In continuation of our article on the Netflix documentary “The Social Dilemma,” we present to you a film on the theme of new technologies and social networks. The feature film “The Social Network” by David Fincher was released just over 10 years ago today and tells the story of Mark Zuckerberg, co-creator of Facebook. We all know the social network, but few are aware of the drama surrounding its creation.
This Fincher masterpiece ranks high on the list of the best films of the past decade and elevates itself to the status of a harbinger of our current society. The plot may seem mundane, but the fabulous production team and talented actors make us experience the story of these men in an intimate way. Additionally, each visual, technical, and audio aspect carries meaning. Behind the drama of friendships and collaborations lies a reflection on the consequences and impacts of the digital revolution on our world.
Behind the image of a forward-thinking genius, the film reveals all the convictions that drove Mark Zuckerberg to create one of the largest companies in the world. He has the image of both an admirable and detestable man. Firstly, because he is an excellent, ambitious student. However, he harbors resentment towards those superior to him on the social scale and looks down on those below. Nevertheless, the direction evokes empathy for him. In his moments of doubt, he is filmed in wide shots in the vastness of Harvard University. The imagery and soundtrack make us experience all possible emotions towards the protagonist.
The images take precedence over dialogue with explicit and critical shots about the methods used by social networks. But they also symbolize the upheaval of social hierarchies brought about by the arrival of new technologies. Among the collaborators and enemies Mark encounters, a social identity shock gradually breaks throughout the feature film. It is through this that new forms of social elites emerge.
According to David Fincher, Zuckerberg revolutionized the world by breaking free from the established rules of the early 2000s. When looking closely at the filmmaker’s work, one can draw parallels with Fight Club, released in 1999.
A decade after the film about the creator of Facebook, it is even more significant than at its release and concerns almost the entire Silicon Valley. Because with their current ethical and moral questions about the resale of data and online anonymity, we can conclude that The Social Network was visionary.
