The Human Paradox: Choosing Morality in a Self-Serving World
This American biographical survival drama film follows a Uruguayan rugby team that crashes in the Andes Mountains, resorting to cannibalism and other desperate measures to survive in the environmental challenges. Despite reaching $82.5 million in box office success, Alive received a mixed critical reaction. While the film contains emotional impact and a "first-rate cast," it illustrates the limits of human endurance and the moral implications of extreme situations, which can be relevant to modern issues like bioethics and medical technology. Some critics criticized its simplification of survivors' complex experiences, particularly moral ambiguity. With "Alive" (1993), the Uruguayan rugby team's harrowing experience during the 1972 crash is immortalized, and its resilience and survival tactics are celebrated, highlighting human will and the lengths people will go to for survival. Through the film, moral dilemmas in survival are explored, focusing on survivors' consumption of deceased flesh, which clashes with taboos and religious beliefs within society. Particularly, hunger and fear intensify the desperation for survival, leading to arguments, betrayals, and even physical confrontations; hence, individuals take extreme actions they would never usually take.
From the 1990s to the 2000s, audiences had opportunities to experience survival and dystopian films that reflected the anxieties and concerns of a civilized society, such as the 1990s global recession or the 2020s COVID-19 pandemic. This genre fascinated audiences with its intense action and psychological thrills and delivered metaphorical social commentary on environmental degradation, political instability, technological advancements, and economic or social inequality. Inspired by Catherine’s article, Here’s Why Some People Can Stand up to Social Pressure, humanity's greatest paradox lies in its paradoxical nature. Humans can have immense self-interest and profound acts of selflessness, often occurring in the same individual, making us a complex and contradictory species. Humans also seek connection and belonging while nurturing competitive instincts driven by individual advancement. This internal conflict proves morality, as we prioritize our needs and desires biologically. We seek resources that benefit us and sometimes harm others to achieve that goal. Although self-serving instincts were crucial to our evolution, human morality, the values guiding our actions and interactions, remains relevant today; it fosters cooperation and social order, building trust and shared responsibility so that societies will be chaotic without morality. Human morality also protects the vulnerable, upholding fundamental rights and preventing exploitation. Additionally, morality promotes integrity and empowers people. The moral principles guide collective action to address social, political, and economic challenges and to build a better future. As the world becomes civilized, our understanding of morality must adapt to modern ethical dilemmas posed by media and technological advancement. Human morality is the foundation of an evolving world. Without it, humans will lose the foundations of a just and sustainable future for all. However, morality is not a static set of rules but a dynamic and evolving concept. Different cultures and societies have other moral frameworks that can change over time. Therefore, this film list project will explore how films from the 1990s to 2000s from any country, which will be ordered by chronological times, portray that individual choices shape human morality despite the impact of extreme circumstances over time, allowing us to express "truth-self."
Film list and capsules (8-10 films)
The Running Man (Paul Michael Glaser, 1987, USA):
This American dystopian film focuses on Ben Richards, an imprisoned cop who becomes a TV show participant, The Running Man, battling for freedom evading capture, and completing brutal tasks set by Damon Killian and exposing the totalitarian government's dark secrets. Despite its association with the 80s action-sci-fi era, The Running Man gained moderate box office success with $38 million. The film’s historical significance lies in its criticism of media manipulation, which violently controls societal and enduring relevance in today's media-saturated world. The Running Man belongs to this film series by questioning authority and unmasking Hypocrisy, where it starts with Kilian's peaceful protest brutally suppressed by the police. This immediately establishes the regime's oppressive nature and forces viewers to question their authority. However, the film later shifts into survival themes and expresses the sense of compassion and individual choice in shaping human morality, particularly in the scene where Kilian's refusal to kill innocent civilians, even for his freedom, showcases his core moral compass. This act of defiance challenges the regime's control and inspires hope.
Alive (Frank Marshall, 1993, USA)
Cube (Vincenzo Natali, 1997, Canada )
This Canadian science fiction horror film follows a group of strangers trapped in a labyrinthine Escheresque cube. They must decipher its sadistic puzzles and face brutal traps to escape and survive. Although the film was a box office flop in its native country, Cube gained cult status from audiences and critics due to its innovative concept, claustrophobic atmosphere, and philosophical themes. The historical significance of Cube lies not only in its genre-bending mix of sci-fi, horror, and existentialism but also in the way it shifted away from traditional narratives, which used labyrinthine settings and psychological torment as the primary source of suspense and focused on human interaction, which became hallmarks of sci-fi horror's "New Wave." The film does not offer concrete answers about right or wrong. The scene where Killian and Kazan fight for their beliefs highlights different moral approaches in a desperate situation, with Killian representing cooperation and Kazan expressing individualism. Cube's exploration of morality forces us to confront human choice complexities within a morally ambiguous environment; individuals can make morally complex choices relevant to the modern world.
