If you have been reading this for any length of time then you probably are somewhat tuned into my rather ambiguous, ambivalent, contradictory attitude towards warfare and the things that surround it. Well, this post will be nothing new. It will, however, contain spoilers for Stealth, so if you have not yet seen it and plan to, stop here.
This movie had a great deal of potential. One oft-repeated trailer scene showed one of the stars complaining about the new AI wingman. One thing he mentioned that people have but machines don't was "moral judgment".
During the movie someone points out that machines are neutral. When wielded by good people they do good things. When wielded by evil people they perform evil actions. The directors of war toys therefore best exemplify the morality these things are used for.
Of course, during the movie a situation quickly arises which calls for moral judgment. Three "terrorist leaders" (the easy "villain of choice" at the moment) are getting together in a nation not called the U.S. The interesting moral choice to illegally invade enemy air space is never discussed. Indeed, I might be the only person in the theatre that thought occurred to. Let us hope not, but judging by some crowd reactions...I suspect it might be so.
Regardless, the pilots are going to abort the mission over areoun 1000 collateral casualties. Uhm...okay. Let's not delve too deeply into how many collateral casualties truly talented "terrorists" cause...fine. You are making a point about moral judgment, I can get on board with that.
Eddie, the computerized plane, makes some caluculations that reveal a very dangerous stunt (for a person) can be pulled off which will lead to no collateral casualties. The team leader takes the mission himself because he doesn't trust the plane. Naturally, he succeeds, although he disobeyed a direct order from his commander to allow Eddie to undertake the mission.
Later the 4 person team undertakes another (illegal) mission to cross international borders without permission to attack some nuclear warheads. The humans scrub the mission because of the potential for innocent casualties. Eddie, having learned from the previous insubordination of the flight leader, undertakes the mission. He blows the warheads and, predictably, the radioactive fallout falls on a nearby farming village.
Thus the AI proves it lacked moral judgment...
So the stage is set for a very real, very deep discussion on the moral culpability of people fighting an unconventional war. Additionally, the possibility of using AI planes and other military accoutrments instead of expending lives is on the back burner per conversations in the film. This can be a very, very good and thought provoking piece of cinema.
Sadly, it instead turns south. The man leading the charge to get Eddie in the field proves corrupt, in the pocket of a Washington official, the team falls apart with Jamie Foxx dying, Jessica Biel being shot over enemy lines, and worst of all...Eddie suddenly develops a conscience based on human emotion. What?
So then he overrides his self-preservation and mission completion programming in a suicide charge into a North Korean helicopter allowing Jessica Biel and the other dude to escape into South Korea.
Any attempt at truly investigating moral judgment, the validity of warfare, or any other serious point blew up a half hour before Eddie...and that is sad.
Stealth could have been great. As is, it is a decent popcorn flick but the potential it lost really, really wrecked it for me.
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3 comments:
I prefer Senor Izzard...how the fuck do you get the tilde to work??
I prefer Senor Izzard...how the fuck do you get the tilde to work??
I am finding myself quite lucky these days. Being totally oblivious to social commentary in movies makes it easier to enjoy them. I can't figure it out even when I try so it never gets in the way of my enjoyment. :P
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