Tag: Dwayne Johnson social anxiety

Two Major Social Anxiety Scenes in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Getting “sucked into a video game” has never been a literal expression. It has always been more metaphorical than anything. But now, after 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, being sucked into a video game has become a thing. In fact, it’s such a thing that they made a sequel which was released 2 years later (Jumanji: The Next Level). Look, I’ve never been a huge gamer or anything, but after watching The Rock, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, and Jack Black handle their business, I’ve become more interested. The adventures, the action, and the storyline, all kind of drew me in to their illustrious world of jungles and jewels. Not to mention, the combination of all four of those characters is funny as the name “jumanji.”

Although I’m a fan of the 4 main stars of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, this article is more focused on the their teenage counterparts, who are their real characters in the movie. In other words, the teenagers got sucked into the video game to become the 4 stars of the movie (DJ, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black). Specifically, there are two scenes in the movie which focus on these teens and potential social anxiety moments. Click here to check out just what the hell Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) what why sufferers dread Red Face.

Social Anxiety Scene 1: The Principals Office

Alex Wolff (Spencer, left) and Ser’Darius Blain (Fridge, right) sitting in the principals office while their teacher and principal read the evidence of them cheating. They were caught.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

Movie: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

Social Anxiety Scene: While in the principals office, Spencer is informed that he has been caught helping Fridge cheat on his essay by the teacher

Anxiety provoking event:

  1. While sitting in front of principal and teacher, and sitting next to a popular dude that he wants to be friends with, the teacher is reading the last paragraph of Fridge’s essay while comparing it to Spencer’s paper. The duration of time during which she is reading and comparing leads to anticipation that Spencer is about to be in trouble.
  2. Direct accusation for doing something wrong by authority figures is a huge trigger.
  3. Spencer defends himself against thee allegations while Fridge is looking on. His defenses are weak and just plain ridiculous.

Anticipation

As he is listening to his teacher speak about the evidence against him, Spencer (Alex Wolff) looks worried as he anticipates forthcoming accusation and punishment.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

When someone with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) knows that he/she is about to get in trouble, the build-up of fear of judgement intensifies. The anticipation of trouble and scolding by authority figures, especially in front of others, becomes too strong. Anticipating getting into trouble is a huge trigger and will actually lead to Red Face. In other words, just the thoughts of what is about to happen will lead to intense sweating and blushing. This is an SAD persons worst moment. It is awful.

Direct Accusation

Fridge (Ser’Darius Blain, left) and Spencer (Alex Wolff, right) sit in the principals office in front of the principal and teacher. Spencer is accused of writing Fridge’s essay and Fridge is accused of cheating.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

Authority figures can be scary enough to some people. But they are even more frightening when they point their fingers at you in accusation. Both the teacher and the principal showed Spencer and Fridge their similar essays and then suggested that Spencer is involved in helping Fridge cheat. When an SAD sufferer knows that they did something wrong and are being scolded about it by authority figures, it can immediately lead to Red Face. Then everyone in the room will e starring, likely even commenting, about your hot sauce red, moist face. Again, it is just awful.

Being Called On To speak

No one likes being called on in class to speak. But people will like it even less when they are in trouble and both the teacher and principal are there calling on you. That is what happened to Spencer as he was sitting with Fridge in the principals office. The teacher finished reading the last paragraph of his paper, showing him the stark similarities to Fridge’s paper. She asked him to justify these similarities between the two papers. He tries to defend himself by saying things like, “that’s interesting. What are the odds of that?” Then like 15 seconds later, in an effort to defend Fridge, Spencer raises his hand and states, “it was my fault. I made him do it.” A ridiculous defense in which the principal calls him out on.

Spencer (Alex Wolff) raises his hand in defense of Fridge and confesses that he (Spencer) made Fridge cheat by voluntarily writing Fridge’s essay. This is a ridiculous defense which led to both of them getting detention.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

Someone suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder would be just as nervous, but in an effort to keep eyes from being on them, they wouldn’t voluntarily talk. If Spencer had SAD, he would keep his answers very short, apologize, and not raise his hand in volunteer of taking the blame. He would want the whole thing to end asap. Why? Because he would have Red Face by then and doesn’t want anyone to make it 100x worse by commenting on it.

