MovieChat Forums > Edge of Tomorrow (2014) Discussion > This Movie Is Whitewashed Trash

This Movie Is Whitewashed Trash

posted 9 years ago by JohnBonDon
65 replies | jump to latest

It really does say a lot about Warner Brothers in that even though there is a lot of controversy surrounding the casting of their Akira live action movie they went ahead anyway with another Japanese based adaptation and cast a white lead for, "Edge Of Tomorrow" which is based on the Japanese novel: "All You Need Is Kill".

Here is the link to the official English language translation of the original Japanese novel: http://www.haikasoru.com/all-you-need-is-kill/

The interesting thing to note about this is that in the original novel while the main character was Asian (his name is "Keiji Kiriya") the main female lead was a white American (Rita Vrataski) so it's not like white people couldn't have been in the movie if it was kept as it was in the original novel. The original novel was actually quite ethnically diverse as apart from those two leads there was a part Latino part Japanese sergeant and a Native American female technician. However, anyone who wasn't white in the books (which was mostly the entire cast) was whitewashed in the movie made by supposed "liberal" people in Hollywood including the ridiculous like having a Japanese guy in his 20s being bastardized into Tom Cruise.

What's even worse is that this racist trash is being hailed as some great thing so it is having its whitewashing being whitewashed.

Just another incident of Asian Americans, like other people of color, being denied opportunities to get lead roles in major Hollywood movies.

[–] larsped 9 years ago

America is still a white-led culture. Take a look at US demographics and the fact that most leading roles are white will make sense from both a business perspective as well as from pure statistical chance.

Also, it is known that other cultures are more racist than whites. If, for instance, the latinos prefer watching white actors over asian or black actors, then that will influence the casting decision.

[–] darkpast 9 years ago

its an American adaptation with an American lead get over it, If Japan wants to make their own version, go ahead

[–] Master_Lo 8 years ago

Exactly. What's the f-ing problem here? The movie is even set in Europe.

I shall be known from now on as the Black Vegetable

[–] Thenewnexus 8 years ago

The setting is not the problem,its that the lead role was whitewashed an Asian American could have been hired

Class is Pain 101. Your instructor is Casey Jones

[–] gotmyorangecrush 8 years ago

An Asian American cast as the lead in this film would have resulted in a film that wound up grossing a LOT less money. This was a business decision, not a racial decision. The real racists are people like yourself that bring the race card into everything. You cant even watch a really great science fiction film without suggesting everyone involved is racist, lol. Next your going to complain that Leonardo Dicaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholsen were cast in The Departed, lol. Your clearly struggling to understand what an American adaptation of a foreign film really is or how the studio's should go about casting such films.

There are MORE than eneough foreign films being made to satisfy your need for racially diverse films. Stop watching Hollywood films and stick with foreign films because nobody cares what you think about the casting of Edge of Tomorrow.

Still Shooting With Film!

[–] Thenewnexus 8 years ago

This movie already grossed a lot less money despite staring Cruise. The departed is not a good movie to bring up since it had racial slurs,the movie could have worked with Asian American Aactors as the leads

Class is Pain 101. Your instructor is Casey Jones

[–] gotmyorangecrush 8 years ago

A lot less money than what? Edge of Tomorrow grossed $370 million at the box office and another 90 million on home theatre and that doesn't include the money it made from Pay per view or the money they will get from companies like Netflix when the time comes. In other words, EoT did just fine financially. Everyone knows that outside of Mission Impossible, Tom Cruise is NOWHERE near the box office draw he used to be. So anyone expecting Edge of Tomorrow to gross 600+ million is living in la la land. An Asian cast in Edge of Tomorrow would have guranteed it made less than 200 million at the box office. Cruise may not be the draw he used to be, but he will still draw in a LOT more than some misc. Asian actor.

As for the Departed, that was an american adaptation of Infernal Affairs, which was a Hong Kong film that is currently sitting at #221 on the IMDB top 250. So you suggesting it would have worked with asian actors is nothing short of laughable. It already did work with Asian actors as it was originally an Asian film and again it was extremly successful. Your just a master of the obvious, lol. And Martin Scorsese casting Asian actors in the american adaptation of Infernal Affairs would have been an absolutely TERRIBLE choice and that's exactly why he didn't and cast Damon, DiCaprio and Nicholson instead. Of course, that's why Martin Scorsese is a world reknowned director and your just some misc poster on the internet. He knows what he is doing in regards to making films and you clearly don't.

Still Shooting With Film!

[–] Thenewnexus 8 years ago

That's disappointing considering EOT s budget and marketing costs
It already made Less with Cruise.

I know what departed is based on,an American adaption would work with Asian American
Actors and You yourself said Scorsese is a renowned director,how would it not work with Asian American actors?

Class is Pain 101. Your instructor is Casey Jones

[–] gotmyorangecrush 8 years ago

No, its only disappointing to the people that buy into the nonsense that films need to make at least 2-3 times thier production budget to be profitable. Edge of Tomorrow's stated budget was 178 million and anyone that knows the truth behind Hollywood marketing knows that Hollywood exaggerates production costs. I guarantee the real budget was closer to 150 million and that would mean that Edge of Tomorrow has made at least 100-150 million in profit up to this point. That is more than adaquate for a new science fiction film that isn't Star Wars or Star Trek. If the film was anywhere near as disappointing as your suggesting, they never would have green lit a sequel. The fact that they did is proof of its profitability.

