Review and critics of the movies: The Fountain& Beyond Good and Evil (Jenseits von Gut und Böse)
The film tells the story of a man pursuing immortality, set in three different time periods. Concepts such as immortality, death, God, morality, nihilism, perspectivism, will to power, eternal return and the Übermensch play an important role in Nietzsche's philosophy. Between the three stories in the film we can find some parallels and differences according to Nietzsche's philosophy.
For example, in the 16th-century story in the film, a Spanish conquistador named Tomas travels to the Mayan country to find the Tree of Life at the request of his queen Isabel. This story reflects Nietzsche's distinction between master morality and slave morality. Master morality is the morality of strong, brave, successful and life-loving people. Slave morality is the morality of people who are weak, cowardly, unsuccessful and hate life. Tomas appears before us as a representative of master morality. He finds the meaning of life in adventure, war and victory. Isabel, on the other hand, appears as a representative of slave morality. He searches for the meaning of life in God, faith and surrender. Tomas's effort to find the Tree of Life also fits into Nietzsche's concept of the will to power. According to Nietzsche, the will to power is the most basic drive of man. Man constantly tries to gain power in order to protect and increase his existence. In the present-day story of the film, a scientist named Tommy is looking for a cure to save his wife Izzi, who is dying of cancer. This story reflects Nietzsche's criticism of nihilism. Nihilism, according to Nietzsche, is the belief that life is meaningless and has no value. Nihilism emerged with the collapse of traditional values such as Greek philosophy and Christianity, which formed the basis of Western culture. Nietzsche's famous saying "God is dead" also expresses this situation. Tommy's pursuit of science demonstrates the aesthetic affirmation of life that is one of Nietzsche's solutions to nihilism. Aesthetic life affirmation, according to Nietzsche, means approaching life as a work of art and shaping it creatively. Tommy's research for Izzi is also his artistic contribution to life. In the future story in the movie, a traveler named Tom travels through space with a globe containing the Tree of Life. This story reflects Nietzsche's concepts of eternal return and the Übermensch. Eternal return, according to Nietzsche, is the endless repetition of time. Everything will happen again as it was. According to Nietzsche, the Übermensch is the ideal that man must surpass. The Übermensch is a person who creates new values for himself and has a positive outlook on life. Tom's journey through space is also a symbol of eternal return. It constantly revolves in the same orbit and experiences the same events. Tom's devotion to the Tree of Life is also a characteristic of the Übermensch. He does everything to protect and be with the Tree of Life. The film deals with concepts that have an important place in Nietzsche's philosophy, at different times and with different characters. The film also demonstrates the richness and diversity of Nietzsche's philosophy.
Review and critics of the movies: Rope& On the Genealogy of Morality (Zur Genealogie der Moral)
The two murderers in the movie, Brandon and Phillip, represent Nietzsche's concept of "master morality". They kill their friend David to prove their superiority and hide his body in a chest. Then they invite his relatives and girlfriend to dinner. This shows that they distinguish between "good" and "bad", not "good" and "evil". For them, goodness is being strong and active, badness is being weak and passive. Killing David is an expression of their strong will.
The other characters in the movie represent Nietzsche's concept of "slave morality". They eat dinner unaware of David's death, wondering about his absence. For them, goodness is being humble and compassionate, evil is being cruel and selfish. Killing David is an act that contradicts their moral values.
The last character in the movie, Rupert, represents Nietzsche's concept of "ascetic ideal". He is Brandon and Phillip's former teacher and has introduced them to Nietzsche's ideas. But he only deals with these ideas theoretically and does not apply them practically. He is an intellectual who seeks but does not find the meaning of life. He tries to analyze the meaning of ascetic ideals but falls into nihilism.
At the end of the movie, Rupert reveals Brandon and Phillip's murder and calls the police. This is a result of his ascetic ideal. He thinks that life is worthless but still tries to ensure justice. He has killed God as Nietzsche said, but he cannot escape from God's shadow.
Review and critics of the movies: Broken Flowers & Thus Spoke Zarathustra (Also sprach Zarathustra)
Both of them focus on the meaning and value of human life. Nietzsche argues that human beings should be self-overcoming beings. This means beings who create their own values and shape their lives according to their own will. Nietzsche calls this kind of being Übermensch (Overman). In contrast, Don Johnston in Broken Flowers is a passive and unhappy man who is nearing the end of his life. He receives an anonymous letter from one of his former lovers telling him that he has a son and decides to look for him. But this journey does not give him any satisfaction or meaning. Don realizes the emptiness of his life, but does nothing to change it. Don is the kind of person that Nietzsche despised: a person who does not determine his own fate, who submits to the values of others, and who surrenders to the meaninglessness of life.
The movie shows the challenges that human beings face in the modern world where Nietzsche said "God is dead". The death of God means that there is no absolute source that gives meaning to human life. In this situation, human beings either have to create their own values or fall into nihilism. Don in the movie is a nihilist character. He has no purpose or value in his life. His conversations with his former lovers also remind him of this. Each of them has chosen a different lifestyle, but none of them seems truly happy or satisfied. The letter that claims that he has a son seems like a ray of hope that could give a new meaning to his life. But this is also in vain. Don cannot find his son or thinks he found him but is not sure. The movie also reflects Nietzsche's idea of "eternal recurrence". This idea states that our lives will repeat infinitely and we will do the same things every time. In this case, we should be content with our lives and accept them. Otherwise, we will suffer endlessly. Don in the movie is not content with his life and does not try to change it. Therefore, eternal recurrence is a curse for him.
The other characters in the movie can also be evaluated according to Nietzsche's philosophy. For example, Don's neighbor Winston is fond of mystery novels and helps Don to find the source of the letter. Winston has what Nietzsche called "the will to knowledge". This will drives human beings to seek and understand the truth. But Winston also cannot find the truth or thinks he found it but is not sure. Winston's wife Mona is a woman with many children and religious beliefs. Mona has what Nietzsche called "slave morality". This morality is the resistance of the weak against the strong and their labeling them as evil. Mona dislikes Don and treats him with contempt. Don's former lovers have what Nietzsche called "styles of life". These are the ways that human beings create or adopt their own values. Laura, Dora, Carmen, and Penny have chosen different styles of life, but none of them is the Overman that Nietzsche idealized. Laura has chosen a hedonist (pleasure-seeking) style of life, but she has problems with her daughter Lolita. Dora has chosen a bourgeois style of life, but she is unhappy with her husband Ron. Carmen has chosen a mystical style of life, but she puts her life in danger. Penny has chosen a rebellious style of life, but she attacks Don.
In conclusion, both of them invite us to think about the meaning and value of human life. But the characters in the movie cannot shape their lives according to their own will as Nietzsche suggested. Therefore, their lives are empty and unhappy. Nietzsche wants human beings to be self-overcoming beings and advises them to create their own values. This is the way to a full and happy life unlike the lives in the movie.
