Ari Aster's Eddington Divides Audiences, Critiques 2020 Wokeness

Eddington, Ari Aster’s latest film, is a polarizing black dramedy set in May 2020 New Mexico, portraying the chaotic social and political upheaval during the early COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd protests. The film uniquely incorporates the omnipresence of digital devices and social media, reflecting modern life’s toxic information bubbles and the challenges they pose to cinematic storytelling. Unlike traditional Westerns that romanticize freedom and individualism, Eddington presents a contemporary Western framed by Frederick Jackson Turner’s theory on the closing of the American frontier, portraying a society constrained by industrial and social complexities. Critics and audiences are divided, with some appreciating the film’s satirical take on both progressive and conservative ideologies, while others find its third act undisciplined and confusing, leading to meme responses and walkouts. The film challenges viewers by confronting themes of mask mandates, racial protests, and political polarization, without fully siding with any ideological camp, thus reflecting the fractured nature of the era. Overall, Eddington stands out as a contentious but thought-provoking critique of 2020 America, blending genre conventions with sharp social commentary.