The National Review’s Armond White Draws Attention for Outrageous Analysis
Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras’ film has recently come under fire from a rather unexpected source – Armond White of The National Review. In a scathing review that has since gone viral, White absurdly likens the movie to the downfall of society itself. However, it’s important to note that The National Review is a well-known conservative outlet, which might provide some context for the extreme nature of the critique.
Key Takeaway
Despite the controversial critique from Armond White, Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras’ film continues to garner positive reviews and is expected to dominate the box office this weekend.
In his analysis, White delves into a sociological examination of the ‘Eras Tour’ flick, as he perceives it. His headline and subheading alone reveal his distorted perspective: “Taylor Swift’s Asylum Seekers… A movie concert promotes post-Madonna, post-Obama mind control.”
One particular excerpt from the review has been mocked for its overreach. White states, “The Swift circus doesn’t replace the thrill of originality and profundity that accompanied the advent of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Supremes, the Jackson Five, which Gen Z knows nothing about. Instead, Swift specializes in degraded girl-pop – teenage solipsism, the silliness that kids will ideally outgrow. Yet her songs corrupt puppy love into jejune sophistication.”
What’s even more startling is White’s comparison of the film’s director, Sam Wrench, to Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl. White asserts that Wrench presents Taylor’s concerts as far more grand and aesthetically pleasing than they actually are in person, similar to Riefenstahl’s manipulation of Hitler’s image. However, this comparison seems to be White’s personal viewpoint rather than a widely accepted analysis.
Adding to the outrageousness, White tries to draw a connection between Swfities innocently dancing in theaters and the mass shooter James Holmes. He implies a connection by writing, “The teens in TikTok clips who pitifully bounce and sing along with the film’s pre-recorded concert are the flip side of those nerds and sociopaths who lined up for ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ in Aurora, Colo.”
Unsurprisingly, White’s review has been met with significant backlash. People on Twitter have criticized his hyperbolic statements about what is essentially a concert film. The vast majority of other film critics, both prominent and lesser-known, have praised the ‘Eras’ movie for what it is – a wholesome and enjoyable experience.
