OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Conservative filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza has showcased his long-awaited new movie “Police State” and judging by the reception it is going to be the hottest movie in recent memory for conservative audiences.
The screening happened at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate to a packed house full of star-studded attendees including the former president himself, former Fox News host and podcast star Dan Bongino, who is involved in the film, and many more of the who’s who in the conservative movement.
Fresh off the success of his “2,000 Mules” movie, D’Souza was optimistic about the success of this new venture when Conservative Brief spoke to him ahead of the screening.
The filmmaker explained why he chose the former president’s personal residence to host the premiere event.
“We are having it at Mar-a-Lago because Trump is the primary target of the police state, D’Souza said.
The movie, which is in theaters, he said, “opened to rave reviews” and ‘it is streaming on multiple platforms and is also available on DVD.”
D’Souza has had a series of hit movies but he believes this one may be the most special, and most important, movie he has made.
“This is quite likely my most cinematic film and also the most frightening one, he said. “Not because I used the techniques of cinematography but because the reality of what’s going on is frightening.”
D’Souza spoke to The Washington Examiner about his new movie, which began screening in select theaters on October 23 & 25, and what he believes is happening in America.
“I came to America as an immigrant in the late 1970s because America offers these basic inviolable liberties: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, the right to assemble, the right to petition the government, equal justice under the law. These rights are supposed to be above politics. Even a majority cannot override these rights,” the filmmaker said.
“It’s been very shocking to me to see the way in which all these rights are now in jeopardy. And so that’s the theme of “Police State,” and clearly, the results of the Rasmussen survey show that this is a theme that worries not just me, but also the American people,” he said.
On the movie’s website the staff, which includes D’Souza and conservative host Dan Bongino, spoke about what they see happening in America.
“’Police State’ is a movie that I never wanted to make, because I never wanted America to get to a point where a movie like this needed to be made. I feel like the animal that alerts the herd to approaching danger, so we can take precautionary steps before it’s too late,” D’Souza said.
“The police state isn’t coming, it’s already here. The signs are everywhere. And once you recognize them, your senses will be heightened to the danger we’re all in,” Bongino said..
Actor Nick Searcy, who stars in the movie, said “The relentless persecution of political opponents by the party in power is a hallmark of totalitarian countries. In a police state, the only real crime is daring to question the State. America is now a police state.”
A recent poll by Rasmussen Reports survey showed that 72 percent of respondents said that they are worried that “America is becoming a police state.”
The description Rasmussen used to describe a “police state” was “a tyrannical government that engages in mass surveillance, censorship, ideological indoctrination, and targeting of political opponents.”
The poll showed that 76 percent of Republicans believed that the nation is becoming a police state but, stunningly, 67 percent of Democrats believed the same.
That likely means that this movie has premiered at the perfect time for Americans, conservative or liberal, who are seeing the same thing that D’Souza is.