As for Departed, I never said it wouldn't have worked with Asian actors. It just wouldnt have been anywhere near as popular or successfu had they gone that route. So ultimately it would have been an absolutely terrible choice to cast Asians as again the film would have been nowhere near as popular or successful in the states as it was with the cast Scorsese picked. American audiences prefer american actors and actresss. Its as simple as that. If you honestly think some misc Asian actors would have made a better film or more successful film than Damon, Dicaprio and Nicholson then again your clearly living in la la land. It also wouldn't have won 4 Oscars had they gone with an Asian cast.

Still Shooting With Film!

[–] Thenewnexus 8 years ago

Again for a film with this kind of budget and marketing that's not good,its acknowledged the film underperformed
http://screencrush.com/edge-of-tomorrow-box-office/

Asian Americans are American, American does not mean white. It very well could have made profit with Asian American actors, and Martin Scorsese was the director
Yeah it could of worked

Class is Pain 101. Your instructor is Casey Jones

[–] Darkwalker173 8 years ago

It very well could have made profit with Asian American actors

You just answered your own post.
Hollywood is not in the habit of working with could have. Could haves cost them money, and when the film has a budget of over 100 million, nobody is risking a potential could have.
Just because the book had an Asian lead doesn't mean the movie has to, especially when race plays absolutely no part in any aspect of the movie.

I laugh in the face of danger, then I hide until it goes away.

[–] Thenewnexus 8 years ago

It underperformed with Cruise.
If a character is nonwhite then their race is important.
There are not a lot of good roles for Asian Americans,Cruise did not need this role,he has lots of roles available to him

[–] Razor187 8 years ago

Oh give me a f_ucking break. Try saying that about a white character and see what response you get.

And so Governor Devlin, because even the cost of freedom can be too high, I REFUSE your pardon!

[–] R_Kane (15828) 2 years ago

“American” DOES mean “white.”

[–] Razor187 8 years ago

First of all: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVTMol1s7w4

Secondly, it's really ironic that you say the other poster is "struggling to understand what an American adaptation of a foreign film really is" when this situation is NOT that at all. This is the official adaptation of a novel, there is no other existing film version.

You only addressed the whitewashing of the lead. What accounts for Ferrell and Shasta becoming white guys? And let me remind you that these characters were ALREADY AMERICANS in the novel.

And no, he is no way the real racist. That would be YOU. YOU are the one defending blatant racism, he is not.

And so Governor Devlin, because even the cost of freedom can be too high, I REFUSE your pardon!

[–] R_Kane (15828) a year ago

And you could have gotten laid. Instead, you posted here.

[–] RjanaR 9 years ago

Then why did you watch it? If you hate white-washing why waste your time with the movie. And if you didn't watch it because of white-washing why are you on a discussion board about a movie you haven't seen?

[–] tom_42 9 years ago

Only reason they were able to get the $178,000,000 to make the film was because it had Tom Cruise attached to it.

"Liberal Media" is the last resort of people who don't have facts on their side.

[–] Julian_Pope 9 years ago

Do you honestly have nothing better to do than parade around trying to be a social justice warrior? Why don't you get out into the world and go DO SOMETHING about your problems instead of just hiding behind your computer writing *beep* like this.

[–] chrislwmn3 9 years ago

Japan has a huge population. China has a massive population. They can make the film with Asian actors if they so choose.

Also, I read the book and while I wasn't thrilled about their casting choices other than Emily blunt- the movie was pretty entertaining.

[–] ranb40 8 years ago

But then every character of the book is barely recognizable in the movie. The Rita character was a weak person compared to the novel.

Ranb

[–] chrislwmn3 8 years ago

People should not expect a film to follow the books though. They haven't done well since movies were created.

Look at the abysmal Iliad "adaptation" called Troy. They turned a fantastical account of a world renown poem, and turned it into a character study of a pouting man-child while leaving out everything and everyone that made the epic great.

I at least enjoyed EoT even with the changes in character. Although I was annoyed when they killed Rita in one of the first re-run sequences. She was a beast in the book so you're correct that they weakened her in screen counterpart.

[–] JohnBonDon 8 years ago

Japan has a huge population. China has a massive population. They can make the film with Asian actors if they so choose.

This isn't about foreign film industries. This is about the United States which is a multi-ethnic country marginalizing Americans of color out of great lead roles via whitewashing. This is a white supremacist tradition that has gone on for 100 years and still continues as is evidenced with this trash of a production.

[–] chrislwmn3 8 years ago

All I see is a bunch of whining. Whites are the majority in the United States at the moment and that is the exact reason for the casting. The budget was already huge so why would they cast an actor like say byung lee for the lead role of a $150million project? What we would have had was a more accurate movie according to the book, but it probably wouldn't have made enough to warrant a sequel unfortunately. Tom Cruise is still a draw.

