Movie Critique: Things to Come

“Things To Come” shows the progression and destruction of the human race in a very long and drawn out timespan. As war progresses throughout the world for years without end, the human race is diminished to small encampments throughout the world.  At least that is, as it seems to one in particular.  Bent on his passion to win the war, the local warlord that the people call “chief” has not given up on war even some 30yrs after its initiation.

When a pilot named John Cabal lands and tries to recuperate this lost colony they take him prisoner.  John Cabal represents the civilization called “Wings Over the World” who’s whose sole purpose is to rebuild the human race and do it the right way so that something like war never happens again.

Using technology as their foundation Wings Over the World advance technology so much so that by the year 2036 they have far surpassed the standard of even todays living. As their technology progresses they plan to send man to the moon.  Yet one mans opinion seems to influence the people that this advancement will be the doom of the human race and it must stop at once.  Their attempt to stop the rocket from shooting to the moon is a failure and they end of this story leaves the question in the viewers mind of whether or not technology is the way of the future.

The ideas presented in this movie are a clear representation of the thinking during the period in which it was made. Technology has always been at the forefront of mans progression.  The idea that technology was going to be so advanced that the human civilization would no longer have any need for war or any problems of that nature is very explicitly represented by this films plot.  Interestingly technology is what helped create the utopian civilization represented in this film near the end.  The idea that technology will lead to the destruction of mankind is perhaps something that environmentalist ideologies may create. However, technology only advances mankind to be more efficient and resourceful than we would be without it.

The characters in “Things to Come” are very dominantly male. The timeframe in which this movie was filmed was most likely very influential on the female role of this film.  The female role is very suppressed and shows that men are the dominant people.  Whether or not this has anything to do with the purpose of the film seems irrelevant, as the message being sent is very focused on the progression of mankind and technology.

In the end of this film we see that the question is presented whether or not we should take this step toward technological innovations.  This is perhaps one of the main purposes of this films plot.  We are shown what great, “utopian” societies can be built with new technology.  Therefore it only leaves the viewer to decide whether or not the beautiful lifestyle seen in the potential future is one that may be of interest to himself/herself.