Forcefury

I had the opportunity to sit down and watch the 2019 movie "Forcefury" here in 2021. Sure, I hadn't heard about it, and I had to look it up here on IMDb as I wanted to see what it had been rated. And I must admit that with the movie's cover and the high rating the movie had gotten, then of course this was something that I just had to watch.

And let me just tell you that "Forcefury" is bad. It is really, really bad. In fact, "Forcefury" is so bad that it actually is a great movie and a very fun movie to watch. It is just one of those instances where everything is so campy, cheese and low budget that it actually works well in favor of the movie as a whole. But of course, a movie such as "Forcefury" is not one that I think will find appeal with just everyone in the audience. So you need to have a liking for really dubious movies in order to enjoy this movie from writers Daniel McLeod and Matthew Mousseau.

Now, "Forcefury" is low budget. Very low budget. But it actually works out nicely, especially so as it is so far out there and so ridiculous that you just can't help to enjoy it.

The acting in the movie was dubious. Of course it was, but again, this was something that worked well in favor of the overall feel of the movie. Especially because Matthew Mousseau (playing Brick Forcefury) put on such a hilariously bad performance that he singlehandedly carried most of the movie.

This is definitely an enjoyable and feel-good movie. And it most certainly seems like it is a movie that the cast and crew had a blast making.

Don't expect CGI or visual effects that are spectacular here. Sure, they had an effects department, of sorts. But prepare yourself for alien latex masks bought at the local Halloween store, and effects that are suitable for an early 1990s computer game.

My rating of "Forcefury" is a six out of ten stars, and it is movie that I would recommend you give a chance, should you have the opportunity to sit down to watch it. I was more than genuinely entertained by what director Daniel McLeod dished out here.

The conflict of Forcefury is both that of the individual (man vs self) and that of the integration (man vs society). Perhaps the greatest (or most conspicuous) conflict in our time can be found in the "United" States of America.

Division that has existed for years within the United States has become increasingly obvious since the election of failed businessman turned reality television star turned politician Donald Trump.

In Forcefury, Donald Trump is represented by President Joe. Unlike Trump, President Joe has realized his xenophobic dream of erecting a wall... on the border? The location is irrelevant because the wall has been erected as an ineffectual means to prevent the immigration of illegal aliens (from outer space).

Within the fictitious United States of Forcefury, the wall exists as a symbolic "middle finger" from the Republicans to the Liberal Democrats. Within the context of the film, the wall is an obvious symbol for division, a division best characterized by Brick Forcefury when he disparages the desert from which the alien came (juxtaposing it with the "American oasis" to which they come).

This "othering" attitude, applied to the alien outsider, may also be applied to Forcefury's political adversary (frequently disparaged as the "Liberal Agenda"), and frequently reflects the politically divisive climate of our time (in America and elsewhere).

From Brick Forcefury's shallow criticism (of the left, of identity politics, etc...) and his exaggerated fear/hatred of the unknown other (echoing Fox News, Info Wars, etc...) the film approaches an understanding of why the right has dismissed the left (and, to some extent, vice versa).

The individual conflict is explored through Brick Forcefury. As a border patrol officer working with another man (his partner named Partner), Brick is blissfully unaware of any conflict. Though he is reprimanded by his superior, named Chief, Brick succeeds at insulating himself from any consequences.

It's not until his male partner is replaced by a woman (his new partner named New Partner) that Brick's inner-conflict becomes evident. The conflict may therefore be interpreted as a failure to integrate the male and female aspects of his psyche (a failure worth exploring as it is common among those who align masculinity with strength, femininity with weakness).

Aside from disparaging remarks about women, Brick's inner-conflict is obvious when he is asked to attend group therapy. Perceiving group-therapy to put him in touch with his feelings (feelings that put him in touch with the feminine aspect of his psyche), Brick would sooner castrate himself.

The extremity of his response (pun intended) demonstrates that he values constructed gender above biological sexual orientation. Later, he is unable to recognize the gender of New Partner (repeatedly referring to her as a man).

In their efforts to help, both Wife (named Wife though she may not actually be his wife) and the Magician (not actually a magician) subject Brick to various chores (chores that would be subjected to a woman in a gender-normative context).

In both cases, Brick is reluctant. His reluctance may be read as the resistance of the male aspect of his psyche, perceiving a threat to its supremacy. Like the gender politics of our time, a certain demographic of men feel entitled to their supremacy (patriarchy), and mis-interpret the outcry for gender equality as the arrival of female supremacy (matriarchy).

In the end, Brick's inner-conflict is the conflict of intersectional politics. He cannot integrate the male and female aspects of his psyche and do justice to the race politics threatening the aliens from outer space. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Brick invents a new unknown other.

But by scapegoating the new unknown other, derivative of a past unknown other, Brick dooms himself (and America) to repeat past atrocities.

This movie is well-scripted and displays how much fun the entire crew really had. There's a good balance between verbal and physical comedy, and the no-budget costumes, set and props are consistently hilarious.

And it is, technically a movie.

This movie is fantastic. Cult classic for sure. One day it will be released by the The Criterion Collection. Mark my words. It's hilarious.

Find it and watch it with all of your friends. It's usually free on a bunch of places like Tubi. The effects are on par with a Troma film but the comedy is next level.

Below is nonsensical extra words, just so that I could post the above part to tell you to watch this movie. If you don't laugh you probably don't like Freddy got Fingered either which is a masterpiece.

Two border security agents must learn to work together in order to unravel the conspiracy behind an alien menace.

Truly a force that might make you furious (with laughter).