Marvel's franchise dominance is part of that – it sells power fantasies of god-like beings to adults and children woven through with the message that a benevolent, wealthy elite knows what's best for us. Riley's career is an outgrowth of his calling to tear down the capitalist system crushing the 99 percent, and he also knows corporate marketing savvy is the powerful engine propelling neoliberalism's raging success. The Hero's catchphrase becomes his motto, and as he hurtles toward adventure he announces his excitement with a reality show line: "From that day forward, I knew nothing would stop me from achieving greatness." And a vigilante called The Hero ( Walton Goggins) views everyone as criminals one step away from breaking the law, swooping in to brutalize in the name of justice.Īlthough his aunt and uncle make him spend most of his days reading, when he isn't bench-pressing the car in their yard, Cootie gleans some hints about how life works through TV. Rolling blackouts plague their neighborhoods, and the power company refuses to fix them. He also discovers all the ways working-class people are preyed upon. Once Cootie sneaks out, he meets Feliz (Brett Gray), Jones (Kara Young) and Scat (Allius Barnes), who quickly acquaint him with Oakland's vibrancy, made by people who aren't wealthy or politically powerful but have a fierce sense of community. Eventually he grows curious about life beyond the walls of their Oakland home despite their warnings about its many hazards. Instead, we're introduced to Cootie ( Jharrel Jerome), a 13-foot-tall young man sequestered from the outside world for 19 years.Ĭootie's Aunt Lafrancine ( Carmen Ejogo) and Uncle Martisse ( Mike Epps) provide him with everything he needs and raised him to be kind, caring and thoughtful. No famous characters from DC or the MCU appear here. Few understand that better than "I'm a Virgo" creator Boots Riley, the Bay Area-based hip-hop performer turned auteur filmmaker whose seven-episode Amazon series represents an original entry in the superhero genre.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |