Film Analysis: 'Black Mirror, Fifteen Million Merits'

Fifteen Million Merits is the first anthology series, Black Mirror directed by Euros Lyn. The episode takes place in the virtual world where humans exist in the digital world. The society has to cycle on the stationary bikes to earn ‘merits’ which are the digital currency predominantly utilize in the consumption of digital entertainment and essential needs. The exposition plot reveals the establishes the setting and the conflicts in the story. Initial of the story is the introduction of Bing Madsen’s lifestyle who is the protagonist, an adolescent that is unsatisfied with his living condition as he feels unrealistic. The settings take place in an enclosed facility that occupies a deluge of people who have repetitive daily life. The rising action is where Bing met a young woman called Abi Khan and fascinated by her voice upon hearing her singing in the bathroom He immediately found a chance to praise Abi’s voice and convinced her to elevate her talent by joining the ‘Hot Shot’ talent show. Bing enthusiastically talked about his monotonous and frustrating life. Bing insisted on sending Abi to audition with gifting Abi a golden ticket worth fifteen million merits enabling her to escape into the real world. The crucial turning point is during her audition, her amazing voice was unanimously recognized by the audience but the judges weren’t interested in her voice. Despite, the judges exploit her to turn into one of the erotic celebrity. In desperation, she agreed because of the pressure and she drank “Cuppliance” beverage before performing. The climax arises when Bing felt guilty to cause Abi’s life devastated and decided to return ‘Hot Shot’ as an entertainer to revenge for Abi. He threatens the judges with a shard of glass to his neck and delivers a heated rant towards them. The falling action refers to the points where he agreed to deliver contents on his channel. The ending is that he lives in the real world and enjoys affluence. The synthesis for contrast is the perspective of Bing views the future is different from the others as he desires for freedom.

Bing Madsen is the protagonist character that is well developed with valuable characteristics. Bing's height and build are fairly average with two identities which are bike rider as well as an entertainer. His aim is to assist Abi to escape into the real world through the ‘Hot Shot’ audition. His character’s attributes are presented with persistence, generosity, faithfulness, and determinator, making him an unsympathetic character. His persistence is able to portray where Bing is a person who is persistence with his own decision making. Persistence in a healthy lifestyle and the consistent in convincing Abi to participate in the audition. He is consistent in exercising and consuming fruit to stay healthy. Besides, his faithfulness is able to be portrayed with the emotional feeling and dialogue where he has a conversation passionately with Abi about his frustrating life as well as his desire towards life. He has the faith in Abi and believes that her talents will certainly pass the audition. The generosity of Bing has been presented by the action of giving Abi the ticket worth fifteen million merits that enable her to participate in the audition. In fact, that amount of merits is equivalent to all the property he owns which reconnect with his generosity as the merits that his own enable to assure his future. Furthermore, Bing has determinator core value has enhanced in the plot where he determines to focus on forcing himself to the breakthrough point as he intended to oppose the power and discrimination on stratified class structure. The external conflict of the character is the argument with the judges about his dissatisfaction with Abi’s case.

"Fifteen Million Merits" incorporates genre of dystopian fiction and science fiction. Dystopian fiction occurs as social stratification utilizes in the exploration of dark side social and political structure. The concept portrays through the capitalist system as the society was under government control, technological control and loss of individualism. The characteristic of Dystopian fiction in the film refers to the freedom of the society where they are restricted and experience social life that consists of the allegedly authoritarian regimes. The class structure has compartmentalized into three levels which are the lower class, middle class and upper class. For instance, the evidence is the cleaner symbolized as lower class, middle class refers to the cyclist and upper class represented by the ‘Hot Shot’ judges where the upper class enjoys glorious life. The neoliberalism that applied in the economic structure is enhanced in Bing on the process of earning the ‘merits’ will reverse back to the governing system. Besides, the genre style that indicates the traits of science fiction is the advancement of technology. The screening platform reveals an entirely new world dominated by society through the appearance of avatars, Doppel which is people’s incarnation. The Doppel represents the people in a virtual platform, a social network that connects the entire society for engagement. The traits that reflect on futuristic is surrounded by a platform surface that constantly broadcasts on entertainment, advertisement and utilization of digital currency, ‘merits’. The design of the illustration represents depression and a monotonous future. The setting of tone for Bing’s environment and facilities presented in shades of grey and dim colour besides the advertisement that was shown. The minimalistic decoration and design with black floors, walls, with the dim light appearance.

The main idea of the episode is the issues regarding social evolution and effect on the advancement of technology. The film emphasizes on the detriment of technological advancement cause the society to feel that they are living in a counterfeit environment and unrealistic life. In the film, Bing feels fatigued with his monotonous life due to the consequence of technology. He feels emptiness till he meets Abi who makes him have encouragement and passion for life. Society is inseparable from the existence of technology causes entertainment and advertising are pervasive. The technology advancement creates an enclosed living that in build with shades of grey designated facilities causes hesitation. The film allows the audience to be responsible and be aware of the inherent threat of cyber society. The technology may harm society and transform people’s behaviour that eliminates humanity. Besides, the emphasization on the advertisements which is a denotative practice by society. The advertising in the film occupies most of the surface area and is forced to view the advertisement as well as entertainment. The corruption of entertainment values are critical as humanity in society has been eliminated. In a materialistic society, everyone is being filmed and pornography isn’t a crime to be broadcast. The disadvantages destroy the relationship between them as the avatars have to replace as a character in the virtual world.

Lastly, the film shows the audience a dark reflection on social class structure and the portraying feminism as a subordinate. The social class structure has portrayed the difference of position in society. The lower class refers to the cleaner and people from ‘Botherguts Show’, a middle class refers to the cyclist and lastly, the upper class who are the elite. The environment is filled with physical labour from a stratified class structure, the advancement of technology causes the lower class people being insulted and teased. They obey the rules to accomplish repetitive work every day without questioning the system. For instance, the ‘Botherguts’ is a show that involves shaming and teasing obesity that is unreasonable to satisfy the demand of the higher social class. In order to escape from the social class is through a reality show. Portraying feminism in the media as the sexualisation object is considered as entertainment. The exploitation of women for entertainment can prove where Abi accepted the offer as the erotic celebrities and it’s looked normal in the society. The advancement causes society to fulfill its demands without considering others' feelings.