Conspiracy Theory (1997) Movie Review: Richard Donner's Conspiracy-Fueled Thriller Is ...
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This review of Conspiracy Theory (1997) is a perfect lens for exploring why paranoid thinking can be both a cognitive trap and, sometimes, the only rational response to a manipulative system.
Paranoia and Pattern RecognitionConspiracy Theory PsychologyApopheniaInstitutional Distrust
Theory Briefing
- Mel Gibson's cab-driver character spouts dozens of conspiracies, illustrating how pattern-recognition gone haywire defines paranoid cognition.
- The film's twist — that one wild theory turns out to be true — validates the broken-clock logic at the heart of conspiracy belief.
- Richard Donner wraps surveillance, mind control, and government cover-ups in a crowd-pleasing thriller, showing how entertainment normalises distrust of institutions.