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What if everything the crazy right wing said about Obama was actually true? Meet freedom-hating Kenyan Socialist and “President-for-Life,” Barack Obama.
In this counterfactual satire, President-elect Trump dies in a mysterious fall from one of his towers, along with Mike Pence and Paul Ryan. A newscaster describes the occurrence as one of the worst luncheon-related tragedies ever. Despite the fact that Trump supporters suspect the White House of foul play, Obama is sworn in for a third term as president-for-life.
After this brief prelude as the opening credits roll, the film pans across the former United States. The year is now 2040, and Apple boasts an oversized iPhone version 23-S, loaded with all manner of new apps. A fragmented country consists of West Obamaland on the Pacific coast, East Obamaland along in the Northern Atlantic seaboard, the Borderlands to the south, and a vast stretch of flyover country in the middle – all of which lampoons the divisive political cultures now manifest in America.
We meet Isaac Anderson, who portrays our intrepid protagonist, Tinder. Obamanomics has replaced neoclassical and neo-Keynesian theories in the sharing economy. Tinder is an insecure, androgynous, Marxian economics professor at a community college in Silverlake, capital of West Obamaland. Later, after learning his girlfriend is pansexual, the couple breaks up. As a result of his anguish over the affair,Tinder and his best friend Xander, played by writer/director Greg Bergman, decide to take a road trip through the southern Borderlands.
In the course of his travels, Tinder observes Middle America comically fragmented into a collection of unaffiliated, moderately priced chain restaurants in a post-apocalyptic anarchy. Some of the caricatures include Applecheez, Chilibees, Cracker Garden, and Olive Barrel. Along the way, PBS has morphed into the Patriot Broadcasting Service, the official voice of these rebel factions.
Meanwhile, the White House has become the Rainbow House as redistribution and re-education policy constitute the order of the day. Obama daughters Sasha and Malia rule Sub-Saharan Africa. Vladimir Putin still controls Russia, while Nancy Pelosi keeps a seat at the table, albeit a mere shell of her former self.
Suitably campy performances abound throughout the film. Chris James does a nice interpretation of a bearded and aging Barack Obama, president-for-life. Christina Leidel serves up a strong presence as Hope White, legendary Trumpublican rebel. In one of her several delightful scenes, Leidel delivers a nice rendition of Mel Gibson as William Wallace from “Braveheart.”
P. David Miller is solid as Ed McCain, who looks like a pure-bred, rugged Texan only to later reveal that he is Canadian, born in Toronto. Robert Crayton as Laderius performs well as Obamaland’s defense czar. Mark Vincent as El Chapo also makes good use of his limited screen time.
Although President-for-Life Obama is portrayed as an unabashed socialist, there is a real tendency of the public – and in this case, the filmmakers – to conflate socialism with the stark alternatives of fascism and totalitarianism. Images of Hitler, Stalin, and North Korean dictators wash over the screen in one scene, yet as ruthless authoritarians, their regimes remained socialist in name only, if that.
Director Greg Bergman sprinkles some enjoyable parodies of famous films that include “Braveheart,” “The Shawshank Redemption,” and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” Although “Oblamaland” doesn’t fully tap the potential for satire, the film certainly lands more than a few punches.
As but two examples, in the post-Obama world – similar to corporations – guns have been granted the same rights as people. But perhaps most importantly, in 2040, moderately-priced restaurant chains have united under the single banner of Applecheez, signifying freedom in a white America restored to its former greatness.
Available on DVD & Digital December 4th
This is a truly brilliant satire. All the intelligence is buried deep but an astute viewer will notice the deft finesse with which this one handles toxic subjects. It makes it all the way to the end without once being mean spirited.