Art is the perfect medium for political criticism and exploration, and film is no exception. The medium has long been used as a tool for politics, whether as propaganda or contrarian outsider work. From All the President’s Men to The Manchurian Candidate, some of the all-time best movies have distinct political angles in service of a more dramatic or thrilling narrative.
The 21st century has been quite consistent in producing quality political movies that entertain, inform, criticize, and even satirize situations that borrow directly from real life. From honest biopics to biting satires and even thinly veiled allegories, there is a broad range of mediums and storytelling techniques that are applied to the exploration of politics. This list will rank the best political movies of the 21st century based on their overall quality and how well they address the politics at the center of their riveting stories.
10
‘The Post’ (2017)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Set in 1971, The Post depicts the efforts of real reporters at The Washington Post as they tried to acquire and release the Pentagon Papers. The papers were a series of reports regarding American interference in Vietnam, the expanding scope of American action on Vietnamese soil, and the manner in which it had been hidden from the American people. While freedom of the press and whistleblowing will always be important, The Post has become more relevant than ever in the last few years.
The Washington Post, which was once considered a bastion of journalism and high-quality reporting, is now owned by Jeff Bezos, taking a so-called “hands-off” approach. The controversial billionaire recently announced that The Washington Post will no longer publish opinion pieces that don’t promote “personal liberties and free markets.” It isn’t a coincidence that a paper of such standing is now no more than an asset in an oligarch’s portfolio.
The Post
- Release Date
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December 22, 2017
- Runtime
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116minutes
9
‘V For Vendetta’ (2005)
Directed by James McTeigue
The UK is under the thumb of a fascist totalitarian regime that keeps the populus under surveillance and subjugation. Among the tyranny, masked vigilante and freedom fighter V (Hugo Weaving) uses anarchy and terroristic techniques to try and undermine the regime. Young anarchist Evey (Natalie Portman) gets swept up in V’s elaborate plans to overthrow the government.
While the imagery and iconography of V For Vendetta has since been co-opted by online edge lords, the inherent value of the film, and the Alan Moore graphic novel upon which it was based, remains. The true, gritty nature of the fight against totalitarianism and authoritarianism is rendered effectively and stylishly in this big-screen adaptation of a classic literary work. It’s an unconventional but rather powerful superhero movie that ranks among the genre’s most interesting efforts in the new millennium.
V For Vendetta
- Release Date
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March 17, 2006
- Runtime
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132 minutes
8
‘Argo’ (2012)
Directed by Ben Affleck
In 1979, Iranian extremists stormed the US embassy in Tehran and took 66 embassy staff hostage. A handful of the workers managed to escape and sought refuge at the Canadian embassy while waiting for rescue. While planning how the hostages and workers at the embassy can be rescued, the State Department and CIA develop a plan, sending a team of operatives masquerading as a movie crew scouting Tehran for filming locations.
Argo is certainly one of the more lighthearted yet realistic spy movies of the 21st century. The true story it’s based on is harrowing, but it represents an American government on the defensive trying to act in the best interests of its citizens. While this is seldom the case in reality, Argo portrays a thrilling story about the ingenuity and bravery of those involved in the hostage rescue mission.
Argo
- Release Date
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October 12, 2012
7
‘El Conde’ (2023)
Directed by Pablo Larraín
In the 18th century, a royalist French soldier is found out to be a vampire. Over time, he witnesses the French Revolution, the execution of Marie Antoinette and a wide range of political upheaval. He eventually ends up in Chile and joins the army, rising through the ranks and eventually becoming the Chilean dictator known as Augusto Pinochet.
Satire and a dark comedic outlook are such accessible and effective tools for discussing difficult topics, including fascism and authoritarianism. El Conde is a beautifully shot, sobering, yet comedic exploration of a former dictator wishing to put an end to his immortality. Satire can be powerful and provocative, and in the case of El Conde, casting a dictator as a dwindling vampire helps to break down the reputation of a man who is undeserving of respect or legacy.
6
‘Miss Sloane’ (2016)
Directed by John Madden
Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain) is a workaholic lobbyist. Her work requires her to influence politics from behind the scenes and sway political outcomes and public opinion based on the needs of her clients. Elizabeth’s newest client is backing a bill to increase checks and balances associated with owning firearms. The work takes Elizabeth and her junior staff member, Esme (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), on a dark journey.
Gun violence and what can be done to prevent it is a complex and controversial issue to some. To others, it is a straightforward decision between profit and individualism versus public safety and the good of a community. While there are many moral reasons behind people’s decisions on the matter, Miss Sloane examines how little morals have to do with it. Instead, influence is gained and kept through favors, donations and other underhanded tactics.
