's love story between two gay men, "Brokeback Mountain," was nominated for Best Picture, it provoked conservative backlash. Academy voters ultimately awarded the trophy to Paul Haggis's "Crash."

"Crash" was described as a reasonably engaging but simplistic take on race relations in contemporary society. The film included enough redemptive moments for characters from dominant social groups to avoid alienating too many viewers.

Following the "Oscars So White" campaign and the Black Lives Matter movement, which highlighted a lack of diversity at the Oscars, the Academy has made apparent efforts to improve racial representation in nominations. However, these efforts are described as cautious.

Dee Rees' critically acclaimed film "Mudbound," a harrowing story about racism and the horrors of war, received four nominations at the 2018 Oscars. Despite its critical success, it did not secure a nomination in the Best Picture category.

"Hidden Figures," a biographical drama about the crucial role of African-American female mathematicians in the U.S. space program during the 1950s and 1960s, did receive a Best Picture nomination. However, it lost to "Moonlight."

"Moonlight" focused on the intersection of racism and sexual orientation but was considered mellower in comparison to "Hidden Figures." While the comparison between "Hidden Figures" and "Moonlight" is open to debate, the article asserts that "Green Book's" white savior complex is not.

"Green Book," the Best Picture winner in 2019, tells the story of an African-American musician and his white driver. The driver eventually develops a friendship and warmth with his wealthy, lonely, and initially haughty employer.

The article suggests that "Green Book" made inter-racial mingling more palatable for conservatives. Considering the Academy's track record, the article concludes that it is natural for "One Battle After Another," with its perceived hollow understanding of activism, to have earned the top prize this year.