The director finally arranged for Sam's death to end. Of course, during the film, we kept guessing whether the protagonist's choice was to surrender or commit suicide or be arrested for attempted suicide? At the moment of the explosion, the glass fragments rushed out of the gate of the museum, which not only shocked Max for a moment, but also shocked us, the bystanders.
This is also the director who wants to give the audience a blow to the press and public opinion. Death is an inevitable outcome, and under the teasing of the media audience police, Sam is like a doll at the mercy of others and has no dignity at all. Professional journalists including Max, although Max's sympathy is also understandable, they single-handedly pushed Sam's hype to a very high position and shaky. Whether it's an interview with Max that garners sympathy from the audience, or the police convincing his wife to force her to turn himself in and shoot him out of control, or the press re-destroying his image for its own sake, it's all about bringing Sam down. Pushed to the cliff, he had no choice but to commit suicide in the end.
From Max's point of view, he started out as a frozen journalist, exiled in an unremarkable town. It's just the employee's theory of work to the boss, which was directed by Max into a kidnapping case of kidnapping children and killing people with guns. Max's intentions were selfish, and at the beginning he was full of confidence and had everything in his hands. He guides Sam, controls his emotions, and tries to make things work out, so he's not callous either.
Sam is destined to be the saddest character in the film. His original purpose was just five minutes, yes, it was that simple, he lost his job, he wanted the curator to hear him explain the reason for being late, he only needed five minutes. But he wasn't allowed, so he pulled out his gun, he didn't think about shooting the curator, he just shot at the window just to frighten her, but happened to hit the guard who came to check- Also Sam's best friend. Things just happened so unexpectedly, everything got out of hand. The news media has tried every means to hype it. The police risked shooting the child in order to shoot Sam. The public opinion orientation of the citizens has also changed from sympathy to condemnation. Sam, who is trapped in the museum at this moment, is the loneliest and saddest person.
In a real society with serious professionalization, from the live broadcast of news interviews to the hype of public opinion, from the police force equipped with helicopter walkie-talkies to the professional snipers shooting on the roof, from the TV station police station to the FBI, every assembly line is smooth and flawless, just like the factory workshop. The automated machinery, upon hearing valuable news point cameras and reporters swarmed, and upon hearing about the incident of taking hostages with guns, immediately mobilized the police force and various equipment to monitor in all directions. Reporters control public opinion at will. No matter what the purpose is, the police always want to kill a terrorist with a gun, whether it is intentional or not, whether he loves the children inside or not. The mediocre citizens only know that they sit in front of the TV every day and listen to the indications of the news. They are regulated by the press to support or oppose them without thinking, and they relish the secrets of others exposed to the sun. A little girl who abandoned the camera and ran to save people has turned into a face of a news hotspot of public opinion value and abandoned the facts for their own interests. No matter how bright and beautiful she becomes in the camera, she still can't hide the ugliness under the smile. No one ever thought that the protagonist of the whole incident, without a trace of freedom and dignity, was used to play with jokes, and no one really cared about his feelings, or even his life. Except for Max. He became a victim of this professional and mechanized society. This icy society stands by the dying person, or looks at it coldly, or takes advantage of it. How can such a society be called a "human society"?
While highlighting this ruthlessness, the director used a lot of warm elements to make the contrast even more dazzling. Sam's weak side, the warmth of his family, and a man who takes care of his family. Children's innocence, Sam opens the vending machine to fill the children's stomachs and tell them stories. His expression was like that of a father. The police officer with a gun interrupted the hand of the Indian elder, and at the same time shattered the warmth in Sam's heart. Sam and Max had a long conversation on the steps, a quiet conversation without cameras or gunshots. The last handshake represents trust, sincerity and friendship. The kids say thank you and goodbye to Sam as they leave. There are so many so-called intellectuals out there who are untrustworthy, but in the eyes of children they are friends. So ironic.
Sending off the kids and throwing Max out the door, Sam couldn't get out of the door. He can't face the whole society and his family outside, even if he is not what people imagine. Going out of this door, he will not be believed by anyone. So he chose to end it. This is a helpless choice, but also a forced choice. There was no way he could turn back.
How powerless Max ended up shouting "We kill him" in the drowning crowd. People are insignificant in front of public opinion, Max incited this disaster, but he could not control it. People held Sam up high, and he was commented, manipulated, and at a loss. Max was powerless to end it, this farce, Sam left him with a piece of the ground. I woke up Max, but I don't know if I woke up the public.
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