Some films go out their way to be offensive, pushing the envelope of good taste even if
it means making enemies. But it’s when filmmakers go in with the best intentions that they often
create the most offensive material. Even the best filmmakers can suffer momentary lapses
of judgment and offend large groups of people with insensitive choices. Here are Screen
Rant’s Most Offensive Moments in Popular Movies
Jurassic World While much fuss was made about the silliness
of Bryce Dallas Howard’s character running through the jungle in high heels, there was
one line that had British comedian known as ‘Guzzy Bear’ boycott the film. “Another
paki roaming outside his zone…” referring to the head-butting Pachycephalosaurus. Of
course, dinosaur or not, “Paki” is a pejorative term that people from Pakistan don’t want
to hear anywhere. It didn’t help matters that the comedian googled the dino and found
the similarly named Pakisaurus, a lizard that got its name for being from Pakistan, whereas
the Pachycephalosaurus from the film is actually from North America. Still, they should have
given this one a second thought. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Among its many crimes against cinema, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has two of the most
offensive robots ever committed to screen. Created solely for the film, “Mudflap”
and “Skids” are inexcusable stereotypes of urban African Americans. Since their characterization
has caused controversy, everyone involved has been quick to pass the buck. From the
screen writers to the voice actors, and ultimately to director Michael Bay, nobody wants to take
credit for the gold toothed, illiterate, unfunny attempts at broad humour in the broadest of
broad franchises. Avengers: Age of Ultron
Joss Whedon has a history of creating strong female characters and often speaks of the
importance of this, which is why it was even more disappointing to see what the Black Widow
character was reduced to in Avengers: Age of Ultron. With so many characters, it’s
expected that some will get pushed to the sidelines, and her love story with Bruce Banner
was at least somewhat established, but when she tearfully refers to herself as a “monster”
because she can’t have babies, her persona as an independent woman is diminished. Matters
are only made worse when she later becomes the damsel in distress, locked up by Ultron
and in need of rescue by Bruce. Aladdin
Sometimes its the films that appear the most innocent that can be the most damaging. Disney
has a rough history when it comes to the depiction of other races and cultures, and unfortunately
it extends far beyond the animation studios’ early days. 1992’s Aladdin raised objections
at its depiction of Arabs. One line in particular was famously removed from the opening song
“Arabian Nights”, which originally stated “where they cut off your ear if they don’t
like your face”. Gone but not forgotten, this controversy will always be remembered
as one of Disney’s many insensitive missteps. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
16 years and a crowd-pleasing Star Wars relaunch still haven’t made audiences forget about
the big mistake that was Jar Jar Binks. The character is offensive in just about every
way. Not only is he an obnoxious failed attempt at comic relief, but he’s also seen by many
as a thinly veiled Jamaican stereotype. While this may not have been the intention of George
Lucas or actor Ahmed Best, the character’s accent, physical comedy and clumsy antics
are certainly reminiscent of the minstrel shows popular in the 19th Century but now
widely regarded as ignorant and racist. The Little Mermaid
Speaking of minstrel shows and Disney missteps, 1989’s The Little Mermaid has one of the
briefest yet extremely offensive examples of the residual effects these minstrel shows
have left on the North American subconscious. These shows would often have white actors
playing African Americans by putting on black face paint and red lipstick, a look commonly
referred to as “blackface”. During the Oscar-winning song Under The Sea, Sebastien
the crab introduces all of the sea creatures and their musical specialty. When he gets
to the fish who sings disco, its look is clearly inspired by blackface performers. Even though
it’s only shown for a second, you have to remember how many departments of approval
every frame of a Disney film must go through, and even though the songs explicitly states
that this is the “blackfish”, somehow not a single red flag was raised by its appearance.
Spectre While the Daniel Craig Bond films have brought
the spy into the new millennium, in many ways the character still keeps one foot firmly
rooted in 1960s misogyny. Most recently, Bond showcased his love ‘em and leave ‘em ways
with Monica Belluci’s character in last year’s Spectre. After killing her husband
and making her a marked woman, he shows up at her house to save her life, invite himself
in for a drink and have his way with the frightened widow before leaving her to an uncertain fate.
Just another day on the job for Mr. Bond. Man of Steel
Unlike Deadpool, some super heroes are meant to be role models. In particular, Superman
is meant to represent the ideal hero, one who always does what’s right and does not
resort to killing his enemies. While having him kill Zod in such a brutal manner at the
end of Man of Steel had many fans calling foul, this scene is actually offensive for
reasons apart from simple fan service. Imagine being a parent, thinking that taking your
young child to Man of Steel would be a wholesome alternative to the increasingly adult superhero
fare, only to see their powerful idol snap the neck of Zod at the end of the PG-13 movie.
Director Zack Snyder has justified his controversial decision in several interviews, but few have
addressed the act as symbolic of what the older audiences have taken away from kids.
In an age of ever-increasing awareness with regards to diversity and representation, filmmakers
need to be sensitive and adapt in order to not get left behind the times. What offends
you in movies? Let us know in the comments, and remember to subscribe to our channel for
more videos like this one.