The White House has faced intense criticism after releasing a social media video that combines footage of the U.S. military attacks on Iran with scenes from video games and popular action movies.
Reports indicate the released video lasts about 40 seconds to one minute, mixing real footage of military operations with clips from games and movies such as Call of Duty, Iron Man, Top Gun: Maverick, as well as hero characters and action scenes from various Hollywood films.
The clip was posted on the White House's social media account with the political message "Justice the American Way," edited in the style of an action movie trailer, featuring sound effects and video game-style music rhythms.
Criticism arose that it "makes war look like entertainment."
Following the video's release, many social media users, academics, and entertainment figures criticized the combination of real war footage with entertainment media, warning that it could cause the violence of war to be perceived as if it were a game or movie.
Even Hollywood actor Ben Stiller criticized the clip, stating "War is not a movie," and called for the removal of the video that used his work without permission.
Meanwhile, some veterans and scholars pointed out that presenting war in a game-like format might lead the public to overlook the real impacts of conflict and loss of life.
Media experts view the clip as reflecting the use of online media strategies and meme culture to build political support and control the narrative of war in the digital world.
However, many critics believe this type of presentation may downplay the severity of war and make conflicts appear overly like entertainment or propaganda.
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