Somewhere in the middle of his messy argument, Spencer complains that it is really hot in the room. This is important because people with SAD would be feeling that same exact feeling of heat. I’m not saying Spencer has SAD, but the feeling of being under public pressure in front of authority would make anyone nervous. But with SAD sufferer’s, it’s so much more intense. People with Social Anxiety Disorder will get a rush of heat sensation straight to their face, followed by the body’s cooling mechanism, sweat. All while being called on to speak, or during anticipation, or while being accused of doing something bad. That hot, sweaty, red feeling in front of other people is a traumatizing to SAD sufferers.

Social Anxiety Scene 2: Sitting next to Martha

Left to right: Ser’Darius Blain (Fridge), Alex Wolff (Spencer), Morgan Turner (Martha), and Madison Iseman (Bethany) sitting outside the principals office waiting for their detention to begin. Jumanji:
Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

Movie: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

Social Anxiety Scene: The four, soon to be video game adventurers, are sitting outside of the principals office waiting for their detention to begin.

Anxiety Provoking Event: Spencer is sitting directly next to the girl he secretly likes and gets nervous around, Martha.

he likes her

Highschool crushes are great, aren’t they? You like someone, you’re too nervous to tell them so you just deny it, and it turns out they never liked you anyway. Ugh! Romance in highschool can be tough, and Spencer’s crush on Martha is a perfect example. But if he had Social Anxiety Disorder, it’d be even worse for him.

While they were all sitting outside the principals office, Spencer ended up sitting right to Martha. He secretly has a crush on her, but the highschool rule book says that you can never tell her that. So he keeps it himself and lives with the nervousness around her.

Just like we saw when he was being punished for cheating, anticipation can play a significant role in triggering SAD. While sitting next to Martha, thoughts of “don’t make her like you less” will pop into Spencers mind. Yes, he will already assume that she doesn’t like him. SAD sufferers project negative thoughts from other people about themselves in social situations very often. It’s actually a big focal point that therapists work on when helping SAD sufferers.

red face

So Spencer will develop a strategy in mind. He will try his best not to move so much, he will not say anything to her, and he will hope to God that she doesn’t say anything to him. Why? Because if she does spark a conversation with him, he will get a humiliating case of Red Face and there is nothing he can do to hide it. She will undoubtedly notice the bright red blushing and profuse sweating. And since he is sitting so close to her, he will radiate an overwhelming amount of body heat towards her. Again, she will notice that too.

The absolute worse case scenario if he developed Red Face in front of her is that she will notice his ripe tomato sweating face, make a disgusted look, and then comment on it in front of him. The red will shine redder and the sweat will be wetter. And just as bad is if one of the other two students notice and point it out publicly. Spencer would get hotter, redder, and wetter real fast. He would be completely humiliated. As always, this would just be awful!

Social Anxiety scene with Dwayne Johnson in Red Notice

The Red Notice scene that causes Social Anxiety. Careful, this one is a killer to Dwayne Johnson.

The stars aligned with Red Notice

Red Notice has one very specific scene which is a huge Social Anxiety trigger if you’re Dwayne Johnson.

Is this more of an art thief movie or a “who is conning who” movie? That’s still the debate even after the film has ended. Highlighted by three Hollywood superstars, Red Notice delivered on some big-time comedy and action. Dwayne Johnson’s John Hartley was the biggest question throughout the film; was he a good cop, a corrupt cop, or was he even a cop at all? Partnering with Ryan Reynolds’ Nolan Booth (a well-known art thief), we were all under the impression that Hartley was simply trying to clear his name from the one person who framed him: Gal Gadot’s “The Bishop”. Filled with twists and turns, conmen and conwomen, trickery and deception, Red Notice held up its commitment to deliver.  

