i’m trying to think of other white savior tropes that maintain their whiteness, but I agree it seems these recent films definitely make a conscious objection to whiteness, as best as they allow at least.
on the other hand, we have Heart of Darkness or Apocalypse Now absolutely running the trope ragged with the maniacal cult leader, denying the agency, intelligence and cultural respect of native people to even consider taking a leader like that
and perhaps an indigenous reclaiming, and probably the best “white dude escapes to the jungle and there are consequences” fictional work i’ve known? Embrace of the Serpent (2015)
i’m trying to think of other white savior tropes that maintain their whiteness, but I agree it seems these recent films definitely make a conscious objection to whiteness, as best as they allow at least.
on the other hand, we have Heart of Darkness or Apocalypse Now absolutely running the trope ragged with the maniacal cult leader, denying the agency, intelligence and cultural respect of native people to even consider taking a leader like that
and perhaps an indigenous reclaiming, and probably the best “white dude escapes to the jungle and there are consequences” fictional work i’ve known? Embrace of the Serpent (2015)