The dominating images of the world that Hollywood, and Western cinema more generally, set forward reflect most cohesively an exoticized fantasy projection of the non-Western world that is at once enticing as it is filled with danger and trauma for the traveler who deviates from a conventional path of exploration. In a world that is markedly growing increasingly uncomfortable with American dominance, and where the Western traveler is seized by paranoia and expectations of danger and hostility, cinematic representations of journeys to lush, foreign lands offer a safe way to experience the world. To borrow Anne Friedberg’s concept of the “mobilized virtual gaze,” we can now sit safely back in our seats and engage in cultural “window shopping” without going anywhere or subjecting ourselves to the potential perils of travel. Many contemporary films which deal with the Westerner traveling to the less developed world project a fantasy of self-discovery and “authentic” experience for the traveler, as well as an inevitable confrontation with extreme danger upon seeking this unconventional encounter.