Red Notice shows Dwayne Johnson’s character, John Hartley, as confident, bold, and outgoing. He is multi-talented and well versed in everything he does. Pursuing criminals, breaking out of jail, teaming up with criminals, and avoiding pursuit from Interpol agents are just some examples. And Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) won’t stop him in any one of those things. What it will stop him is hitting the dance floor with an extremely attractive woman like Gal Gadot’s, “The Bishop.”

Dwayne Johnson Rocks Social Anxiety Disorder

**Not too sure what SAD is? Click here to see why it would suck eggs (not Cleopatra’s eggs) to have it.**

The Social Anxiety scene with Dwayne Johnson in Red Notice

Dwayne Johnson and Gal Gadot dance at a party in front of people watching. This is a social anxiety trigger.
John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson) dancing with “The Bishop” (Gal Gadot) at Sotto Voce’s masquerade party. Dancing in front of all those people is a huge social anxiety trigger. Red Notice, 2021

Red Notice (2021) 

Scene: The dance at the masquerade party between Dwayne Johnson’s, John Hartley and Gal Gadot’s, “The Bishop.” 

Anxiety Provoking Event: Drawing attention to himself by participating in a dance in front of other people; especially with someone very attractive 

If Dwayne Johnson’s John Hartley had Social Anxiety Disorder, the dance with Gal Gadot’s “The Bishop” would not have happened. 

Background

While attending a masquerade party at the home of well-known criminal, Sotto Voce, John Hartley and Nolan Booth devised a plan to steal the second egg of Cleopatra from a hidden, locked room in Voce’s house. It wasn’t until Hartley noticed The Bishop standing alone on the dance floor that he started to improvise their plan. Hartley wanted to confront her for framing him and turning him into a fugitive, wanted by Interpol.

The Bishop looked stunning as she dressed elegantly in a bright red dress and decked out in diamond jewels. Her appearance was attention-grabbing and certainly would have caught the eyes of many on that dance floor. John Hartley approached The Bishop on the dance floor and the two became one of many couples dancing. Just after the song ended, Voce approached Bishop, commented that she caught his attention, and requested a dance with her. 

Dwayne Johnson dancing with Gal Gadot at a party. Many eyes are on them making this a social anxiety moment.
John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson) finishing his dance with “The Bishop” (Gal Gadot) just before telling her that he will arrest her. Still a social anxiety provoking moment as so many eyes are on them as they dance.
Red Notice, 2021

Social Anxiety disorder would have changed Dwayne Johnson’s behavior

If Dwayne Johnson’s, John Hartley, had Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) that dance between him and Gal Gadot’s “The Bishop” would never have happened. As you probably know, a man approaching an attractive woman and asking her for a dance is quite nerve racking. But a man with SAD approaching an attractive woman for a dance, particularly in front of others, is simply too overwhelming. The fear of being watched and judged, which would lead to the dreaded Red Face symptoms, is too much to handle. Red Notice is Social Anxiety for Dwayne Johnson.

Red face symptoms

If Hartley asked The Bishop for a dance and she agreed, there would be a really good chance that SAD symptoms would hit him hard. During the dance, he would turn bright red from facial blush, sweat so heavily that drops of sweat would drip off his nose and face, his heart rate would be loud and fast, and there would be a tremble in the hands.

The Bishop would notice immediately during their dance and would point out his symptoms. She would be disgusted, and thus, would excuse herself from the dance floor. As if that wasn’t humiliating enough, the thought that other people are watching and noticing Hartley’s anxiety symptoms, just adds to the embarrassment. It gets even worse when people publicly call attention to his red, sweaty face. Hartley would be so embarrassed and humiliated that he would go straight to the bathroom, turn on the cold-water faucet, and dunk his head in the sink almost to the point of developing hypothermia. He would actually wish that he were back in that jail cell he was in earlier in the movie.

Preventative action against SAD symptoms

Instead of allowing this incredibly uncomfortable traumatic event from occurring, John Hartley would know better than to set himself up that way. He would just avoid the dance and do his best to avoid being noticed by people. In all likelihood, Hartley would never have attended a party like this at all because of the overwhelming necessity to endure the fear of social anxiety symptoms.