Stereotypes In The Movie Traitor
Traitor is a 2008 first-run movie starring two A-list actors (Guy Pearce and Don Cheadle). The film tells the story of an FBI agent (Roy Clayton) that throughout the movie his main goal is to stop a terrorism plot that is threatening the life of citizens of the United States. The H.A.R.M. Theory is introduced through the use of prototypes and archetypes to alter the viewer’s insight of reality. By revealing details about the life of Samir and Agent Clayton, the filmmakers are able to create character arcs, while challenging the stereotypes created by their storyline of Samir and Agent Clayton.
At the beginning of the movie, a connective switch was created, once Samir’s father was murder, but as the story progressed the identification process
starts to decrease because of Samir’s terrorist attacks. These attacks give viewers an idea that Samir may fall under the menace to society archetype. When we first meet Agent Clayton during the interrogation, he is shown overpowering Samir, which supports the H.A.R.M. theory idea of White characters having influence over a character of a different race. Although his actions seem to be cruel, Agent Clayton portrays the archetype of a hero once he starts investigating Samir. During his investigation, he interviews Samir's relatives, including Samir's mother which represents an example of one-way culture since Samir’ mother explains her son's beliefs and the low probability of Samir been a terrorist. Clayton uses Samir's mother ethnicity to understand Samir's beliefs, while portraying an anchor in which the movie revolves around.
As the film continues, the audience is able to understand that Samir is not a terrorist; rather an undercover agent that fights against terrorism. This is noticeable during the world-stop scene where Samir kills Nathir and Fareed. Because of his actions, Samir shifts from the menace to society archetype to the hero prototype. However, the viewers fail to see Samir’s catharsis, which makes Samir an unclean hero. On the other hand, Agent Clayton goes from the hero prototype to the manipulator prototype when he tells Samir that the country owes him and he then tries to convince Samir to continue working for the FBI. Therefore, these shifts challenge the understanding of reality the viewers are initially given at the beginning of the film.
Traitor represents a para realistic movie because it shows events such as terrorist attacks that are currently affecting our nation. Traitor falls under the minority flavor film that challenges stereotypes and it fails to emphasize minority issues such as that it goes to the tipping point of losing mainstream characteristics, which makes it appealing to all viewers.
At the beginning of the movie, a connective switch was created, once Samir’s father was murder, but as the story progressed the identification process
starts to decrease because of Samir’s terrorist attacks. These attacks give viewers an idea that Samir may fall under the menace to society archetype. When we first meet Agent Clayton during the interrogation, he is shown overpowering Samir, which supports the H.A.R.M. theory idea of White characters having influence over a character of a different race. Although his actions seem to be cruel, Agent Clayton portrays the archetype of a hero once he starts investigating Samir. During his investigation, he interviews Samir's relatives, including Samir's mother which represents an example of one-way culture since Samir’ mother explains her son's beliefs and the low probability of Samir been a terrorist. Clayton uses Samir's mother ethnicity to understand Samir's beliefs, while portraying an anchor in which the movie revolves around.
As the film continues, the audience is able to understand that Samir is not a terrorist; rather an undercover agent that fights against terrorism. This is noticeable during the world-stop scene where Samir kills Nathir and Fareed. Because of his actions, Samir shifts from the menace to society archetype to the hero prototype. However, the viewers fail to see Samir’s catharsis, which makes Samir an unclean hero. On the other hand, Agent Clayton goes from the hero prototype to the manipulator prototype when he tells Samir that the country owes him and he then tries to convince Samir to continue working for the FBI. Therefore, these shifts challenge the understanding of reality the viewers are initially given at the beginning of the film.
Traitor represents a para realistic movie because it shows events such as terrorist attacks that are currently affecting our nation. Traitor falls under the minority flavor film that challenges stereotypes and it fails to emphasize minority issues such as that it goes to the tipping point of losing mainstream characteristics, which makes it appealing to all viewers.