Battle Royale ( Kinji Fukasaku, 2000, Japan)
This Japanese action-thriller portrays a totalitarian government punishing rebellious ninth-graders by forcing them to participate in a deadly game on a remote island called Battle Royale. In this game, they reluctantly kill each other for survival. Despite its censorship in Japan due to its graphic violence, Battle Royale gained international recognition through audiences, critics, and DVD releases. It became a landmark film in Japanese dystopian films. The film’s historical significance lies in popularizing the "battle royale" concept, influencing later films and video games such as PUBG and Fortnite. Its blend of genres like action, survival, and social commentary challenged cinematic boundaries back then but resonates with audiences today. Battle Royale sparked fierce debates about violence, youth culture, and government control. The film explores ethical dilemmas characters face in extreme situations, challenging traditional morality. In the film, while the majority of students choose to kill others for survival, students like Shuya and Noriko retain their morality; this highlights the diverse responses to violence and the importance of individual choice despite a system designed to suppress morality.
Exam ( Stuart Hazeldine, 2009, UK )
This British psychological thriller film follows eight candidates locked in a windowless room for a final exam. Even though the film was a low-budget independent film, it gained international recognition from audiences and critics, including a BAFTA win for Best British Film and an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Exam holds a historical significance by reimagining the thriller genre that is moving away from typical action sequences and focusing on the mental and emotional breakdown of its characters in a confined space. This limited space reveals three distinct approaches to morality by placing characters under pressure and forcing them to confront their values such as Thomas's pragmatism isolates him, Stella's rigidity puts her in danger, and Brown's opportunism fuels distrust. Thus, the film does not preach or offer easy answers, it presents complex scenarios that resonate with contemporary anxieties about navigating complex ethical situations, particularly in competitive environments exams, job interviews, or social media, allowing us to understand the characters' choices and their understanding of morality.
The Hunger Game (Gary Ross, 2012, USA)
This American dystopian science fiction thriller follows Katniss Everdeen's journey in the Hunger Games, where forces teenagers to kill each other. The film received positive reactions from audiences and critics for successfully adapting Suzanne Collin's dystopian novel, exploring the themes of social inequality and oppression, which also happen in today's world. The film became a global phenomenon and grossed over 700 million dollars at the box office. The Hunger Games Historical has historical significance by providing a new wave of young adult film adaptations and recognizing the female-led narratives in mainstream cinema within the action-adventure genre. The film delves into morality, societal structures, individual responsibility, by blurring lines between survival and justice. Particularly, the film explores that morality is largely based on individual choice, primarily through the characters of Katniss and Peeta. Particularly, Katniss's compassion, even towards her enemies, accentuates that morality is not innate but rather a conscious decision individuals make, or Peeta's ultimate act of selflessness, sacrificing himself for Katniss, highlights the potential for selfless acts even within a system designed for self-preservation.
Alice in Borderland (Shinsuke Sato, 2020, Japan)
This Japanese science fiction thriller series is about a group of young adults who are mysteriously transported to a parallel world of Japan known as the "Borderland." They are forced to compete in deadly games represented by playing cards to renew their visas and survive. Initially released on Netflix in 2020, it quickly gained international recognition for its fresh blend of psychological thriller and survival game elements within a dystopian Tokyo. The film’s historical significance lies in revitalizing the dystopian survival game with a uniquely Japanese perspective. This showcases the potential of non-Western storytelling to resonate with international audiences. While the series refers to social issues such as collectivism and self-identity faced by modern youth, it presents clear binaries of life or death through the characters' morality that are shaped by choices when facing deadly challenges. For instance, Arisu chooses to sacrifice his advantage to save Usagi and showcases the enduring power of altruism and the importance of individual choices even in a game that is designed to exploit self-preservation; hence, this act of defiance challenges the game's rules and offers a sense of hope.
Squid Game (Hwang Dong-hyuk, 2021)
