This is a plot, if ever there was one, to illustrate King Lear's complaint, 'As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods; They kill us for their sport.' I am aware this is the second time in two weeks I have been compelled to quote Lear, but there are times when Eminem simply will not do.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The reviewer likens a plot to King Lear’s complaint about being toys for the gods, suggesting the film’s cruelty is gratuitous.
- In plain terms
- The movie’s plot feels like unnecessary suffering for entertainment.
- What can you take from it?
- Stories that glorify cruelty can feel morally empty.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why do some films rely on gratuitous violence?
- How effective is classical allusion in modern reviews?
Another view
The comparison may be obscure to readers unfamiliar with King Lear.
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