Many films, series, and trends within the pop culture realm have been motivating factors behind TikTok videos. The video trends highlight a clip of a popular song, a quote from a film or tv show, or a meme that’s popular on social media, and TikTok users react in many different ways.
One of the latest viral trends on TikTok is blind reacting to a horror film — but not precisely in the way you’d expect. If you search the #NocturnalAnimals hashtag on TikTok, you’ll find a series of reaction videos to the film’s opening scene.
While the original poster may have been going for a comedic or popular reaction, what happened next was a lot of people in the comments section having a completely different response than they were anticipating.
The opening scene is several nude women dancing with a flag in slow motion for those who haven’t seen the film. A TikTok user actually shared the scene for those who don’t have access to the film.
User SilentWolf382 shared the following:
“For those who can’t see it, it’s four heavy set older women dancing with confidence and then lying on slabs at a high-end art exhibit.”
Many users immediately wondered why the reaction to the women dancing confidently in the exhibit caused such a reaction from viewers. From laughter to disdain and a slew of adverse responses in between, it didn’t take long for questions to arise to the need for this reaction video’s existence.
Body shaming happens on many levels and can affect people in a multitude of ways. This TikTok user said that the reactions people were having made them want to be “buried at the bottom of the deepest hole.”
It’s not likely that the original poster set out with malicious intent, but it’s a stark reminder that comments and reactions such as the ones popular on TikTok right now have meaning. Remember the golden rule you learned growing up — if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.
Moments like these should serve as reminders to all of us that what we say online or in our day-to-day lives can affect people in ways we may not intend or ways we might not consider enough when we initially say them.
Many comments also stood up for the women, saying that they have confidence and that’s what matters. It’s not about how people react; it’s about them and the art the scene was showcasing.
You can watch Nocturnal Animals on Netflix now.