World Politics In Cinema Essay, Research Paper

The Analysis of Sneakers

In one of the most interesting films that I have ever seen, I viewed the movie Sneakers, produced by Universal and directed by Phil Alden Robinson. This film is one of my all time favorites which I viewed again for the purpose of discussion in which there are many instances of political concepts that coincide with GVPT200. The concepts of zero-sum gain, vulnerability interdependence, and creating a hegemon power are all examples that can be seen in the movie.

The movie Sneakers revolves around the main character, Martin Bishop who a is computer expert played by Robert Redford as he heads a team of renegade hackers – including a former CIA employee, a gadgets wizard, a young genius, and a blind soundman. The group, who are routinely hired to test security systems are all somehow linked to the government in some way, whether by former employees or by having some contact with the law. Bishop’s past comes back to haunt him when government agents blackmail the “sneakers” into carrying out a covert operation: tracking down an elusive black box. The black box is said to have significant power but no one really knows much more than that. Bishop’s team retrieves the box and makes a stunning discovery – the device can break into any computer system in the world. With factions from all sides willing to kill for the powerful box life becomes a little complicated for team. The movie provides many small twists and turns that provide for great plot.

A concept that is seen in the movie that pertains to our class is the zero-sum gain theory. This theory is that when one country gains power, in return another country must lose some of its power. These views are seen and believed through the realist perspective. An example of this can be seen that even if a small country that has relatively small amounts of power gains control of that box it would instantly give that country much credibility and power. Imagine if a smaller country like Iraq had control over all computer codes, thus disabling all launch codes for missile strikes, and possibly even severing communication, this would make a country like the United States lose power, totaling a zero-sum gain. A realist view that would can applied to this example is how at the end of World War II, when the power of Germany had been seized, Russia then grew to be very powerful, and eventually to rival the United States into a BI-polar Cold War, for years.

Another concept that can be applied to the movie could be vulnerability interdependence. This is when changes are very costly that repercussions are so severe. If one country had the box it could lead to all sorts of profit revenue for the country. Beyond the realms of military control, from money is power standpoint, one country could therefore rule the world if they had this box. A liberalist perspective can be applied to this example be examining how, especially today, many and if not all country s depend on one another to produce, trade and sell products to each other. This country or state could have access to all banking records and possibly embezzle large sums of money to be taken by one group. If a particular group or country relys on money and then it is taken from them they can not have nearly the power or control they once had.

In the movie the black box can break all computer codes thus making life for the county with the box very good. In such a way that you could in theory create a hegemon power, where they could dictate that which are the rules and norms in the international system. A power so strong in fact that there could be no one evens close to as powerful. The idea that their could be an all powerful and one territorial government shows almost a radical view. This can be

The movie Sneakers is a very powerful movie. Although, the director uses drama as underlying theme in the movie, if such a box was created and ever assembled, this could create a very large dilemma for many people. Imagine a group so strong that they could be in theory, in this computer run day in age, be the most powerful group or country ever. The movie combines the concepts of zero-sum gain, vulnerability interdependence, and even a hegemon power, through this conceptual little black box. Many views and modern theorys can be applied to the movie Sneakers.