The Vigilante

Written by Chris YogerstcloseAuthor: chrisyogerst Name: Chris Yogerst
Email: chris@parcbench.com
Site: http://twitter.com/chrisyogerst
About: Chris graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a BA in film studies and English. He is pursuing a master's degree in 'critical studies in film and television' and is the editor of the Parcbench movies section. He is also a contributor to Breitbart's Big Hollywood and Frontpagemag's Newsreal.See Authors Posts (74) on March 23, 2009

Sometimes in real life, vigilantes are necessary.  On the Silver Screen, they make great characters and entertaining films.  But why is it that certain vigilantes resonate more with conservatives than with liberals?

Perhaps it is because the vigilante uses force when innocent lives depend on it, because he is not associated with the bleeding heart narratives that run rampant in Hollywood, or because he does not view the criminal as a victim.  For whatever reason though, many of us would sleep better at night with “Dirty Harry” living next door.

But what if Dirty Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) followed protocol and took orders from his commanding officer?  At one point in the film, the District Attorney asks Harry, “Where does it say you have the right to kick down doors, torture suspects, deny medical attention and legal consult?”  Harry responds by mentioning one of the victims who is raped and left for dead, asking, “Who speaks for her?”  He knows that when a serial killer is on the loose, there is no time for politics.  We admire that ability to make spontaneous moral judgments and to value life over a search warrant.

But not everyone sees that type of character in the same light.  Long time film critic, Roger Ebert, took issue with Clint Eastwood’s character. “If anybody is writing a book about the rise of fascism in America, they ought to have a look at Dirty Harry.” (full review here).  “The film’s moral position is fascist.  No doubt about it.”  Really?  Not only does Harry get the job done, but he also throws liberals into an intellectual tailspin.

Since Dirty Harry, the big screen has featured other intriguing vigilantes, including the main character in the Die Hard films, True Lies, and Payback, just to name a few.  Television also features Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) on 24.   Like “Dirty Harry,” he does not have time for political correctness when lives are on the line.  He is not afraid to push the boundaries in order to get information that will save an entire city and expose a terrorist organization.

Jason Lachonis, who writes for ugo.com, says, “when it comes to defending justice and the American way, face it: you really want a guy who will inject hallucinogenic drugs into bad guys and chop their fingers off.” (full article here)  Bauer’s heart does not go out to terrorists, and he realizes that not only does terrorism exist, but much of it stems from the Middle East.  Enough said.  As Guy Benson, writer and radio talk show host, observes, “the show’s ‘do whatever it takes’ mentality represented a stark departure from the prevailing ‘terrorists are people, too’ attitude that has dominated editorial pages across the globe” (full article here).

In January, another vigilante hit the big screen.  Taken was released, unsurprisingly, to mixed reviews.  The film is about a girl who is kidnapped in France by Albanians and sold into the slave trade.  Her father Bryan Mills (played by Liam Neeson), an ex-CIA operative, sets out to find her and bring her abductors to justice.  Dealing with an uncooperative local government, he takes matters into his own hands. Although nationally acclaimed critic Richard Roeper feels the film is full of “slick, loony, escapist violence,” it is a safe bet that if someone had their child kidnapped, they would want Bryan Mills there to get him or her back….by any means possible.

Of course, violating rules is not usually a good thing.  The vigilante that conservatives have grown to love only does so when extremely necessary.  It is never for personal gain or ideological purposes and always in the interest of others.  With all the films out there that blur the lines between good and evil (Fight Club, Body of Lies, The Bourne Identity), it is refreshing to watch a vigilante set the record straight and give us a personified version of the Patriot Act.  When innocent lives are in harms way, bad guys and bleeding heart ideologies don’t stand a chance against our vigilante.

“What I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that`ll be the end of it.”

-Bryan Mills, from Taken