Fear and Trembling

Rating: 9/10 (29 December 2007)

The basic plot of the film is that there are monsters on the loose trying to kill everyone. However, there is so much more to this film. The deeper meaning of the film is fear.
This film is very allegorical. I would argue that the grocery store and the town are a microcosm of America. The monsters represent terrorists. Mrs. Carmody represents conservative republican fundamentalist Christians. David Drayton represents the liberal Hollywood elite. The conflict between Mrs. Carmody's group and David Drayton's group represents the divide in America between the red states and blue states. Mrs. Carmody tries to sacrifice David Drayton's son. This represents young soldiers being "sacrificed" for the war on terror. The symbolism in this film goes on....
The actors are excellent and unknown to most people. This helps the viewers lose themselves in the film. People will either love or hate the ending. I like the ending because I think it is in keeping with the film's message of what fear can do to people. I also think it symbolizes how America may destroy itself with fear. As President Roosevelt stated, "The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself."