Captain,Oh Captain
In fact, as a common image in artistic works, "captain" has a connotation and significance far beyond his role as a HNA job.
For hundreds of years, the ocean has been one of the most dangerous and powerful enemies of mankind. The ship is closed and small, but it tries to challenge the boundless and magnificent ocean. It is this kind of arrogant dream that gave birth to the profession of captain. In order to accomplish this task caused by human greed and vanity, captain must be experienced, full of wisdom, calm and calm, and most importantly: persistence and bravery.
So the captain has gradually become the embodiment of human wisdom and courage in the works of art: the old man who fights with the shark is the sailor and his own captain. The soldier who firmly ordered the "Forward Four" is the captain of the ship (ship), even the one who can drive the freedom of Gundam. The adjuster also has to be obediently ordered by the captain as the commander.
And "The Greyhound", released at a very special time, tells the story of the captain.
The description of the film is extremely simple: To protect the Allied merchant ships from crossing the Atlantic safely during World War II, the captain Ernest Krause, played by Tom Hanks, commanded the soldiers and the Nazis during a period of 50 hours that the air force could not cover. Fighting with German U-shaped submarines. The entire plot of "The Greyhound" can be described in detail with just one sentence.
The movie structure is unusually neat, and the 90-minute movie is strictly divided into four sections 20-30-20-20 (1) Construction: The first twenty minutes describe the sinking of the first U-shaped submarine under the command of the captain. (2) Main line: In the 20th to 50th minutes, the captain puts on the wool coat as the boundary, describing the discovery that the submarine was not the sinking ship but a team of fierce battles that night. (3) Climax: Fifty to seventy minutes, using the funeral as the boundary, describing the hard struggle of life and death before receiving support. (4) Ending: The British army arrived in the last twenty minutes, and the Greyhound completed its mission honorably.
The film structure serves this simple story entirely. The construction part is related to the main line and has no direct connection. The captain sank the first submarine and outlines the image of the captain in a simple battle-just like the male protagonist of an action movie always has a handsome before officially starting the main line plot. The first Nazi submarine that was sunk showed that the captain was calm and commanding. The main content of the movie is two or three parts: Except for the occasional flashback of American dating scenes, fifty minutes are spent dealing with the Nazi submarine team: encountering enemies, reconnaissance, fighting, avoiding, and inevitable casualties. The ever-present submarine and the sense of crisis that may be sunk at any time ensure that the rhythm of the movie is always tense. The ending is extremely perfect: the soldier has gained the honor and left the battlefield in the cheers of the protected, as if the lonely hero will always embrace the beauty in the end, this is the immutable but perfect ending after hardships.
The second and third parts of the lighting are worth noting. The red light inside the naval ship at night and the ubiquitous blue tone under the cold tones of the film constitute the main color tone of the film: the color of the movie "Grey Hound" is almost composed of red and blue. . This reference couldn't be more obvious: like the red and blue stars and stripes, this is another work that points to the "American spirit."
To be sure, the protagonist of the film, Tom Hanks, is already the best spokesperson for the American spirit: he is a running Forrest, a lawyer for equal rights for gays, a captain who is calm in the face of crisis, and a master of survival in the wild. This time Tom Hanks still completed the task brilliantly. Due to the peculiarities of naval battles, the three magic weapons of "blood, scream, and corpse" in traditional war films cannot be displayed. The one who truly demonstrates the fierceness and cruelty of the war is the captain as the protagonist. : The close-ups of the captain’s face that appeared time and time again in the battle showed the audience the battle situation. The captain’s firm will to fight, the composure to deal with crises, and the grief of sacrificing his companions replaced the usual ubiquitous explosions in war movies.
It seems that in this era, people began to disdain to talk about words like "American spirit"-if the movie portrayed in World War II, the United States is called the "lighthouse" of human civilization is a positive wording, then today It seems that this is more of a mockery anyway. But the American spirit, which is tirelessly conveyed by American filmmakers and the Hollywood industry, definitely does not belong to the United States alone. It is the kindness, bravery, and universal values conveyed in the products of popular culture. Specifically, the "American Spirit" in "The Greyhound", in the face of fierce enemies, persists in positions and responsibilities, maintains courage and composure, and its value exceeds the artificially divided countries.
"The Greyhound" is very special. This is the first high-cost new film we have seen since February 2020. There is no need to say much about the suffering this year. People all over the world are facing disasters ranging from plagues to wildfires and even floods and earthquakes. These challenges are also like submarines lurking under the water. Most of the time, they follow closely and cannot be seen and gained power. He threatened loudly from time to time, and tried to kill him with one blow when he had the opportunity. The consequent social decline also makes people no longer believe in the values of the past, and the spirit of the captain seems to be farther and farther away from us.
Of course, it is possible to criticize the expression of entertainment, commercialization and similar preaching of "The Greyhound". But many years later, when people talk about the best movies of the second decade of the 21st century, "The Greyhound" will naturally not be the one with excellent technique and brilliant content, but it still cannot be avoided. In what seems to be the hardest time for human beings, it tells the world in a simple, simple and even kitsch way: bravery and kindness still have power.
As a work of art, "The Greyhound" will provide us with any help to meet the suffering? From a utilitarian point of view, it doesn't. These ninety minutes will not change the world. It is nothing more than reminding us with an argument similar to the cliché that those sufferings need to be endured by ourselves. The movie can do nothing more.
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