Martin Scorsese Stars In Coca-Cola Energy Super Bowl Commercial, But Is It Cinema?

Martin Scorsese Coca-Cola Energy Super Bowl Commercial

By Ethan Anderton/Jan. 31, 2020 12:30 pm EST

In case you haven't heard, Coca-Cola has launched a new energy soft drink called Coca-Cola Energy, and they're making a big push for it with a new Super Bowl commercial starring Martin Scorsese. Because when you think energy, you think Martin Scorsese. But don't worry, because the director's Wolf of Wall Street supporting star Jonah Hill shows up (though he almost doesn't) to make this even more weird. Watch the Martin Scorsese Coca-Cola Energy Super Bowl commercial below.

Martin Scorsese Coca-Cola Energy Super Bowl Commercial

All right, so here's the deal. Martin Scorsese is at a party, and he has no wingman. I don't care if he's the director of The Departed and GoodFellas, this grandfather should not be at a party alone. For some reason, Jonah Hill is supposed to be his buddy at this party, but Superbad totally forgot about it. It's all right though, because Scorsese sends him the best text ever, "The party, HILL!"

But Jonah Hill doesn't seem to keen on going to a party. If you ever get to a point in life where you're not sure if you want to go to a party with Martin Scorsese, who is eagerly awaiting your arrival, you've either reached the full potential of your life, or you're doing something very wrong.

Thankfully, after giving Scorsese the maddening, delayed three blinking dots in iMessage (which are personified by rapper YBN Cordae), Jonah Hill gets himself a Coca-Cola Energy and he's good to go. He even apologizes for almost flaking on the Oscar-winning filmmaker. Whew, that was a close one.

But here's the big question that stems from this commercial: is it cinema? Martin Scorsese famously called Marvel Studios movies (and other superhero films) nothing more than theme park rides. It sparked quite the outrage and ongoing commentary online until he fully explained what he meant in an essay. So how would he feel about this Coca-Cola commercial? It has a narrative, a clear beginning, middle and end. Are there any stakes? Is anything risked? Coca-Cola is a brand that doesn't really need to advertise anymore, it's just brand reinforcement. But it does play on some big screens since this is the Super Bowl we're talking about. Maybe it's cinema after all.