"Performative activism has always, always been a thing, but there's something to be said for how much easier it feels now with the advent of social media. I'm not afraid to admit that I feel good reposting mutual aid requests from those who need the support, and making my political sentiments known on my Instagram story. I also acknowledge that it's not enough, and am less eager to admit that I don't always do everything I can to truly make a difference."
"Of course, I'm not the only one: so many of us - too many of us - are far more comfortable sharing a black square on our Instagram feeds, or a hashtag on X, than affirming those beliefs IRL. It's the nature of our reality, blurred by the lens of social media and defined by screen time. But what happens when the tragedies overseas reach our shores, and we're called to act - for real, this time?"
"Most of us may live our lives never getting a true chance to make good on our intentions, but Mike Tyler - the reluctant star of Romain Gavras' Sacrifice, played by Chris Evans - is one of the lucky few who gets a real, inescapable opportunity to change the world. That is, admittedly, because he's practically held at gunpoint to do it, and that's just one of the bonkers choices Gavras makes in his English-language debut."
Performative activism has become easier and more common with social media, often replacing direct, real-world action. Many people prefer symbolic gestures like reposts, black squares, or hashtags to tangible commitment. The film Sacrifice centers on Mike Tyler, a reluctant figure forced into consequential action, highlighting the tension between online virtue signaling and embodied protest. Romain Gavras' English-language debut makes bold, sometimes bonkers choices, framing the story as more earnest than many recent "eat the rich" satires. Chris Evans gives a meta, fearless performance that skewers public personas and may revitalize this class-conscious thriller subgenre.
Read at Inverse
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