Isn’t it interesting when we begin questioning honesty, empathy, talking about kindness, thinking that we are the best human beings? Thinking that our rights were discriminated just because someone got into our phone remotely? Maybe that’s a true privacy issue. Some children scream and yell around that the toy they wanted was not purchased by their parents. To calm them down, we do what we have to – give them what they want. The issue here is not about spoiled children. Neither about spoiled adults nor society. Not about priorities we set for ourselves to live a better, rather fulfilling life. The problem here is much bigger, and by spending just three minutes to watch Ryan LaPlante’s “The Devil’s Due”, you will understand why.
“The Devil’s Due” begins with the title character, Lucifer himself, who does something unheard of – addressing the audience by spelling out every single thing we have done to ourselves, to this world long after Devil decided to withdraw his contribution into ruining our planet. He says, “We, people, are the cause of every trouble that happens. Wars, starvation, rotten society, demands we set high, and frankly, being too selfish to think about others.” The film explores the anger of Devil and the promise that the end is near with no chance for the humanity to redeem itself.
“Hello, I am Lucifer”, Devil begins his speech. After his claim that he no longer brings harm to people, he continues by separating one part of the society from another, “Wearing clothes sewn by children dying in the third world. The arrogance of it that you can separate their world that is not your own,” he angrily finishes his most important line. But that is just the beginning. By looking around, especially looking at politics, it is eye opening message from a small and short movie that may not be seen by many, but carries a message we all should hear. “People tolerate sexism, racism, homophobia, zenophobia. Our political leaders ally with murderers, torturers and rapists in the name of unjustifiable reasons.”
“The Devil’s Due” is one of those short movies that hit where it hurts most. It knows how to navigate from one issue built by us to another. It reminds us that while some of us drink cold beer, elderly people die without air conditioning. Families die due to starvation and some of us go on strike because we want more money. Fair enough! But what happens in the other part of the world where people do not even earn close to what we do? LaPlante is brillant at bringing up every single concern in such a fashion that, honestly speaking, won’t be quickly forgotten.
In conclusion, “The Devil’s Due” is a terrifyingly honest piece of art. LaPlante does what many would fail to achieve. He, as many others, feels fed up of all the hypocrisy and injustice, so he ends up creating one little movie with an issue larger than the world. It’s brilliant and simply intelligent, painful and relevant. And as Troy Blundell’s Lucifer says, “So despite all these, you go back to your home. Just remember, next time when you watch heroes battle a monster, you’re not the hero. You’re the monster. And the real horror is the world you built.” If it is what we want for ourselves, dear reader, then there’s nothing to complain about. But if not, then maybe and maybe tomorrow since today has already passed with the damage we have done, we can rebuild our world in a humane way. With one hope, that it won’t be too late.