High expectations but low rise ultimately

As is not unusual these days, the High Rise trailer was far better than the film. As such I went with high expectations but in the end I was a tad bored and not a little disturbed. This is probably one of the most disturbing films you are likely to see at the cinema this year: so be prepared!

The acting was earnest but the plot was confusing and it went on far too long, I assume to stay reasonably faithful to the original J G Ballard story. I must say though, I have to admire Tom Hiddleston's stealth campaign to be cast as the next Bond: as one character says to his character in the film "you are one of the few people who look better with their clothes off than on". So if he can nail looking not too bad in a dinner suit, he has probably got it in the bag.

One of the things that always irritates me about dystopian films like this, is the oft casual assumption that society descends into vicious anarchy in the absence of clear leadership and control. I don't agree that would happen as I think a new form of leadership would emerge.

But I think what is likely is that in such circumstances, is the quality and speed at which new leadership is established is dependent on the leadership that was present before. Excellent leadership does not leave a vacuum behind. Instead good leaders create the conditions into which the next leadership can come into being easily and swiftly, once the occasion demands.

How well are you creating the conditions for the next leadership?

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Blog 161: in my 2014/15/16 series of blogs about leadership ideas to be found in the movies of our time. You can read here as why I began doing this (with updates at the end of 2014 and 2015). Please subscribe to this blog if you want to read more. Thanks. Click the label 'film' to see all the others.