"Land of the Blind" takes place in an unnamed country where Maximillian II(Tom Hollander) is President for Life, having succeeded his father who ruled with an iron fist. The son is a bit of a dimwit, albeit a dangerous, sadistic film-obsessed one who takes after his father in the jailing, torturing and killing of
dissidents department. One such dissident is former playwright, John Thorne(Donald Sutherland), who is leading a prison protest by not wearing prison uniforms and decorating his jail cell in a lovely shade of feces.(And also writing relevant quotations on the walls in the same material, too.) A young prison guard, Joe(Ralph Fiennes), takes a liking to the prisoner and strikes up the odd conversation..."Land of the Blind" is an intelligent, witty, cheaply made movie about propaganda and the need to think for oneself. It also serves as a commentary on government. The movie is unabashedly pro-democracy and in not just giving lip service to the idea, either. A government is at its most dangerous when only one person is in charge. When that happens, their ideas can become reality, no matter how idiotic or dangerous they may seem. With a democracy, many different opinions are given and heard, thus hopefully giving the people a better voice in their own government.(As an anarchist, I am not fond of the idea of government in any form.)
June 25, 2006
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