Miss Sloane
- Release Date
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December 9, 2016
- Writers
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Jonathan Perera
5
‘The Favourite’ (2018)
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
In Great Britain in the early 18th century, Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) is the head of state. Despite her power, she is uninterested in ruling and instead raises pet rabbits and mourns the many miscarriages she has endured. As the Queen spirals emotionally, two cousins, Abigail Hill (Emma Stone) and Lady Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz), vie for the Queen’s attention and interest. Whoever captures Queen Anne’s interest essentially has control over her choices and sizable influence and assets.
Politics is so much more intimate than it seems. While governments shape entire countries and futures, much of what they achieve is due to their networks, friendships, and the dirt they have on each other. The Favourite is a prime example of how a vulnerable leader can be swayed by those around her. While the films are wildly different, The Favourite wasn’t the only period film of the century to examine the way a royal can be a puppet. A Royal Affair is an excellent period political drama that touches on similar themes.
The Favourite
- Release Date
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November 23, 2018
4
‘Inside Job’ (2010)
Directed by Charles Ferguson
Former angel investor and political science and mathematics student Charles Ferguson was interested in the 2008 global financial crisis and had a unique insight into the financial crash due to his background. He invested his time and education into a documentary about the topic, which would ultimately be narrated by Matt Damon and would win Best Documentary Feature at the 2011 Oscars.
The global financial crisis of 2008 changed the world. Its impact has touched many people, but its origins seem complex and have been intentionally muddied by parties who benefit from public ignorance. Inside Job takes a deep dive into exactly what occurred, how it could happen again, and how average people suffered while the architects of the disaster reaped the rewards. The documentary is dry and straightforward, but its lack of frills gives weight and importance to its important subject matter.
3
‘The Death of Stalin’ (2017)
Directed by Armando Iannucci
The suffocation of Moscow’s influence is ever present, and the oversight of Joseph Stalin (Adrian McLoughlin) is inescapable. So, when the dictator falls unconscious and eventually dies, there is much confusion about what should be done to manage the situation. Stalin’s closest advisors are informed, but they struggle to find doctors for their leader, as most “are in the gulag or dead.”
The Death of Stalin is a sharp and relevant satire that explores the consequences of living in a post-truth world. When a dictator is invincible, doctors and the educated are the enemy, and changes are perceived as failure; thus, it’s hard to know what to do when a change in leadership is required. The match of the historical event and the satirical lens are a perfect combination in The Death of Stalin. The reality of this period of history was already so farcical that the satirical take feels like an ideal fit for exploring this part of history.
The Death of Stalin
- Release Date
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October 20, 2017
- Runtime
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107 Minutes
2
‘Idiocracy’ (2006)
Directed by Mike Judge
Joe (Luke Wilson) is a librarian with the US Army who decides to participate in a military experiment involving hibernation. The other participant in the experiment is sex worker Rita (Maya Rudolph). Shortly after the experiment begins, something goes wrong, and the pair ends up in hibernation for 500 years. When they awake, the anti-intellectualist influence has taken hold of the world. Smart people have abstained from having children, and the less educated have had more than ever. The result is a society that is so dumb that average Joe becomes the smartest man on the planet.
While Idiocracy didn’t initially succeed financially or critically, the Mike Judge film has since been credited as a prescient and depressing view of a potential future. As intellectualism continues to be vilified, Idiocracy‘s in-your-face approach to the topic is cathartic and slightly terrifying. Anti-intellectualism isn’t the only trend in Idiocracy‘s firing line. The film also examines population growth, the impacts of child-free individuals and how essential population growth is to the capitalist agenda.
Idiocracy
- Release Date
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September 1, 2006
1
‘Children of Men’ (2006)
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
An inexplicable blight of infertility has swept the planet. The last baby to be born is now 19 years old and is publicly assassinated. While the planet grieves, bureaucrat Theo (Clive Owen) is kidnapped by a militant group of refugee-rights advocates. The group is led by Theo’s ex-wife, Julian (Julianne Moore), who has a mission that requires Theo’s assistance: acquiring papers for refugee Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey), who is the first pregnant woman in 18 years.
While this incredible Alfonso Cuarón film isn’t explicitly about politics, it is rarely possible to explore dystopia without making it political. The authoritarian anti-immigration culture that impacts the film’s characters is a direct product of the infertility epidemic at the center of the plot. Children of Men is a stark reminder that when things become difficult, it becomes easier for fascist regimes and authoritarian governments to seize control and take advantage of the situation for their benefit.
Children of Men
- Release Date
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January 5, 2007