It's no different than the food service industry catering to the majority in that area. This stupid little hick town I moved to couldn't even support a single Dunkin Donuts yet the place supports 3 Bojangles that are only 5 miles apart.

If you think logically, you'd understand it, but SJW's never think logically. Instead, you're just being whiney.

[–] Razor187 8 years ago

If you did indeed read the book, you'd know that the cast of characters is diverse across various races (Rita is white, Ferrell is Latino, Shasta is Native American, etc). The populations of Japan and China are...not. Aside from maybe Canada, the US is just about the only country who could've done this right.

And so Governor Devlin, because even the cost of freedom can be too high, I REFUSE your pardon!

[–] chrislwmn3 8 years ago

Was this replied meant for me? If so, i doesn't really make sense considering my post.

[–] Razor187 8 years ago

Yes it was a reply to you. You said:
"Japan has a huge population. China has a massive population. They can make the film with Asian actors if they so choose."

But since those populations are monoracial, they CAN'T make it.

And so Governor Devlin, because even the cost of freedom can be too high, I REFUSE your pardon!

[–] SloppyJ30 8 years ago

Nothing about this story or the Keiji/Cage character makes the lead actor's race important. This isn't a case of John Wayne as Genghis Khan. If you can explain how the story makes more sense if an Asian actor had been cast instead if Tom Cruise, or how the commercial prospects of the film would have been enhanced, I'm all ears.

If your issue were important to the author of the novel, he should've made it a condition of any movie deal. He didn't. If he didn't care, why do you? He has more reason to care about such things than you do.

I would classify your beef as pure, unfiltered pettiness. It's about the most trivial, impotent way you can contribute to the world's civil rights problems as anyone could conceive.

[–] movie_nazi 8 years ago

And who pray tell would you cast that would be as big of a box office draw as Tom Cruise? Which Asian in their 20s can match his star power huh? You see, it's not a race thing, it's a money thing.

My Vote history: http://www.imdb.com/user/ur1914996/ratings

[–] Razor187 8 years ago

Then what's your justification for whitewashing the supporting characters (who were in the book AMERICANS to begin with)? And money is not an excuse for doing sh*tty things.

BTW the reason there isn't an Asian actor as big is exactly BECAUSE of racism like this. How is one ever supposed to make it to that if they are never hired for leads?

And so Governor Devlin, because even the cost of freedom can be too high, I REFUSE your pardon!

[–] movie_nazi 8 years ago

Then what's your justification for whitewashing the supporting characters (who were in the book AMERICANS to begin with)? And money is not an excuse for doing sh*tty things.

Well then maybe the author of the book should have put in a stipulation before he SOLD THE RIGHTS that the actor who portrays the main protagonist be of Asian descent like in his book. But money isn't an excuse right? If the author didn't have any problem selling the character out then neither should you.

My Vote history: http://www.imdb.com/user/ur1914996/ratings

[–] Razor187 8 years ago

Right, because he owns a crystal ball and could've seen how badly they'd f_uck up his work.

Also how do you even know that the rights were his to sell in the first place? Not every author has ownership of their work. Just ask Alan Moore.

And so Governor Devlin, because even the cost of freedom can be too high, I REFUSE your pardon!

[–] movie_nazi 8 years ago

Right, because he owns a crystal ball and could've seen how badly they'd f_uck up his work.

Also how do you even know that the rights were his to sell in the first place? Not every author has ownership of their work. Just ask Alan Moore.

And so Governor Devlin, because even the cost of freedom can be too high, I REFUSE your pardon!

People have the right to their own work until they give it up at some time. Alan Moore is a friggin' crybaby who could not accept that he gave up his right to his work when he needed money. Once he got financial security he NEVER gave up the right to his work no matter how much money they threw at him and he even talks about how empowering this is.

I have no sympathy for artists who complain about how they have misrepresented their art after they happily cashed the check given to them for selling it. If it is your art you always have the right to include stipulations or not sell it at all. And you don't have to have a crystal ball to know Hollywood will bastardize your work. It's simply common knowledge. Hollywood is a business and does not place artistic expression above dollars. If you need a crystal ball for this then you are mentally challenged.

My Vote history: http://www.imdb.com/user/ur1914996/ratings

[–] ChrRome 8 years ago

Most people consider this a very good movie so to suggest they f'ed up his work is ridiculous.

[–] JohnBonDon 8 years ago

Most people consider this a very good movie so to suggest they f'ed up his work is ridiculous.

Nice work with the logical fallacy known as "argumentum ad populum". 

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ChrRome 8 years ago

Well at least I didn't make a dumb blanket statement that the filmmakers must be racist by not casting an asian lead ;)

Maybe actually try addressing the people that specifically responded to your first post instead of the random tangents within it. You couldn't possibly be avoiding them because you have no reasonable rebuttal could you?

[–] Razor187 8 years ago

Then those people never read the book. Also, one has nothing to do with the other. The Starship Troopers movie (also incidentally with whitewashing) was well-liked by a lot of people, but anyone who knows anything about the book knows how completely unfaithful it is.

And so Governor Devlin, because even the cost of freedom can be too high, I REFUSE your pardon!