An explanation to Revolver by Guy Ritchie

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Animus
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Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2008 4:31 pm

An explanation to Revolver by Guy Ritchie

Post by Animus »

Tried explaining this scene to a friend(s) earlier, thought I'd share it here too.

The scene is the alternate ending to Guy Ritchie's Revolver
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNM1GhSQ ... re=related

In this scene Jason Stathom's character Jake has overcome his own ego and the scene begins with him thinking to himself "Aw, I know you are still there." Judging by my own pscyhe this sentence is probably meant to refer to a non-linguistic intuition. As probably most of the statements in the scene are. You have to think of them as representing a much subtler movement of mind. Guy has used linguistic narratives to make reference to thinking-feeling processes in the human mind to illustrate to concept of ego.

Jake realizes that he hasn't completely rid himself of egotism but that he will have to continue to wage an inner battle against himself. He wants to because this aspect of himself has caused him nothing but trouble and he is learning that it is not realistic. "because I can feel you dieing. Tapping me for a little nutrition" given the circumstances it is probably fear that is attempting to hold sway over his conscious mind and he is able in this moment to realize the error of fear and subdue the beast. Jake tells himself that it is correct for his ego to be desperate because he is deliberately rooting it out "the walls are moving in, no food here, not today sunshine". Jake qualifies that the imposing feelings are in error "eyes are open and the restaurant is closed" and attempts to eliminate the influence "jog on, slide off, find someone else to fill your pipe, someone who won't see you coming."

Now the scene introduces Ray Liota's character Macha. At this stage of the game Macha's mind is fucked up beyond all reality. The insanity of the ego has taken control over him and ultimately results in him killing himself. The first thought, or more importantly the first concern to cross Macha's mind is whether or not Jake thinks he is a bad man. This is indicative of egotistical striving. Actually everything Macha thinks and says throughout the remainder of the scene is a pointer to the phenomena known as ego. Throughout the remainder of the scene Jake's mind is silent of egotistical striving and he says nothing to Macha while Macha twists his own mind toward self-destruction.

‎"You think I don't know your fucking game. Well I do, I know your game."

The ego wants to be best all the time and it can't handle being stupid. Egoism is really about valuing oneself unrealistically. Or placing too much value on the value of oneself. Ego strives on things like self-esteem, positive thinking, and anything else which is inherently dualistic. Anything which can obscure the true value of self. In actuality, Macha is losing at the game, he is about to lose the game entirely. But still his ego is so strong that he cannot accept his own ignorance. He retaliates by claiming to be "Jake's Game."

"You don't play by the rules Mr. Green, you like to play silly games with my head."

Macha is pointing out that Jake doesn't react to Macha's egotistical influences the way normal human beings would. Unlike everyone else Macha has ever met, Jake is free of the con. Macha's own twisted mind can't find a way to deal with Jake. Macha's mind has to win at Jake's game, but Jake isn't playing any games. Actually Macha is playing all the games with himself, Jake is just standing across the room.

‎"whiner, you pussy whiner piece of shit, shut, shut up, leave me alone"

These are very subtle microprocesses occurring in rapid succession and somewhat over-lapping in Macha's barely conscious (sub-conscious) mind. They are essentially anxious up to the point where his super-ego subdues his ego by yelling at it.

"He chose his hiding place very carefully"

This is a statement made by Zavi, played by Andre Benjamin. The "He" Zavi is referring to is the ego. There is a background in the film about "He" being "Sam Gold" whom "no one sees, but sees everyone." It is very confusing so forget it. The hiding place is you.

‎"I can't let him kill me"

At this point Macha is worried that Jake is going to kill him and he doesn't want that to happen because it will make him look weak. Macha is so deluded that he actually thinks his self-image is going to matter to him after he is dead. The next thought reflects this "you are weak"

"just do it, you are a dead man anyway"

Macha's ego is tempting him to kill himself so that he can appear stronger than if Jake had killed him. It tells him that Jake is going to kill him anyway and he should save face and off himself. Jake has no intention of killing Macha he just wants his friend's daughter Rebecca to return safely home. In reality the greatest act of strength for Macha at this moment is to change to love and forgiveness. He still has to find a way to win the game.

‎"the word 'excuse' does not exist in Sam Gold's lexicon. it's this Sam Gold I found myself chained to"

These are memories to prior scenes in the film. Sam Gold was a fictional character agents of truth made up as a reference to ego. One of these enlightened masters is Zavi whom along with another has guided Jake to this point. "Sam Gold" made a deal with Macha that was a set-up Macha couldn't follow through on, but Macha was never really in danger from the outside because Sam Gold is in his head. It is all very confusing. And this part can probably just be taken as Macha fearing that his debt to Sam Gold ensures he is a dead man.

‎"get control of yourself"

Macha experiences another rapid succession of over-lapping taunts and his super-ego again tries to dominate, but he is taunted by another statement made by one of Sam Gold's agents "it's anything but under control isn't it"

"where is your pride"

Everything Macha experiences is associated, the threat that he was losing control lead to wanting to pump himself back up and then he turned the gun on Rebecca. But Macha couldn't bring himself to kill Rebecca and he began to turn his thoughts back to suicide.

The scene continues on in like fashion, Macha wonders why Jake is just standing there, worries that Jake and Sam Gold are going to kill him. Reasons that Jake will not win the game if he kills himself "He can't kill a dead man, can he?" Macha feels some sense of relief from finding a way to win "Jake's" game, but doesn't want to die, since Macha can see no other way out of his twisted mental prison he resorts to degrading himself again and taunting himself to go through with it."You can't even do it, can you?" Finally Macha's twisted mind causes him to hallucinate, he envisions Jake taunting him by holding a gun to his own head, Jake does not actually do this. Macha reacts in an "Try me!" pose and then pulls the trigger.
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