MovieChat Forums > The Forest (2016) Discussion > The "Race" thread

The "Race" thread

posted 9 years ago by inuimari
12 replies | jump to latest

Please only comment if you've seen the film.

So I saw this film and I enjoyed it because I knew it would be a B-film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERqZUAz-Kss
Double Toasted Review said it well and the first part of the film was Xenophobia: The Film. What I didn't like about this film, in terms of race, was that the Japanese characters are seriously forgettable and pretty devoid of character. They only exist to talk about creepy lore about ghosts, are creepy school girl ghosts, or work as a guide with no personality. I think the JPN characters could have been fleshed out better but then, this is a poorly written horror film.

In terms of race, I do feel that Aiden had to be white. If he was, say, black, I think audience would have been annoyed because they used a black actor to play a "dodgy character". If the protagonist was a black person, would this film have worked? What do you guys say? Are we ready to have a Hollywood horror film with a non-white person as a protagonist? And yes, there's the Halle Berry flop, Gothika.

As the above movie review stated, I think Natalie Dormer should appear as Godzilla in her next film role.

[–] MSUstar 9 years ago

I don't know where the race thread came from, but I think he should have been Japanese. Although honestly I didn't give it a thought before you mentioned. As far as I know there aren't many black people in Japan. My friend (who is black) went there and he is tall. People kept wanting to take a picture with him because they thought he was a celebrity athlete. It's not just the Japanese character who are one dimensional, pretty much everyone is.

[–] inuimari 9 years ago

Hello, thanks for your response.
The race thread came from the fact that a lot of people were complaining about it. Even my ex, who's white and NOT an SJW, commented on how awful it was that they had to have a white chick.

I think it would have been interesting if we had a tall black guy in there (i.e., Aidan) and show Japanese people wanting to take picture with him.

[–] mgsgamer2009 9 years ago

You do realize that there about 6 military bases on the main island alone, right?

So how could there be very little black people in japan?

[–] inuimari 9 years ago

People in the Japanese military bases usually stay within the compound. They have their own school, movie theaters, etc. I've lived in Japan and that's what I heard. I met an idiot who taught at such a school during a house party in Japan. He said how it was like "living in a bubble" and how he did not feel like he was in Japan at all.... and kept saying the most ridiculous thing about Japan and making the other guests really uncomfortable, lol.

But yeah, there are def. African immigrants in Japan and I had several black friends in Japan. However, the number of black people in Japan is def. smaller than, say, the number of Indian or Caucasian migrants.

[–] mgsgamer2009 9 years ago

Hate to burst your bubble, but I'm stationed on one of those bases. Yes, of course there are some that stay on the base for various reasons, money issues, injury, laziness, but the majority actually go out and see the sights. I live off the base but I've been here for 8 years, so there's nothing really new for me to see, so I mostly stay at home.

[–] inuimari 9 years ago

Sorry it took me ages to notice and reply to this (lol) but thanks for sharing. And yeah, that guy was an idiot.

[–] mgsgamer2009 9 years ago

And don't know what guy I was referring to. You're like the only one that was responding to me. Didn't mean anything malicious.

[–] mgsgamer2009 9 years ago

Also, whoever that guy was truly is an idiot. Since most of the non-military, base jobs are done by Japanese people, so I don't know what bubble he thought he was living in.

[–] Mattfinbell 9 years ago

No since now blacks are used in movies and tv shows for tokenism

it cant be diversity without the black characters

mgsgamer2009
Hate to burst your bubble, but I'm stationed on one of those bases. Yes, of course there are some that stay on the base for various reasons, money issues, injury, laziness, but the majority actually go out and see the sights. I live off the base but I've been here for 8 years, so there's nothing really new for me to see, so I mostly stay at home.

why do you mostly stay at home? have you meet other westerns and do you do stuff with them

Look like Tarzan talk like Jane! HAHA

[–] inuimari 9 years ago

No since now blacks are used in movies and tv shows for tokenism

Again, sorry for the late reply. And I agree with this post. I watch Elementary and I like Natalie Dormer but it would have been amazing to see more racial diversity. Aiden being a Japanese guy fluent in English would have been interesting as well.

[–] Mattfinbell 9 years ago

inuimari
No since now blacks are used in movies and tv shows for tokenism

Again, sorry for the late reply. And I agree with this post. I watch Elementary and I like Natalie Dormer but it would have been amazing to see more racial diversity. Aiden being a Japanese guy fluent in English would have been interesting as well.

well they dont sell well until they do nothing will change but yeah I would have loved too see that as well

Look like Tarzan talk like Jane! HAHA

[–] mgsgamer2009 9 years ago

Have I met other Westerners? Really? Did you not see the part where I said I'm stationed on a military base...which is full of Westerners? Anyways, outside of that, I have a few friends I hang out with that aren't military. Japanese, British and Australian, one American. They're all english teachers. But I mean, most weekdays and some weekends I stay in. I've seen everything so nothing is exciting really anymore after 8 years.