Film Review: Wag The Dog (1998)
The title of this film is rather strange. At first glance, it looks like an odd combination of words. On the second, an image starts to form in your mind. By the third, you envision a canine continuously turning from left to right, except for its tail which remains stiff and upright in one single position. At this point you ask yourself, "what the heck does this mean?"
The answer to this doubt I have implanted into your mind stems from the very core of this film's ideology: Manipulation.
The story of Wag The Dog follows Connie, a political fixer and Stanley, a Hollywood producer who work together to fix the reputation of America's president before the election. Their solution to this dilemma: start a fake war with a country no one cares about. And the best way to do that is to spread false information through various media outlets such as TV and radio.
Keeping its underlying message aside, Wag The Dog is a treat of a movie. Its charismatic leads have a well established dynamic and the team they assemble to assist them are also a fun group of characters, ranging from Willie Nelson to a young Kirsten Dunst. The flow of the story never feels rushed or too slow and despite knowing how cruel their actions are, you can't help but root for the team's success.
It's hard to disassociate many of the film's aspects with real-life issues such as fake news and conspiracy stories. We may have several movies and TV shows focusing on such topics but back in 1998, films like these didn't dominate the movie theatres. If it weren't for the involvement of Robert De Niro, I doubt this movie would have been made at all. It's not among De Niro's well known films but considering its subject matter, it damn well should be.
In a way, Wag The Dog foreshadowed the disillusionment of future generations and at the same time acted as a form of criticism towards previous administrations who kept numerous secrets from the public. The continuous usage of misinformation throughout society is a threat that can never be truly contained but if there's one lesson to be learned from this film, it's that the truth is out there, it's just not easy to find.
The answer to this doubt I have implanted into your mind stems from the very core of this film's ideology: Manipulation.
Image via Cinematerial.com
The story of Wag The Dog follows Connie, a political fixer and Stanley, a Hollywood producer who work together to fix the reputation of America's president before the election. Their solution to this dilemma: start a fake war with a country no one cares about. And the best way to do that is to spread false information through various media outlets such as TV and radio.
Keeping its underlying message aside, Wag The Dog is a treat of a movie. Its charismatic leads have a well established dynamic and the team they assemble to assist them are also a fun group of characters, ranging from Willie Nelson to a young Kirsten Dunst. The flow of the story never feels rushed or too slow and despite knowing how cruel their actions are, you can't help but root for the team's success.
It's hard to disassociate many of the film's aspects with real-life issues such as fake news and conspiracy stories. We may have several movies and TV shows focusing on such topics but back in 1998, films like these didn't dominate the movie theatres. If it weren't for the involvement of Robert De Niro, I doubt this movie would have been made at all. It's not among De Niro's well known films but considering its subject matter, it damn well should be.
In a way, Wag The Dog foreshadowed the disillusionment of future generations and at the same time acted as a form of criticism towards previous administrations who kept numerous secrets from the public. The continuous usage of misinformation throughout society is a threat that can never be truly contained but if there's one lesson to be learned from this film, it's that the truth is out there, it's just not easy to find.
Comments
Post a Comment